Bob Hiltermann (born August 1, 1952) is a writer, director, actor, and musician. He is best known as a founding member of the world's only all-deaf rock band, Beethoven's Nightmare, and for his involvement in groundbreaking deaf theater and film productions. His acclaimed short film, This is Ed!!, has won 24 awards internationally. Hiltermann has appeared in numerous film and television productions and is a co-founder of Deaf West Theatre, a Tony Award-winning company known for its Broadway productions.
Early life Hiltermann was born in Wiesbaden, West Germany, to Maria Albert and Karl Hiltermann. He was the second youngest of eleven children. At the age of four, he contracted spinal meningitis, which resulted in his hearing loss. His deafness remained undiagnosed until he was ten years old, which caused significant challenges in school.
In 1957, his family emigrated to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Despite academic struggles, Hiltermann developed an early passion for music—especially drumming—after being exposed to powwows on the Blackfoot Indian reservation with a childhood friend and later listening to The Beatles through his sister Dagmar.
Following high school, a guidance counselor encouraged him to apply to Gallaudet College (now Gallaudet University) in Washington, D.C., a university for the deaf and hard of hearing. He was accepted, likely due to his strong performance in mathematics. There, he learned American Sign Language (ASL), as well as English reading and writing skills, opening the door to creative and communicative expression.
While at Gallaudet, Hiltermann met fellow deaf musicians Ed Chevy and Steve Longo, with whom he formed Beethoven's Nightmare.
Career
Film and television Hiltermann made his film debut in 1986, portraying Orin Dennis in the Academy Award-winning film Children of a Lesser God. He reunited with co-star Marlee Matlin in the 1989 CBS television movie Bridge to Silence.
Other notable appearances include roles in: All My Children (ABC), Cold Case (CBS); Hawaii Five-0 (CBS); The Blacklist (NBC); The Hammer; See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary;The PBS documentary Through Deaf Eyes (2007) and Sirens (ABC).
In 2017, he wrote and directed the short film This is Ed!!, which won 24 awards at international film festivals, including Best Director nominations at the Atlanta Comedy Film Festival and the Shanghai International Deaf Film Festival.
Theatre and Music In 1980, Hiltermann co-founded MUSIGN, a musical theatre troupe integrating sign language, dance, and mime. The group toured internationally to critical acclaim. In 1989, he founded the Theatre of the Deaf at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles. A year later, this evolved into Deaf West Theatre, co-founded with Ed Waterstreet. Deaf West would go on to present award-winning productions, including Broadway runs of Big River and Spring Awakening.
Hiltermann's band, Beethoven's Nightmare, gained international recognition as the only all-deaf rock band in the world. Formed at Gallaudet University, the band has performed at music and arts festivals globally.
His stage performance as the sinister character, The Minister, in the musical The Black Drum (2019) received acclaim in Canada, the United States, and France.
Writing and Education Hiltermann is also an accomplished screenwriter. His script, Grateful Deaf, was a Top 10 finalist in the Kinolime Script-to-Screen Competition. Additionally, 3 accolades from other screenplay competitions (specific listings available). His more recent script, Fly Boy Fly, has received 10 accolades from various screenwriting competitions.
He is also a star and executive producer of Shut Up and Sign, an educational sign language series.
As an educator, Hiltermann teaches English to deaf students and ASL to hearing students at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). He has also served as an ASL consultant for film and television, including working with William Hurt on Children of a Lesser God and Ashton Kutcher in A Lot Like Love.
Accolades
This is Ed!!—24 awards from international film festivals Grateful Deaf—Top 10 Finalist, Kinolime Script-to-Screen Competition. Additionally, this screenplay also has 3 accolades from other screenplay competitions (specific listings available). Fly Boy Fly — 10 accolades from screenplay competitions (specific listings available)
Filmography +YearTitleRoleNotes1986Children of a Lesser GodOrin DennisParamount Pictures2009The Heart of a Drum MachineHimselfDreamy Draw Music2009See What I’m SayingHimselfWorldplay Productions, Inc.2010The HammerPurdue ProfessorFilm Harvest/Sawhorse Productions2017The Strength Within You: Love WinsDadKMB Entertainment2020The MessageVictorArrowhead Films
Television +YearTitleRoleNotes1985Entertainment TonightHimselfCBS1989Bridge to SilenceJohn WarnerCBS TV Movie1990Project: Tin MenSecret AgentSci-Fi TV Movie1992Playboy: Erotic FantasiesHimselfPlayboy Channel1995SirensJacobABC – Guest role2007All My ChildrenWalter NovakABC – Recurring role2007Through Deaf EyesHimselfPBS Documentary2008Cold CaseEd RierdenCBS – Guest role2013CleanersLucyStreaming series – Guest role2018Hawaii Five-0HalCBS – Guest role2021The BlacklistThe ColonelNBC – Guest role
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes1988Of Mice and MenLenny SmallFort Mason Theatre1992One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestDale HardingFountain Theatre1998Romeo & JulietMontagueOdyssey Theatre2000A Streetcar Named DesireHarold “Mitch” MitchellDeaf West Theatre2012CyranoBillFountain Theatre2067The Black DrumMinisterSoulpepper Theater Company
Personal life Hiltermann has been married to Adylia Roman since 1991. They have two children, Kayla and Ryan. He resides in California and continues to be active in film, music, and education.
References