Lou Hirsch (born 27 February 1955) is an American born actor. He is best known for playing supporting roles such as Arnie Kowlaski in the sitcom My Hero, Wallace in Episodes, Donut in Kappatoo, Fred in Superman III (1983), Officer Silas Romek in Space Precinct, Jones in The Tomorrow People, Monty in Stay Lucky, Headmaster Widdlesome in Thunderbirds (2004) and the voice of Baby Herman in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). During his career, he was primarily based in the United Kingdom, specialising in playing American roles in various theatre productions, film and TV programs.
Biography Hirsch studied at the University of Miami and Guildhall School of Music and Drama; one of his classmates at the latter was future Star Trek: The Next Generation actress Marina Sirtis. For six months he studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in New York, before he abruptly left, citing disagreements with Strasberg's teaching techniques. In 1979, he moved to London and joined the Cambridge Theatre Company appearing in From the Greek by Frederick Raphel. The following year he appeared in a touring production of Anna Christie with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Career In 1982, Hirsch made his television debut as Sgt. Hymie Stutz in the LWT mini-series We'll Meet Again about USAF personnel stationed in a English village during World War II. On television he has appeared in Whoops Apocalypse, Dempsey and Makepeace, The Equalizer, The New Statesman, Stay Lucky, Paul Merton: The Series, Jeeves and Wooster, Takin' Over the Asylum, The Tales of Para Handy and Operation Good Guys. Between 1982 to 1986, Hirsch made recurring appearances as part of the ensemble cast in the sketch show The Kenny Everett Television Show. Hirsch's film roles include The Lonely Lady (1983), Superman III (1983), Insignificance (1985), The American Way (1986), Haunted Honeymoon (1986), Wild West (1992) Tom & Viv (1994) and Thunderbirds (2004).
Hirsch is best known for voicing the adult voice of Baby Herman in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). He originally auditioned for a live action role in the film, but was eventually hired to voice Herman, despite having no prior experience as a voice actor. He described the voice as a combination of Wallace Beery and his (British) friends' imitation of him. Following the film's release, Hirsch reprised the role in three animated shorts, including Tummy Trouble (1989), Roller Coaster Rabbit (1990) and Trail Mix-Up (1993).
In 1991, Hirsch appeared in a rare lead role as Raymond Gold in the ScreenPlay episode "The Fallout Guy", an immature 39-year-old fantasist who works as a chemical engineer, whom also has a double life as a spy, selling nuclear secrets to the Russians; the original play was loosely based on the life of Harry Gold. The episode subsequently won the 1990 Radio Times Drama Award.
During the nineties, he had recurring roles in a number of children's programs, including Gophers!, Kappatoo and The Tomorrow People. He appeared as alien policeman Officer Silas Romek in Space Precinct, produced by Gerry Anderson, which was one of the most expensive TV shows ever produced in the UK, using a combination of science fiction and police procedural. Between 2000 and 2006, Hirsch appeared in all six series of My Hero as Arnie Kowlaski, a former superhero who was stripped off his powers after abusing them, and also the cousin of George Sunday (aka Thermoman).
In 2011, Hirsch appeared as Wallace in Episodes, a forgetful security guard who works at the Beverley Hills estate where Sean and Beverly live during the course of the first series.
Stage work Hirsch has appeared in a number of theatre productions. He played George in Of Mice and Men, which he first played in 1983 alongside Clive Mantle as Lennie; he reprised the role 13 years later in a national tour, again with Mantle. He played Oscar in a 1991 production of The Odd Couple at the Watford Palace, Jerry in The Road to Nirvana at The Traverse in 1995, Shelley Levene in Glengarry Glen Ross at the Royal Lyceum in 2001, Barton Keyes in Double Indemity at the Nottingham Playhouse in 2004, and appeared as Al Lewis in The Sunshine Boys at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2007.
Personal life Hisch moved back to the U.S. in 2017, and currently resides in Florida.
Selected filmography YearTitleRole Notes1982We'll Meet AgainSgt. Hymie Stutz13 episodes (mini-series)Whoops ApocalypseJed Grodd2 episodes1982 –1986The Kenny Everett Television ShowVarious13 episodes1983The Lonely Lady BernieFilmSuperman IIIFredFilm1984Danger: Marmalade at WorkSmall SamEpisode: "Shame"The Lenny Henry ShowVarious 1 episodeOxbridge BluesSidneyEpisode: "He'll See You Now"1985Dempsey and MakepeaceWee JockEpisode: "Tequila Sunrise"InsignificanceCharlieFilm1986The American WayVet 1FilmHaunted HoneymoonSponsorFilmThe Last Days of Patton DexterTV movie1987The EqualizerCounter ClerkEpisode: "A Place to Stay"1988DeadlineMontyTV movieWho Framed Roger Rabbit Baby Herman (voice)FilmYou Must Be the HusbandHalEpisode: "In Sickness and in Health"1989The New StatesmanHoughton MifflinEpisode: "California Here I Come"Stay LuckyMonty3 episodesTummy TroubleBaby Herman (voice)Short1990Gophers!Chuck Gopher, Nacho (voice)4 episodesRoller Coaster RabbitBaby Herman (voice)Short1990 –1992KappatooDonut10 episodes1991Paul Merton: The SeriesJim Weaver1 episodeScreenPlayRaymond GoldEpisode: "The Fallout Guy"1992Jeeves and WoosterJimmy MundyEpisode: "The Full House"StrathblairDonald TelferEpisode: "Coming to Terms"The Tomorrow PeopleJones4 episodesWild WestHank GoldsteinFilm1993Mr Don & Mr GeorgeHollywood ProducerEpisode: "No Wasps"Trail Mix-UpBaby Herman (voice)Short1994Takin' Over the AsylumAmerican ConsultantEpisode: "Fly Like an Eagle"Tom & VivCaptain ToddFilm1994 –1995Space PrecinctOfficer Silas Romek20 episodes1995The Tales of Para HandyJohn CodyEpisode: "The Mallingerer"1996Over HereTomasz1 episode1997Coronation Street: Viva Las Vegas!Dino DiCatalanoVideo1998Operation Good GuysLou Friskham-FarinoEpisode: "Frisk 'em"2000 –2006My HeroArnie Kowlaski50 episodes2004ThunderbirdsHeadmaster WiddlesomeFilm2011EpisodesWallace3 episodes
References
External links Lou Hirsch at IMDb Lou Hirsch at British Comedy Guide Lou Hirsch at Theatricalia