Todd Hissong Dies: Former President Of SAG’s Chicago Branch & National Board Member Was 64
Todd Hissong, who served as SAG’s Chicago branch president for six years, was a National Board member for five and had a seat on SAG-AFTRA’s post-merger National Board, died today. He was 64.
SAG-AFTRA said Hissong devoted much of his time to serving his fellow union members. Aside from serving as SAG’s Chicago Branch president, he served on numerous national committees from 2002-13, including the Commercial Performers, Executive, Performers with Disabilities, Voiceover and Commercial Negotiating committees.
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“Todd was a true unionist — a fierce and passionate advocate for the union and its members,” SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said. “His humor and wit brought a smile to his colleagues’ faces even during the most contentious of negotiations. He will be missed.”
As an actor, Hissong had a long theatrical career in the Detroit area and worked extensively in local television, earning three local Emmys among eight nominations. He later co-founded the Aspect Theatre Company in Chicago, which presented 19 Equity staged readings in its 2½ years of activity.
Hissong also appeared in local Chicago productions of such familiar plays as Harvey, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Odd Couple and A Woman of No Importance and was active at the Shakespeare Project of Chicago. There he took part in staged readings of the Bard’s Hamlet, Twelfth Night, Henry VIII and others.
On camera he appeared in hundreds of industrial films, numerous commercials and guested on episodes of America’s Most Wanted and Low Winter Sun. He also read audiobooks of the Bible.
“On behalf of the members of SAG-AFTRA, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Todd’s wife PJ, family and friends,” Carteris said.
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