WITH AN EYE ON . . . : John Henton likes creating a ‘Living’ person who’s sweet-smart and likable

It happens, actor John Henton says, five or six times a year: A headache so powerful that all he can do to combat it is sleep. And sleep is what the “Living Single” star does, right through a scheduled interview with The Times.

As Henton apologizes profusely--explaining the two types of vicious headaches he’s prone to--he sounds remarkably unlike the slow-talking Overton. Oh, the raspy voice is there all right, but there’s a quickness to his thought and manner that doesn’t resemble the good-natured handyman he plays on the Fox sitcom.

Overton and his best pal, the soave bolla Kyle (T.C. Carson), live in the apartment above Khadijah (Queen Latifah), Regine (Kim Fields) and Overton’s sweetie, the equally innocent Synclaire (Kim Coles).

“He’s got a great life,” Henton says of his television alter ego. “He knows he’s good at what he does and he lives right near his woman.”

Overton’s and Synclaire’s romance works, Henton suggests, “because it’s an old-fashioned relationship, like courting. There’s none of that [exaggerating] ‘Umm baby! You look gooood !’ between them. It’s a matter of taking their time and they fell in love.”

Fans focus on that sweetness, Henton stresses. “That’s what the ladies say: They’d love to have a guy like him. He loves his woman and supports her in any way he can. He’s true blue. In the ‘90s, it’s hard to find a someone like that, on TV, too.”

Overton is reminiscent of other lovable, if dim, TV characters--the handyman’s often compared to Woody from “Cheers.’ But the actor contends, “Overton’s actually not dumb at all. I think he’s not street-smart, as far as the lingo goes, but he offers his own twist. He’s an old spirit,” often conjuring up words of wisdom from family members. “He’s very smart, but has a unique way of saying things. I told [the producers] I didn’t want him perceived as dumb, but very honest, trustworthy and good at what he does--and he is.”

Says Henton, “Overton’s a lot happier than anyone else.” Not unlike the actor himself.

The 35-year-old Cleveland native began stand-up comedy in the early ‘80s, when co-workers at a paint factory urged him to enter a weekly amateur contest for comedians. He didn’t win the first time around, but he did the next week.

“After that, I did comedy all the time, every night if I could,” he recalls.

Henton’s observational comedy evolved when he realized he could be funny without making bold references to sex or by swearing. “I originally worked from that Richard Pryor/Redd Foxx down-and-dirty school funny, but I was working too blue and toned it way down.”

He arrived in Los Angeles in 1985 and worked temp jobs throughout most of his stand-up career. And then Henton got his big break: an appearance on Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show” in 1991.

“That was my goal,” he says emphatically. “That was my only goal, to appear on Carson. When I started in the early ‘80s, there weren’t comedy shows on every channel, like now. It was only Carson.” Henton points out that he’s one of only six or seven comedians waved over by Carson to talk after his routine.

From that appearance, Henton won an agent and more bookings: “After that I worked maybe 40 weeks a year, solid, in comedy.”

When Henton began auditioning for television roles he was captivated by “Living Single.” “I wanted it to work so badly!” he says. “When I saw those beautiful women, I was thinking, ‘I want to work with you forever.’ ”

Fox has picked up the show, which is going into its third season, for an additional two years, pretty close to forever in TV terms.

Henton hopes for film work (a romantic comedy), writing and possibly producing assignments but, surprisingly, not directing: “That’s just not me. I don’t take this so seriously. My whole goal now and nothing else is to build a home back home in Cleveland and be with my family.”

After years of clubs, he now lives “a hermit-life existence. No kidding. I have my big-screen TV, VCR and music. I’m just fine.” Just as long as a migraine doesn’t visit, he’s content “Living Single.”

“Living Single” airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Fox.