Bill Duke
Bill Duke | |
---|---|
Born | William Henry Duke Jr. February 26, 1943 Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S. |
Education | |
Occupation(s) | Actor, director, producer, screenwriter |
Years active | 1961–present |
Height | 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) |
Awards | American Black Film Festival Career Achievement Award, Lifetime achievement Directors Guild of America |
William Henry Duke Jr. (born February 26, 1943) is an American actor and film director. Known for his physically imposing frame, Duke works primarily in the action and crime drama genres often as a character related to law enforcement.[1] Frequently a character actor, he has starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando and Predator, and has appeared in films like Car Wash, American Gigolo, No Man's Land, Bird on a Wire, Menace II Society, Exit Wounds, Payback, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Mandy. In television, he is best known as Agent Percy Odell in Black Lightning.
He has directed episodes of numerous television series including
Early life and education
Duke was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the son of Ethel Louise (née Douglas) and William Henry Duke Sr.[3][4] He attended Franklin D. Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park[5] and later received his first instruction in the performing arts and in creative writing at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie.[5] Duke worked menial jobs seven days a week to cover his living expenses and intended to halt his education until Dr. James Hall, the first president of DCC, gave Duke a personal check to cover room, board and books for his next three years at Boston University, where (Duke) had secured an academic-based scholarship, intending to pursue medical school after graduation, to please his parents. He later switched to English Education and then instruction in dance and drama for the completion of his B.A.[5]
After graduating, Duke went on to study at
Career
Film roles
Standing at an imposing 6 feet 4+1⁄2 inches (1.94 m) and with a closely shaved head, Duke first became a familiar face to moviegoers in Car Wash (1976), where he portrayed fierce young Black Muslim revolutionary Abdullah Mohammed Akbar (formerly known as Duane).[5] He expanded his repertoire with American Gigolo (1980), where he played a gay pimp, who co-orchestrates a murder, pinned on star Richard Gere.[7]
As the action-film-oriented genre became more popular, Duke portrayed a string of tough guys. He worked opposite
Directing career
In the early 1980s, Duke accidentally secured a directing job on
Duke directed the TV movie The Killing Floor in 1984. He began directing theatrical films in the 1990s with crime dramas A Rage in Harlem (1991), Deep Cover (1992) and Hoodlum (1997).[9] He also directed The Cemetery Club (1993) and the Whoopi Goldberg comedy sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993).
For television, Duke directed the
Duke teamed with screenwriter Bayard Johnson to co-produce Cover, a 2007 film which explores the HIV epidemic.[11]
He is set to direct The Power of One: The Diane Latiker Story, a film based on Chicago activist Diane Latiker.[12]
Television appearances
Duke made an appearance on
Duke had a starring role in the short-lived TV series Palmerstown, U.S.A., produced by Norman Lear and Roots author, Alex Haley. Although the series was critically acclaimed and won an Emmy, it ran for only 17 episodes in the 1980–81 television season.[13][14]
He guest-starred in
Duke was cast as recurring character Capt. Parish in the action television series/crime drama
In 2018, Duke joined the
Other work
He has served on the board of trustees of the American Film Institute,[19][20] as a member of the California Film Commission board, appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger,[21][22] in the Time Warner Endowed Chair in the Department of Radio Television and Film at Howard University in Washington, D.C.,[20][23] and as a member of the National Endowment for the Humanities, appointed by President Bill Clinton.[20][24][25]
In 2011 he directed the documentary Dark Girls, which was nominated for an NAACP Award, followed by 2015's Light Girls.
Duke is also the founder & owner of the Duke Media Foundation that helps prepare young people for a career in all aspects of film, video and TV production.[5] Duke became a teacher of Transcendental Meditation in Ethiopia in 1973 under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.[20]
Personal life
Duke is an honorary member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.[26]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | Car Wash | Duane / Abdullah | |
1980 | American Gigolo | Leon James | |
1985 | Commando | Cooke | |
1987 | Predator | Sgt. Mac Eliot | |
No Man's Land | Malcolm | ||
1988 | Action Jackson | Capt. Earl Armbruster | |
1989 | Street of No Return | Lt. Borel | |
1990 | Bird on a Wire | FBI Agent Albert "Diggs" Diggins | |
1993 | Menace II Society | Detective | |
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | Mr. Johnson | ||
1998 | Susan's Plan | Dect. Scott | |
1999 | Payback | Det. Hicks | |
Foolish | Studio Producer | ||
The Limey | Head DEA Agent | ||
Fever | Det. Glass | ||
2001 | Never Again | Earl | |
Exit Wounds | Chief Hinges | ||
2002 | Love and a Bullet | Mysterious Voice on Phone | |
Red Dragon | Police Chief | ||
2003 | National Security | Lieutenant Washington | |
2005 | Get Rich or Die Tryin | Levar Cahill | |
2006 | X-Men: The Last Stand | Secretary Bolivar Trask | |
Yellow | Miles Emory | ||
2007 | The Go-Getter | Liquor | |
2009 | Level 26: Dark Origins | Jack Mitchell | Short |
2010 | Henry's Crime | Frank | |
The Big Bang | Drummer | ||
2012 | Freaky Deaky | Wendell Robinson | |
2014 | Bad Country | John Nokes | |
2016 | Restored Me | Officer Brantley | |
Beyond the Silence | District Attorney Adam Stevenson | ||
2017 | American Satan | Gabriel | |
2018 | Mandy | Caruthers | |
Clipped Wings, They Do Fly | District Attorney Adam Stevenson | ||
2019 | High Flying Bird | Spence | |
Hollow Point | Senior Guard James | ||
2021 | No Sudden Move | Aldrick Watkins | |
The Vandal | Harold | Short | |
2022 | In Search of Tomorrow | Himself | Documentary |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972–75 | ABC Afterschool Specials
|
Mr. Sands | Episode: "Santiago’s Ark" & "Santiago's America" |
1976 | Kojak | Sylk | Episode: "Bad Dude" |
On the Rocks | - | Episode: "High Noon" | |
1978 | Starsky & Hutch | Officer Dryden | Episode: "Hutchinson for Murder One" |
Charlie’s Angels
|
David Pearl | Episode: "Angels on the Run" | |
Love Is Not Enough | 'Happy' Jordan | TV movie | |
Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force | Sgt. Langford | TV movie | |
1980–81 | Palmerstown, U.S.A. | Luther Freeman | Main cast |
1981 | Benson | Mad-Dog | Episode: "The Grass Ain't Greener" |
1986 | Dallas: The Early Years | Seth Foster | TV movie |
1987 | Starman | Steven Putnam | Episode: "The System" |
1989 | American Playhouse | FBI Agent #2 | Episode: "The Meeting" |
1994 | New York Undercover | Hitman | Episode: "Pilot" |
1998 | Biography | Narrator | Episode: "Nat King Cole: Loved in Return" |
Always Outnumbered | Blackbird Wills | TV movie | |
2002 | Justice League | Detective (voice) | Episode: "The Brave and the Bold" |
2002–03 | Fastlane | Capt. Bob Parish | Recurring cast |
2003–04 | Karen Sisco | Amos Andrews | Main cast |
2006 | Battlestar Galactica | Phelan | Episode: "Black Market" |
Lost | Warden Harris | Episode: "Every Man for Himself" | |
2007 | The Boondocks
|
Detective (voice) | Episode: "Thank You for Not Snitching" |
2008 | Cold Case | Grover Boone '05/'08 | Episode: "Street Money" |
My Own Worst Enemy | Serge Khabako | Episode: "Love in All the Wrong Places" | |
2011 | Chaos | General Margolis | Episode: "Core Fortitude" |
2013 | Battledogs | President Donald Sheridan | TV movie |
2015 | Between | Gord's Father | Episode: "End of the Rope" |
2016 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Ed Pastrino | Episode: "Intersecting Lives" & "Heartfelt Passages" |
2018–21 | Black Lightning | Agent Percy Odell | Recurring cast (season 2-3), guest (season 4) |
2020 | Ghost Tape | Byron Dixon | Main cast |
2021 | The Oval | Curtis | Episode: "Like a Boss" & "Doomsday" |
2022 | Gaslit | Charles Anderson | Episode: "California" |
Films directed
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1984 | The Killing Floor | |
1989 | A Raisin In The Sun | |
1991 | A Rage in Harlem | |
1992 | Deep Cover | |
1993 | The Cemetery Club | |
1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | |
1996 | America's Dream | |
1997 | Hoodlum | |
2000 | The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery | |
2001 | Angel: One More Road to Cross | [27] |
2003 | Deacons for Defense | |
2007 | Cover | Also a producer |
2009 | Not Easily Broken | |
2011 | Dark Girls | Also a producer |
2017 | Created Equal |
References
- ^ "ACTOR BILL DUKE MOVES FROM PLAYING HEAVIES TO ACTING OUT HIS DREAMS AS DIRECTOR OF 'HARLEM'". DeseretNews.com. May 16, 1991. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
- ^ Duke, Bill. My 40-Year Career on Screen and behind the Camera. Rowman. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ "Bill Duke Biography (1943–)". filmreference.com. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
- ^ "Bill Duke Biography – Yahoo! Movies". Archived from the original on April 30, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g Thomas, Nick (November 16, 2018). "Bill Duke recounts steps to success". The Spectrum. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ Simonson, Robert (September 29, 2004). "Death Lives as Harlem Revival of Van Peebles Work Begins Sept. 29". Playbill. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ "Bill Duke". Metrograph. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- YouTube
- ^ a b Gaydos, Steven (December 8, 2018). "Bill Duke Remembers the Theater Training That Helped Him". Variety. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "Slave's Royal Lineage Chronicled in New Film". NPR. February 4, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ Barnes, Mike (February 12, 2016). "Bayard Johnson, 'Tarzan and the Lost City' Screenwriter, Dies at 63". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (July 18, 2019). "Bill Duke To Helm 'The PThe Diane Latiker Story' Feature". Deadline. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "Bill Duke". The History Makers. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "Norman Lear and Alex Haley's Palmerstown, U.S.A. returns on GeTTV". GetTV. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- YouTube
- ^ "Bill Duke - My 40-Year Career on Screen and Behind the Camera". Acappella Books. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "Terry and the Minigun (TV Episode 2017)". IMDb. Hollywood Weapons: Fact or Fiction?.
- ^ Mangum, Trey (October 9, 2018). "Robert Townsend And Bill Duke Join 'Black Lightning' Season 2". Shadow and Act. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ "A Tribute to Director Bill Duke". DGA. February 23, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9781508944256.
- ^ McNary, Dave (May 3, 2004). "California teaming with producer". Variety. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ "Governor Schwarzenegger announces appointmets to California Film Commission". IATSE. May 15, 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "Howard University to Get $2 Million for Communications Chair". Diverse Education. April 26, 1999. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ "President Clinton names Bill Duke to the National Council on the Humanities". White House. October 16, 2000. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ISBN 9781538105566.
- ^ "Bill Duke and Wayne Brady are now Honorary Members of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity". Watch The Yard. June 15, 2020.
- ^ "Angel: One More Road to Cross" – via IMDb.
External links
- Bill Duke on Twitter
- Official website at the Internet Archive
- Bill Duke at IMDb
- Bill Duke interview at the Wayback Machine (archived March 7, 2001) about The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery
- Interview with Bill Duke – The Spectrum, November 16, 2018.