Johnnie Lee Wheeler Jr. (June 20, 1930 – February 6, 2026) was an American actor, best known as the singing restaurant manager in the classic 1971 "You Deserve A Break Today" McDonald's commercial featuring singing employees singing as they clean and get the restaurant ready to open.John Wheeler - Netflix Movies He graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1952 with a Bachelor of Music degree. Wheeler died at his home in Claremont, California, on February 6, 2026, at the age of 95.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1968Live a Little, Love a LittleWorkmanUncredited1969Sweet CharityDancer1969The Good Guys and the Bad GuysBumperUncredited1969Tell Them Willie Boy Is HereNewman1970MoveBrown Package1971Support Your Local GunfighterCroupier1973Vice Squad WomenDetective Ray Farnum1974MameJudge Bregoff1974Newman's LawEastman's dinner guestUncredited1974Big Bad MamaLawyer1977Bad Georgia RoadDub Douchette1978Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandMr. Fields1979The North Avenue IrregularsClothier1979The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides AgainConductor1980Seed of InnocenceTammer1981Separate WaysWorker #11987Banzai RunnerHawkins1987Cold SteelMahoney1995Apollo 13Reporter
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1958Wonderful TownOfficer LoniganTelevision film1960Golden ChildCaller1967Star Trek: The Original SeriesGavEpisode: "Journey to Babel"1968, 1971BonanzaHill / Bartender2 episodes1960Death Valley DaysJohn BurkeEpisode: "Green Is the Color of Gold"1969The OutsiderMontanaEpisode: "Handle with Care"1969The Silent GunSecond TownsmanTelevision film1969–1971Green AcresVarious roles4 episodes1970Then Came BronsonHerb PerryEpisode: "A-Pickin' An' A-Singin'"1970MannixSecond Zoo AttendantEpisode: "A Ticket to the Eclipse"1970–1974The Brady BunchVarious roles3 episodes1971–1975The Odd Couple4 episodes1972Mission: ImpossibleCrowleyEpisode: "Bag Woman"1972ColumboClient of 'Eve Babcock'Episode: "The Most Crucial Game"1972Adam-12WilburEpisode: "The Vendetta"1972–1973Love, American StyleBailiff4 episodes1974Here's LucyMr. BlakeEpisode: "Meanwhile, Back at the Office"1974Happy DaysMr. CrenshawEpisode: "The Deadly Dares"1974Honky TonkBank ManagerTelevision film1974Emergency!FelixEpisode: "Nagging Suspicion"1975GunsmokeWaiterEpisode: "I Have Promises to Keep"1976The WaltonsLeonard GormleyEpisode: "The Test"1976Van Dyke and CompanyMr. HaleyEpisode #1.91977The Richard Pryor Special?Security GuardTelevision film1978With This RingBell CaptainTelevision film1978Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape KidTelegraph Operator1978Rescue from Gilligan's IslandStudio Guard1978The Rockford FilesCliffEpisode: "Kill the Messenger"1978CHiPsWallyEpisode: "Return of the Turks"1978RhodaHarveyEpisode: "The Date in the Iron Mask"1979The Wild Wild West RevisitedHenryTelevision film1980It's a LivingCustomerEpisode: "Fallen Idol"1982DallasApartment ManagerEpisode: "Goodbye, Cliff Barnes"1982The Dukes of HazzardMr. Rhuebottom4 episodes1983Simon & SimonBurtEpisode: "The Skeleton Who Came Out of the Closet"1986HotelCab DriverEpisode: "Undercurrents"1988The Golden GirlsPatronEpisode: "Mister Terrific"1989Night CourtMr. PerineEpisode: "From Snoop to Nuts: Part 2"1989The Hollywood DetectiveJackTelevision film1989, 1990Life Goes OnAnnouncer / Coach McNuiffy2 episodes1990The BradysJoe FletcherEpisode: "The Brady 500"1990Good GriefSkippyEpisode: "Cub Scouts and Horses & Whiskers on Kittens"1991Lucy & Desi: Before the LaughterWilliam FrawleyTelevision film1991True ColorsHead MonkEpisode: "Splendor in the Basement"1991Runaway FatherJudge CiglioTelevision film1992Baby TalkMinisterEpisode: "Scenes from a Marriage"1994Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanShop OwnerEpisode: "Madame Ex"1994ERMr. ResnickEpisode: "Going Home"1996Mrs. Santa ClausMan in Santa SuitTelevision film1997L.A. HeatJonathan QuincyEpisode: "Daybomber"1997Step by StepSantaEpisode: "Too Many Santas"1998Team Knight RiderBarberEpisode: "Home Away from Home"1998Beverly Hills, 90210Greg RedbornEpisode: "All That Glitters"2001The HuntressHarryEpisode: "The Quest: Part 1"2004Single Santa Seeks Mrs. ClausSanta ClausTelevision film2005Meet the SantasSanta ClausTelevision film
References
External links