Since the station boasts some of the best series – and ratings – on all of television these days, I know I am not the only person who has fallen in love with some of CBS’ exciting prime time shows like CSI, or its two spin-offs, CSI: Miami or CSI: New York.
Heck, that trio alone has garnered the station some immense drawing power all by themselves.
However, CBS also boasts some other excellent shows that I also watch on a regular basis, like NUMB3RS, Criminal Minds, Close To Home and The Unit.
Without delving too much into my television viewing habits, I thought it would be interesting to take a quick peek at the acting careers of some of the incredibly talented African-American actors who have reached the pinnacle of the acting profession and are now lighting up the “small screen” in millions of homes across the United States on a weekly basis.
I’m sure you’ll find some of the biographical information on each actor quite interesting – because I certainly did, especially after doing the research. At any rate, here is my feature on fall television’s prime time African-American actors on CBS.
Khandi Alexander: CSI Miami
Way before Alexander ever made her first appearance as coroner Alexx Woods on CSI: Miami, she appeared on Broadway and choreographed international recording star, Whitney Houston’s international tours from 1989 to 1992.
Born in New York City on September 4, 1957 Alexander is also a former dancer in addition to her success as a choreographer and film and television star and was educated at Queensborough Community College.
She was first introduced to television viewers on a weekly basis with her portrayal of Catherine Duke, on NBC’s “NewsRadio” and had a seven-year recurring role as Jackie, the sister to actor, Eriq La Salle’s Dr. Peter Benton, on the hit television show, “ER” that helped to solidify her stature as an in-demand actor.
However, it was her highly acclaimed portrayal of Fran Boyd, the manipulative, loving and sympathetic junkie on HBO’s “The Corner” which garnered Alexander a “Best Mini- Series” Emmy nod.
Alexander has been described as a no-nonsense performer who has developed quite a reputation for consistently delivering knockout performances.
Alexander’s film credits include ” There’s Something About Mary”, “No Easy Way”, “Sugar Hill”, the Chris Rock rap music spoof “CB4” and the Tina Turner Bio-pic, “What’s Love Got To Do With It.
Theatrically, Alexander has also performed in “The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun”, “Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie”, ” Legacy”, “Period of Adjustment”, and “Color of Blue”, in addition to the previously mentioned, Bob Fosse’s “Dancin.'”
Alexander continues to explore the limits of her talent as a performer and actor and I must add that I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see her popularity continue to rise well into the next decade.
Hill Harper: CSI New York
I really enjoy Harper in his role on CSI: New York as Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, a reclusive coroner who walked away from a promising surgical career after the traumatic loss of two patients.
However, the thing I like most about Harper, who was born Frank Hill Harper on May 17, 1966 in Iowa City, Iowa, doesn’t take place in front of any cameras.
Off camera, Harper’s accomplishments are probably more overwhelming than anything he’s done in front of one.
Heck, Harper is almost a darned genius who could have been a huge success in any field. He graduated magna cum laude from Brown University (A.B. 1988) and also graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Master of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
This coming February, Harper will star in the HBO movie, Lackawanna Blues, which is based on the critically acclaimed stage play by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Recently, People magazine selected Harper as one of their “Sexiest Men Alive” (2004).
Prior to CSI: NY, Harper co-starred as an ambitious undercover FBI operative on the CBS series, The Handler, alongside Emmy Award nominee Joe Pantoliano. The role earned him a 2004 Golden Satellite Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He has also been recognized by the NAACP Image Awards with a nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the CBS series, City of Angels.
Harper’s other screen credits include: Loving Jezebel, The Nephew (with Pierce Brosnan), The Skulls (with Joshua Jackson), In Too Deep (with Omar Epps, L.L. Cool J and Nia Long), Beloved, Hav’ Plenty, He Got Game (with Denzel Washington), and Get on the Bus. Other films include Zooman (with Louis Gossett Jr., Charles S. Dutton and CCH Pounder), Full Court Press (with Ellen Burstyn and Taye Diggs) and One Red Rose, which he also co-wrote, for Showtime.
Harper is also a member of Boston’s Black Folk’s Theater Company and is dating actress Gabrielle Union for good measure.
Kimberly Elise: Close to Home
When I recently began watching Close To Home, I was genuinely – and pleasantly – surprised to see veteran actress, Kimberly Elise who is undoubtedly one of the best African-American female actors in the entire acting industry today.
From her famous roles in major films like “Set It Off,” “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and “Beloved,” not to mention, “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Woman Thou Art Loosed,” “John Q,” and “Bait,” Elise has inspired viewers to express the entire gamut of their emotions with her notable performances.
Born Kimberly Elise Trammel on April 17, 1967, Elise’s first movie was Set It Off (1996), in which she played one of four women who resort to robbing a bank for money. Following that she played a role in Beloved, alongside Oprah Winfreyand Danny Glover.
In 2004, she appeared in Woman Thou Art Loosed portraying Michelle, an abused young woman who finally got the help she needed behind bars. This role won her a Black Reel award for best actress. She has since appeared in The Manchurian Candidate and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (for which she has won a NAACP Image Award)
Her television movie credits include “Bojangles,” “The Loretta Claiborne Story” and “The Ditchdigger’s Daughters.” She has also appeared in the series “Soul Food” and “Girlfriends.” Elise was born in Minneapolis and lives in Los Angeles. Her birth date is April 17.
Elise was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Marvin Trammel, who owned an executive search firm, and Erna Jean Johnson; she has three siblings and studied film and acting at the University of Minnesota and received a BA in Mass Communication.She was married to Maurice Oldham from 1989 until 2005 and has two children named Ajableu and Butterfly.
Elise currently stars on Close to Home, playing Marion County prosecutor Maureen Scotfield, the superior of the show’s main character, fellow prosecutor Annabeth Chase (Jennifer Finnigan).
Cress Williams: Close To Home
Close To Home actually shocked me twice when I watched my first episode, by not having one, but two veteran African-American actors on the cast.
Anyone who has been watching television prime time over the past 15 years, knows Cress Williams from his many television credits, which include recurring roles in “Nash Bridges,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The West Wing,” “Veronica Mars,” “Providence,” “ER,” “Living Single” and “Beverly Hills 90201.
Williams also guest starred on numerous television series including “Becker,” “Touched by an Angel” and “JAG,” which were also all on CBS. Williams’ feature film credits include “The Dogwalker,” “Two Days in the Valley,” “Fallen,” “Never Been Kissed” and “Little Black Book.” Williams was born in Heidelberg, Germany. His birth date is July 27.
Gary Dourdan: CSI
You know what I found incredible? As much as my wife and I both watch television, neither of us could come up with the name of the African-American actor who plays on the original CSI – and also appeared, as my wife repeatedly pointed out, on one of her favorite shows of all-time, “A Different World.”
Okay, now that I’ve got that fact in this column, specifically at my wife’s insistence, let me say that, after doing some research, I will never forget the name of Gary Dourdan.
Born on December 11, 1966 in my hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dourdan and his family moved to Willingboro, New Jersey when he was in his youth.
At this time his interests included acting, music and martial arts. Later Dourdan moved to New York City and worked as a doorman at a rehearsal studio where he met some of Manhattan’s promising young artists.
He got his first break when Debbie Allen cast him as Shazza Zulu on A Different World based on a tape of him in an avant-garde play. He continued to work sporadically until he nabbed the part of Warrick Brown on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
He was also the host of a BET Spoken Word show entitled the Lyric Café and was briefly married to Roshumba Williams.
Dourdan also has a daughter, Nyla and a son, Lyric from prior relationships and recently joined DMC on stage at Live 8 at Park Place in Barrie, Ontario, and also co-sang the lyrics to the theme song of The Jeffersons at the 2005 Emmy Awards.
Dourdan also starred in the movie Alien: Resurrection and is currently set to play Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, in a biographical film.
Shemar Moore: Criminal Minds
I’m really not very fond of Moore for reasons I really won’t get into, but I must admit that his performances on Criminal Minds has been better than I expected.
Born, Shemar Franklin Moore on April, 20 1970 in Oakland, California, Moore is an actor and former male fashion model with Irene Marie Models.
Moore was born to a Caucasian mother of Irish/French-Canadian descent and an African-American father. He is best known for his role as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless, which he originally played from 1994 to 2002.
He was also the host of the syndicated version of the series Soul Train from 1999 until 2003 (although no one will ever be able to truly replace the legendary Don Cornelius), and appeared in the 2000 feature film The Brothers.
In November 2004, he returned to The Young and the Restless as Malcolm Winters, after a few months he dropped back to recurring status and left in September 2005. He also portrayed Det. Jesse Reese in the television show Birds of Prey (TV Series) from 2002 to 2003.
In his role on Criminal Minds, Moore portrays FBI Special Agent Derek Morgan, the team’s resident “tough guy.” Moore also had an excellent supporting role in the film Diary of a Mad Black Woman and has won legions of fans for his high-profile modeling, often shirtless, and his status as daytime’s first black soap hunk. Moore is a graduate of Santa Clara University, where he majored in Communications.
Lennie James: Jehrico
Lennie James is a British actor that I admittedly, know almost nothing about although he has appeared in nearly twenty films, including the Guy Ritchie crime caper Snatch (2000), 24 Hour Party People (2002), and Sahara (2005). James attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1988 and currently plays Robert Hawkins in the CBS post-apocalyptic television drama series Jehrico.
Alimi Ballard: Numbers
NUMB3RS is undeniably one of my favorite shows on television these days and actor, Alimi Ballard, whose name I wasn’t really familiar with, has been a huge part of getting me to tune in on a weekly basis.
Ballard is another actor I had seen in various roles, but really didn’t know much about until I began my research for this article.
Born and raised in Bronx, New York, Ballard began his acting career while in high school. Because of his godfather’s urging, Ballard joined MindBuilders, a local New York community center dedicated to the empowerment of youth, and was cast in a play called “No Laughing Matter.
Weeks later, he found himself touring New York’s inner-city libraries, community centers and elementary and high schools. He later joined the Manhattan Theater Club and the National Black Theater, where he starred in “Holiday Heart” and “Endangered Species.”
Ballard’s first television role came on ABC’s daytime drama, “Loving,” where he starred as the troubled youth, Frankie Hubbard. Ballard landed his first primetime role on “New York Undercover” and in 1996, Ballard moved to Los Angeles, and shortly thereafter landed a role on ABC’s “Arsenio.
Ballard’s film credits include “Deep Impact,” “Men of Honor,” “Malcolm X,” and “Three Days of Rain.” His many television credits include “Dark Angel,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “New York Undercover,” “American Dreams,” “Arsenio,” and guest spots on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Nash Bridges,” “NYPD Blue,” “Boomtown,” “Philly,” “She Spies,” “Malcolm and Eddie,” “The Division,” “For the People” and the movie “The Little Richard Story” in addition to his current role as FBI agent David Sinclair on NUMB3RS.
Ballard currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Dawn, and daughter, Naya. His birth date is Oct. 17.
Dennis Haysbert: The Unit
I’ll admit that I don’t watch The Unit nearly as much as I do some of the other CBS shows, but I have always been fond of veteran actor, Dennis Haysbert and have come to view the show more often than I previously did because of the presence of three African-American actors on the show’s cast. However, this section is all about Haysbert.
Born Dennis Dexter Haysbert in San Mateo, California, on June 2, 1954, Haysbert is best known for portraying the role of David Palmer from the American television show 24.
After graduating high school, measuring 6’4″ tall, Haysbert was offered various sports scholarships, but instead chose to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Haysbert is the divorced father of two.
Haysbert has been acting in film and television since 1979, starting with a guest role in The White Shadow. His television guest starring roles include Lou Grant, Laverne & Shirley, The A-Team, Magnum, P.I., Buck Rogers and Duckman.
On film, Haysbert has appeared in Absolute Power, Random Hearts and Far From Heaven among others.
In 1989, Haysbert portrayed Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo-practicing baseball player in the movie Major League, in which he uttered the memorable line: “It is very bad to steal Jobu’s rum. Very bad”.
In 1992, Haysbert co-starred with Michelle Pfeiffer in Love Field, a film about the assassination and funeral of President John F. Kennedy. In 1999, Haysbert starred with Eric Close in Now and Again, which was cancelled after its first season.
In 2001, Haysbert became better known when he was cast in 24 playing the African-American Senator (later President) David Palmer.
He maintained his status as a cast member through seasons two and three. As a guest star, he appeared in the last six episodes of season 4 and the first episode of season 5.
In addition to television and film acting, Haysbert has also done voice work for various video games, most notably as Irving Lambert in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series and narrator of Call of Duty: Finest Hour.
Haysbert is also the official spokesman for the Allstate Insurance Company and he also voices the Military Channel’s commercials with their official slogan: “The Military Channel – Go Behind the Lines.
Haysbert portrays Jonas Blane, on the Unit.
Regina Taylor: The Unit
Born, August 22, 1960, in Dallas, Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Taylor’s earliest professional acting roles were two made-for-television films while she was studying at Southern Methodist University: 1980’s Nurses and 1981’s Crisis at Central High, where she was praised by critic John O’Connor of The New York Times for her portrayal of Minnijean Brown, a member of the Little Rock Nine.
Her first role to gain her widespread attention nationally, was that of Mrs. Carter, the drug-addicted mother of a promising young female student, in the 1989 film Lean on Me.
Taylor however, is best known for her role as Lilly Harper on the early 1990s TV series I’ll Fly Away. This role won her a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Television Drama and also an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.
Since then Taylor has had some critical success for various supporting roles in films, such as the Spike Lee film Clockers, Courage Under Fire, A Family Thing, The Negotiator, and for the telefilms Losing Isaiah and Strange Justice – a Showtime original film – and as the lead in the PBS telefilm Cora Unashamed, based on a Langston Hughes short story.
Taylor is currently plays the role of Molly Blaine on the The Unit. The tough-minded housewife holds the women of ‘the Unit’ together when their men are on covert assignments.
Taylor is also an accomplished stage actress, and was the first black woman to play Juliet in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway. Her other Broadway credits include Macbeth and As You Like It.
A prolific playwright, Taylor is a Distinguished Artistic Associate of Chicago’s Goodman Theater. Among her many accomplishments, she has collaborated on and appeared in the play Millennium Mambo; has written A Night in Tunisia, which premiered during the 2000 Alabama Shakespeare Festival; has won a best new play award from the American Critics’ Association for Oo-Bla-Dee (a work about 1940s female jazz musicians); has written and directed the award-winning Crowns, which was first produced at the McCarter Theatre and at Second Stage in New York.
Taylor is currently the writer-in-residence at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, where she is working on the new play Magnolia, set during the beginning of desegregation in Atlanta in 1961.
Demore Barnes: The Unit
Barnes is a Canadian film and television actor, co-staring in the hit CBS drama, The Unit. Originally from Toronto, Barnes began his carrer with an appearance on the sketch comedy show Squawk Box on YTV and from there he joined the cast of Street Cents.
Barnes was a shy student at Sir Oliver Mowat High School in Toronto when some friends cajoled him into hosting the school’s Christmas assembly. The performance was a hit, giving Barnes the confidence to try out for Squawk Box, a sketch comedy show on YTV that is the equivalent of Canada’s version of Nickelodeon.
Although he was just eighteen years old, and it was his first professional audition, Barnes got the job – and the beginning of a career in acting was launched. The show lasted one season, by which time Barnes knew he wanted to pursue acting as a career. He applied to Ryerson University’s theatre program, but a successful audition for the CBC kids show,” Street Cents”, sidetracked his academic aspirations.
He spent the next three seasons on the show doing sketch comedy. “Street Cents” allowed him to hone his comedic talents, but he felt the need to expand his range and challenge himself.
For a while, that something else was a series of roles in television and movies and cable shows, including a turn as the tribal warrior, Mudo on the nationally syndicated Tia Carrere show,” Relic Hunter.”
In less than a year, Barnes was cast as Benjamin Hardaway on “The Associates”, and thrust into a media maelstrom. For that role, Demore was nominated for two consecutive years for the Gemini award (Canada’s equivalent of Emmy) as Best Lead Actor in a drama series.
The Associates” lasted two seasons, after which Demore felt he was ready for a big change – moving to Los Angeles.
Barnes arrived in Los Angeles in January 2003. He fully expected to step off the plane and start working; after all, that was always the case. However, this was not the case. What did fall into his lap, however, was an opportunity to work with acting coach, Larry Moss.
Once again, he was in the right place at the right time. One phone call and he was in. Barnes had no idea how extraordinarily difficult it was to be accepted into a class with the man for whom there was always a one year waiting list.
For the first time in his life, Barnes had an opportunity to study acting. He studied and waited and believed in himself. As a Canadian with no working papers he had to wait for the right project and the right role.
And along came The Unit.
After Barnes’ first audition for David Mamet, Mamet looked up at him and said, what you just did there is what they call demanding the part. You just demanded that part”. Demore’s response was understated to say thre least. “Well, I do want the part, David”. And the rest as they say, was history.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste: Without A Trace
I have always enjoyed the performances of veteran actor, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and I must admit that I am particularly fond of the character she plays on the hit CBS series, Without A Trace. However, I have to admit once again, that I didn’t know much about Jean-Baptiste before I began writing this article.
Born, Marianne Raigipcien Jean-Baptiste on 26 April 1967 in London, England, Jean-Baptiste became a star overnight following the international success of the social drama Secrets & Lies in 1996, becoming the very first black English actress nominated for an Oscar. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for this performance.
Jean-Baptiste is also known for her collaboration with director Mike Leigh on stage in It’s a Great Big Shame (1993). She is also a writer/composer and has recorded an album of blues songs and composed the musical score for Leigh’s 1997 film Career Girls.
Jean-Baptiste was classically trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and performed at the Royal National Theatre. However, Jean-Baptiste claimed racism after being excluded from the actor group promoting British talent at the Cannes Film Festival.
She currently stars as FBI agent “Vivian Johnson” on the hit CBS drama, Without a Trace. Her character has a serious heart disease and a young son to raise while still doing her demanding law enforcement work. In real life, she is married to British ballet dancer Evan Williams and has one daughter.
