Earl John Hindman was an American actor, best known for his role as the kindly neighbor Wilson W. Wilson Jr. on the television sitcom Home Improvement. Long before this role, however, he played bad guys in two 1970s thrillers, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and The Parallax View. He also played the part of J.T in the Lawrence Kasdan film Silverado and appeared in the film C.H.U.D. Hindman's most famous and enduring pre-Home Improvement role was as Bob Reid in Ryan's Hope. He played the role in 459 episodes during the years 1975-1989. Ex-police officer Bob Reid was everybody's best friend who never got the girl, and was the long-suffering brother of the soap's serial bride Delia Reid Ryan Ryan Coleridge. Hindman's wife was also on the soap 1977-1981 as Polly Longworth, best friend to media tycoon Rae Woodard. 

October 20th, 1942 in Bisbee  /  Died:   Dec 29th, 2003 - at age 61