I wish that Richard Kallman were better remembered as an artist than for this short-lived television series which didn't quite last a year. He was cast as the title character named Hank who in addition to supporting younger siblings with various endeavors was gaining a college education for free. The education mind you, not the accreditation for the courses he was auditing by various ways each week.
Hank was certainly one silly series. But as pointed out no sillier than My Mother the Car or even a successful show like Gilligan's Island. But Richard Kallman was destined to gain far more notoriety in the manner of his demise.
I was still in the closet back in 1980 and working for New York State Crime Victims Board when I was assigned a claim by Zara Kallman who was Richard's mom. Richard Kallman was a closeted gay man who by 1980 had left the acting profession and become a noted art dealer. On February 22, 1980 Richard Kallman and his partner Stephen Szladek were murdered in Kallman's apartment by three men who gained entrance and stole a lot of valuable art, antiques, and jewelry. It was a well planned and executed heist and it took over a year before the three were caught and even longer for them to be tried, convicted, and given lengthy prison sentances.
Through Zara Kallman I got to know Richard. Zara was living in California and Dick helped when he could. A dutiful son indeed.
I've no doubt Dick Kallman was victimized because even 11 years after Stonewall celebrities were not rushing to break down closet doors. We've seen in the past few years a lot of them break free from the closet like Neil Patrick Harris, George Takei, Ellen DeGeneres, and most recently Clay Aiken. Kallman's killers occupied that shadowy world of people who prayed on gays.
But the lesson for me in this horrible crime was that if a celebrity like Dick Kallman could be victimized like this, what does that hold for an obscure civil servant like your's truly? Within a year I was out at work and have never regretted it since.
So to Richard Kallman who after his own death influenced another life on this planet this review is dedicated. And to Zara Kallman who brought up a dutiful gay son whom she was proud of and who I was privileged to assist in her hour of tragedy this review is also dedicated. Having had a mother who also endured the loss of a child, I know what she went through.
I only wish Kallman had a better show for his epitaph.
Hank was certainly one silly series. But as pointed out no sillier than My Mother the Car or even a successful show like Gilligan's Island. But Richard Kallman was destined to gain far more notoriety in the manner of his demise.
I was still in the closet back in 1980 and working for New York State Crime Victims Board when I was assigned a claim by Zara Kallman who was Richard's mom. Richard Kallman was a closeted gay man who by 1980 had left the acting profession and become a noted art dealer. On February 22, 1980 Richard Kallman and his partner Stephen Szladek were murdered in Kallman's apartment by three men who gained entrance and stole a lot of valuable art, antiques, and jewelry. It was a well planned and executed heist and it took over a year before the three were caught and even longer for them to be tried, convicted, and given lengthy prison sentances.
Through Zara Kallman I got to know Richard. Zara was living in California and Dick helped when he could. A dutiful son indeed.
I've no doubt Dick Kallman was victimized because even 11 years after Stonewall celebrities were not rushing to break down closet doors. We've seen in the past few years a lot of them break free from the closet like Neil Patrick Harris, George Takei, Ellen DeGeneres, and most recently Clay Aiken. Kallman's killers occupied that shadowy world of people who prayed on gays.
But the lesson for me in this horrible crime was that if a celebrity like Dick Kallman could be victimized like this, what does that hold for an obscure civil servant like your's truly? Within a year I was out at work and have never regretted it since.
So to Richard Kallman who after his own death influenced another life on this planet this review is dedicated. And to Zara Kallman who brought up a dutiful gay son whom she was proud of and who I was privileged to assist in her hour of tragedy this review is also dedicated. Having had a mother who also endured the loss of a child, I know what she went through.
I only wish Kallman had a better show for his epitaph.