Hindman's earliest roles were in low-budget
exploitation films in the 1960s, though he moved on to appear in productions from major Hollywood film studios in the 1970s, playing villains in two 1974 thrillers,
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and
The Parallax View. He also appeared in the films ''
Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971), Greased Lightning (1977), The Brink's Job (1978), Taps (1981), and Murder in Coweta County (1983). Hindman also played the part of J.T. in the Lawrence Kasdan film Silverado (1985), and the part of Satch in the Leonard Nimoy film Three Men and a Baby'' (1987). One of Hindman's well-known early roles was as Bob Reid on the
soap opera ''
Ryan's Hope''. He played the role from 1975–1984 and later returned for its final episodes in 1988–89. Hindman's wife (
Molly McGreevy) was also on the soap from 1977–81 as Polly Longworth, best friend to media tycoon Rae Woodard. In one of his most famous roles, Hindman played the role of the kindly neighbor Wilson W. Wilson on the television sitcom
Home Improvement from 1991–1999. Wilson was only ever partially seen, because of a
running gag that only the top of his face was visible as he talked to his neighbor from the other side of a tall fence. In later episodes, Wilson was occasionally seen in other environments outside of his backyard, but something — a mask for a costume, an on-set prop, a large bundle Wilson was carrying — would always block part of his face to the home viewer. His final roles included the movie
Final (2001), and appearances in
Law & Order and
Law & Order: Criminal Intent. ==Personal life and death==