Forceful black character player whose film career had just begun to flourish in middle age when he died of a heart attack; best remembered as the rough master sergeant in "A Soldier's Story" (1984), for which he received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor.
Education
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New York University, New York, New York, drama
Milestones
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1970 TV-movie debut, "The Challenge"
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1975 Feature debut, (voice only), "La Honte de la jungle"
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1980 First appearance in a feature, "Fist of Fear, Touch of Death"
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1984 Breakthrough role: portrayed Master Sergeant Vernon C. Waters in "A Soldier's Story"
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1986 Episodic TV debut, "Fortune Dane"
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1986 Final TV appearance in "The Twilight Zone" episode, "A Matter of Minutes"
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1986 Final feature film, "Club Paradise"