Wikipedia
David Downing (actor)
David Downing was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was one of the original members of the Negro Ensemble Company in New York City.[1][2][3]
David Downing | |
|---|---|
Downing in 1986 | |
| Born | 1942/1943 |
| Died | November 2017 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actor |
Downing, a native of Harlem, New York City, attended the High School of Performing Arts.[4] As a child actor, he made his professional debut on Broadway in The Green Pastures.[4] He served a tour of duty with the U.S. Armed Forces in Okinawa.[4]
As part of the Negro Ensemble Company in the 1960s and 70s, Downing appeared in productions including the Obie Award-winning musical The Great MacDaddy,[5][6] and the successful play Ceremonies in Dark Old Men.[7][8][9] Downing later appeared in the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play, Miss Evers' Boys.[10][11][12]
Downing has appeared in films, including Gordon's War,[13] and numerous television shows, including The Jeffersons, Baretta,[14] Backstairs at the White House,[15][16] and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.[17]
Downing died in Los Angeles in November 2017 at the age of 74.[18]
Filmography (selected)
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me | Heff | |
| 1972 | Up the Sandbox | John | |
| 1973 | Gordon's War | Otis Russell | |
| 1978 | Coming Attractions | 'Dark Town' Singer | |
| 1989 | Listen to Me | Officer of the Court | |
| 2006 | Circus Camp | Jamaica Joe |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Bernie Mac Show | Father | Episode: Prison Break |
| 1998 | JAG | Chaplain | Episode: With Intent to Die |
| 1992-1993 | Roc | Dr. Brown / Uncle Warren | Two episodes |
| 1991 | Cast a Deadly Spell | Thadius Pilgrim | TV movie |
| 1990-1991 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Reverend White / Presenter | Two episodes |
| 1989 | 227 | Father Gabbay / Walter | Two episodes |
| 1988 | Meet the Raisins! | Red | Voice, TV special |
| 1987 | Designing Women | Sam | Episode: Anthony Jr. |
| 1983 | Hill Street Blues | Chester David | Episode: Moon Over Uranus: The Sequel |
| 1982 | Father Murphy | Marcus Washington | Episode: The Dream Day |
| 1979-1982 | The Jeffersons | Edgar Thornton / Albert Fox | Three episodes |
| 1979 | Backstairs at the White House | Butler Dixon | TV miniseries |
| 1978 | Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women | Bert Williams | TV Movie |
| 1977 | Little House on the Prairie | Jackson Henry | Episode: The Wisdom of Solomon |
| 1977 | What's Happening!! | Mr. Barnes | Episode: The Firing Squad |
| 1976 | All in the Family | John Kasten | Episode: Mike's Move |
| 1976 | Baretta | Sully | Episode: Count the Days I'm Gone |
| 1975 | That's My Mama | Quincy | Episode: Queen of the Ribs |
| 1975 | Movin' On | Lee Andrews | Episode: ...To Be in Carolina |
References
- ^ Ron Howell (March 1987). "The Negro Ensemble Company: 20 Years of Theatrical Excellence". Ebony. p. 96. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Peter Bailey (June 1973). "Black Theater Group Goes On Broadway". Ebony. p. 85. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "Negro Ensemble Company records". New York Public Library - Archives & Manuscripts. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ a b c "Theatre playbill for Song of the Lusitanian Bogey and Daddy Goodness". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Thomas S. Hischak (February 18, 2011). Off-Broadway Musicals since 1919. Scarecrow Press. p. 150. ISBN 9780810877726. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "Obie Awards - 1975". Obie Awards. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Anthony D. Hill; Douglas Q. Barnett (December 4, 2008). Historical Dictionary of African American Theater. Scarecrow Press. p. 167. ISBN 9780810862760. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ John Simon (March 3, 1969). "A Phoenix Too Infrequent". New York Magazine. p. 50. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Lonne Elder (1969). Ceremonies in Dark Old Men: A Play in Two Acts. Samuel French, Inc. ISBN 9780573606885. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Otis L. Guernsey; Jeffrey Sweet (April 1, 2000). The Best Plays of 1989-1990: The Complete Broadway and Off-Broadway Sourcebook. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 504. ISBN 9781557830906. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ David Richards (November 28, 1989). "Theater". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "Finalist: Miss Evers' Boys, by David Feldshuh". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "New York Beat". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. August 16, 1973. p. 62. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Jon Abbott (July 1, 2009). Stephen J. Cannell Television Productions: A History of All Series and Pilots. McFarland. p. 77. ISBN 9780786454013. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Kathleen Fearn-Banks; Anne Burford-Johnson (October 3, 2014). Historical Dictionary of African American Television. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 47. ISBN 9780810879171. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Vincent Terrace (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials, Volume 2. VNR AG. p. 29. ISBN 9780918432612. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ "Seven Porters from Stockbridge". Los Angeles Post-Examiner. October 24, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2017.
- ^ Horsford, Victoria. (November 11, 2017). "What’s Going On: AS THE WORLD TURNS", Our Time Press. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
External links
- David Downing at IMDb
- David Downing at the Internet Broadway Database