James Harder

James Harder (1931-2009) was a New York character actor, most often in commercials, who appeared on Sesame Street as bureaucrat Mr. McNulty in Episode 1576 (1981) and the following season in flashbacks as the justice of the peace who marries Gordon and Susan (Episode 1733).
Harder worked extensively in commercials for decades, with over 3,000 spots according to his obituary.Legacy Obituary. Cape Cod, 2009. He did radio ads and commercial voice-overs (his distinctive voice combined a higher register with an old-fashioned huckster delivery) but was busiest on-camera, from business suit wearing bosses or shopkeepers to anthropomorphized objects. He played Big Fig, a dancing and singing fig, in 1970s Fig Newton commercials and one of the "spirits of the first Thanksgiving" (a pilgrim) in Butterball turkey ads. The Children's Television Workshop-produced science PSA series Betcha Don't Know (made for NBC Saturday morning use, 1981-1982) featured Harder recurring as the adult foil to assorted child actors or NBC personalities.
Outside of advertising, Harder appeared occasionally in movies and TV shows, playing doormen in Paternity (with Burt Reynolds) and Author! Author! (with Bob and Ray) and guest spots on Spin City and Ed. On stage, he performed Off-Broadway, in Chicago and dinner theater (including Marryin' Sam in a 1961 production of Li'l Abner), and on Broadway in the 1975 musical Very Good Eddie (receiving a Drama Desk award for outstanding featured actor in a musical). 
==Sesame Street roles==
MrMcNulty.jpg|Mr. McNultyEpisode 1576
1984 Justice of the Peace.jpg|Justice of the PeaceEpisode 1733
==Sources==
==External links==
*IMDb
*Internet Broadway database
*Internet Off-Broadway Database credits
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Category:Sesame Street Guest Stars