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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Joan Greenwood to James Handy
David Alan Grier Biography (1955?-)
Born June 30, 1955 (some sources cite 1956), in Detroit, MI; son of William Henry (a writer) and Aretas Ruth (maiden name, Dudley) Grier; married MaritzaRivera (some sources spell first name Maritsa; divorced). Addresses: Agent: Nick Nuciforo, Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212; Sean Elliott, Endeavor, 9601 Wilshire Blvd., Sixth Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor, producer, writer
- Birth Details
- June 30, 1955?
- Detroit, Michigan, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Television Appearances
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Series
- Oliver Royce, All Is Forgiven, NBC, 1986
- Various characters, In Living Color, Fox, 1990-93
- David Preston, The Preston Episodes, Fox, 1995
- Bernard, Damon, Fox, 1998
- Host, Random Acts of Comedy, Fox Family Channel, 1999
- Agent Jerome Daggett, DAG, NBC, 2000-2001
- Host, Premium Blend (also known as Comedy Central's "Premium Blend"), Comedy Central, 2001-2002
- David Bellows, Life with Bonnie, ABC, 2002-2004
- Voice of Landanlius "The Truth" Truefield, Crank Yankers, Comedy Central, between 2002 and 2005
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Miniseries
- Fred Hampton, The '60s, NBC, 1999
- (In archive footage) Himself, Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, Comedy Central, 2004
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Movies
- Dan Anderson, "A Saintly Switch" (also known as "In Your Shoes"), TheWonderful World of Disney, ABC, 1998
- Detective Augustus, Top of the World (also known as Cold Cash and Showdown), HBO, 1998
- Bob Bugler, "Angels in the Infield," The Wonderful World of Disney, ABC, 2000
- Rip, King of Texas, TNT, 2002
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Specials
- Host, Pure Insanity II, Fox, 1990
- Himself and multiple characters, The Best of Robert Townsend & HisPartners in Crime, HBO, 1991
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Spy Magazine's Hit List: The 100 Most Annoying and Alarming People andEvents of 1992 (also known as The Spy 100), NBC, 1992
- (In archive footage) Vulcan, Mo' Funny: Black Comedy in America, HBO, 1993
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TV Guide: 40th Anniversary Special, Fox, 1993
- Himself, The Making of "Blankman," HBO, 1994
- Host, Fox Fall Preview Party, Fox, 1995
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Extreme Comedy, ABC, 1996
- Host, When New Year's Eve Attacks! (also known as Fox's New Year's Eve Live and 1997 New Year's in Las Vegas), Fox, 1997
- Himself, Elmopalooza, ABC, 1998
- Host, American Comedy Awards Viewer's Choice: Class of '99 (also known as Comedy Central Presents the American Comedy Awards Viewer's Choice), Comedy Central, 1999
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NFL All-Star Comedy Blitz, CBS, 1999
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Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary (also known as Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Primetime Special), NBC, 1999
- Cohost, Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, NBC, 2000
- Host, My VH1 Music Awards Pre-Show, VH1, 2000
- Voice of King Maynard, Princess and the Pauper: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
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AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Laughs (also known as AFI's 100 Years,100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies), CBS, 2000
- Himself, Laugh Track: 20 Years of Comedy on MTV, MTV, 2001
- Himself, MTV Icon: Janet Jackson, MTV, 2001
- Voice of Bonyo, The Valiant Little Tailor: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2001
- Himself, The Book of David: The Cult Figure's Manifesto, Comedy Central, 2002
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Rock Stars Do the Dumbest Things, VH1, 2003
- Voice of Landanlius "The Truth" Truefield, Crank Yankers Christmas Special, Comedy Central, 2004
- Uncle Henry, "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz" (musical), The Wonderful World of Disney, ABC, 2005
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Awards Presentations
- Presenter, Soul Train Comedy Awards, 1993
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Met Life Presents the Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame (also known as Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame), NBC, 1994
- Performer, The 67th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1995
- Presenter, The 11th Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1997
- Presenter, The 12th Annual American Comedy Awards, Fox, 1998
- Presenter, The 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Fox, 1999
- Presenter, My VH1 Music Awards, VH1, 2000
- Himself, VH1 Big in 2002 Awards (also known as Big in 2002), VH1, 2002
- Host, Young Hollywood Awards, American Movie Classics, 2003
- Presenter, The Fifth Annual Family Television Awards, The WB, 2003
- Himself, BET Comedy Awards, Black Entertainment Television, 2004
- Performer, The 20th IFP Independent Spirit Awards, Bravo and Independent Film Channel, 2005
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Episodic
- Desk sergeant, "The Lock Box," The Equalizer, CBS, 1985
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Hometown, CBS, 1985
- Professor Byron Wallcott, "Romancing Mr. Stone," A Different World, NBC, 1987
- Harold, "Soldiers," Tour of Duty, CBS, 1988
- Secret Service man, "Child's Play," Tanner '88 (also known as Tanner: A Political Fable), HBO, 1988
- Howard, Baby Boom, NBC, 1988
- First FBI agent, "Wanted: Dead or Alive," ALF, NBC, 1989
- Reverend Leon Lonnie Love, "The Break Up: Part 2," Martin, Fox, 1993
- Reverend Leon Lonnie Love, "Checks, Lie, and Videotape," Martin, Fox, 1993
- Himself, "Darker Than Me," The South Bank Show, Independent Television, 1994
- Reverend Leon Lonnie Love, "Wedding Bell Blues," Martin, Fox, 1995
- (As David Alan Griers) Voice of one of the three bears, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (animated), HBO, 1995
- Voice of Marlon, Steven Spielberg Presents "Pinky and the Brain" (animated; also known as Pinky and the Brain), The WB, 1995
- "Take Two Tablets, and Get Me to Mt. Sinai," Dream On, HBO, 1995,also broadcast on Fox
- Reverend Leon Lonnie Love, "I, Martin, Take Thee, Pam?," Martin, Fox, 1997
- Himself, "Kenan & Kel Go to Hollywood," Kenan & Kel, Nickelodeon, 1998
- Gil, "Chemistry," Cosby, CBS, 1998
- Voice, Hercules (animated; also known as Disney's "Hercules"), ABC and syndicated, 1998
- Himself, "Aww, Here It Goes to Hollywood: Part 2," Kenan & Kel, Nickelodeon, 1999
- Himself, Pulp Comics: David Alan Grier (also known as Pulp Comedy), Comedy Central, 1999
- (Uncredited) Audience member, "Hollywood A.D.," The X-Files, Fox,2000
- Voice of Tubunch, "Stress Test," Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (animated; also known as Disney/Pixar's "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command"), UPN and syndicated, 2000
- Himself, "African Americans in Television," Inside TV Land (also known as Inside TV Land: African Americans in Television), TV Land, 2002
- Laurence Williams, "Chapter Forty-Two," Boston Public, Fox, 2002
- Aladdin, Sesame Street (also known as Canadian Sesame Street,
The New Sesame Street,
Open Sesame,
Sesame Park, andLes amis de Sesame), PBS, 2002
- Ed Bradley, Mad TV, Fox, 2002
- Jimmy, "The Sweet Hairafter," My Wife and Kids (also known as Wife and Kids), ABC, 2003
- Himself, Mad TV, Fox, 2003
- Lunch Box Lewis, Mad TV, Fox, 2004
- Jimmy, "The Bahamas: Parts 1 & 2," My Wife and Kids (also known as Wife and Kids), ABC, 2005
- Appeared in All My Children, ABC. Some sources cite an appearanceas Jazz Moe in Life with Bonnie, ABC.
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Television Guest Appearances
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Episodic
- Guest host, Later (also known as Later with Bob Costas,
Later with Cynthia Garrett, and Later with Greg Kinnear), NBC, 1994
- Guest host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's "SaturdayNight,"
Saturday Night,
Saturday Night Live '80,
SNL, and SNL 25), NBC, 1995, 1997
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The Rodman World Tour (also known as Dennis Rodman's World Tour'96), MTV, 1996
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The Chris Rock Show, HBO, 1997
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The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, multiple appearances between1997 and 2002
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Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher (also known as Politically Incorrect), ABC, 1998
- Host and panelist, The List, VH1, 1999
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The Daily Show (also known as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Global Edition), Comedy Central, 1999
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Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC, 1999, 2002, 2005
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Howard Stern, 2000
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Pajama Party, 2000
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The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (also known as The Late Late Show), CBS, multiple appearances between 2000 and 2004
- Contestant, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, ABC, 2001
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Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn (also known as Tough Crowd), Comedy Central, 2002
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Jamie Foxx Presents Laffapalooza, Showtime, c. 2002
- Himself, "The Best of Chappelle's Show: Volume 2 Mixtape," Chappelle'sShow, Comedy Central, 2003
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Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Fox, 2003
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Dinner for Five, Independent Film Channel, 2003
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E! News Daily (also known as E! News Live and E! News Live Weekend), E! Entertainment Television, 2003
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The Isaac Mizrahi Show, Oxygen Network, 2003
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Last Call with Carson Daly, NBC, 2004
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Late Show with David Letterman (also known as The Late Showand Late Show Backstage), CBS, 2004
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Live with Regis and Kelly, syndicated, 2004, 2005
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Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC, multiple appearances in 2004 and 2005, 2006
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The Tony Danza Show, syndicated, 2005
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Too Late with Adam Carolla, Comedy Central, 2005
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Unscripted (also known as Untitled Section Eight Comedy), HBO, 2005
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The View, ABC, 2005
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Television Appearances
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Pilots
- Dieter Philbin, "Kingpins," CBS Summer Playhouse, CBS, 1987
- Host, Pure Insanity!, Fox, 1990
- Various characters, In Living Color, Fox, 1990
- David Preston, The Preston Episodes, Fox, 1995
- Bernard, Damon, Fox, 1998
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The Next Big Thing, CBS, 1999
- Agent Jerome Daggett, DAG, NBC, 2000
- Voice of dog, Dog Days, NBC, 2000
- David Bellows, Life with Bonnie, ABC, 2002
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The Davey Gee Show, Fox, 2005
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Television Producer
- Executive producer, The Preston Episodes (series), Fox, 1995
- Producer, The Book of David: The Cult Figure's Manifesto (special), Comedy Central, 2002
- Executive producer, The Davey Gee Show (pilot), Fox, 2005
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Film Appearances
- Roger Hicks, Streamers, United Artists, 1983
- Corporal Cobb, A Soldier's Story, Columbia, 1984
- Elliot Morrison, Beer (also known as The Selling of America), Orion, 1986
- Don "No Soul" Simmons, Amazon Women on the Moon (also known as Cheeseburger Film Sandwich), Universal, 1987
- Steve Hadley, From the Hip, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, 1987
- Newsperson, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1988
- Peter Conklin, Ich und Er (also known as Me and Him), Columbia, 1988
- Rogers, Off Limits (also known as Saigon), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988
- Detective Bill, Almost an Angel, Paramount Home Video, 1990
- Drummond, Loose Cannons, TriStar, 1990
- Himself, The Player, Fine Line Features, 1992
- Gerard Jackson, Boomerang, Paramount, 1992
- Fred Ostroff, In the Army Now (also known as You're in the ArmyNow), Buena Vista, 1994
- Kevin Walker, Blankman, Columbia, 1994
- Carl, Tales from the Hood, Savoy Pictures, 1995
- Carl Bentley, Jumanji, TriStar, 1995
- Detective Augustus, Top of the World, 1997
- Ensign Charles T. Parker, McHale's Navy, Universal, 1997
- The Devil, Damned If You Do, Mixed Media, 1999
- Mr. Butz, Freeway 2 (also known as Freeway II: Confessions of aTrickbaby), Full Moon Entertainment, 1999
- Voice of Red, Stuart Little, Columbia, 1999
- Charlie Johnson, Return to Me (also known as Distance Calls), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2000
- Jenkins, 3 Strikes, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2000
- Measures, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (also known as Die Abenteuer von Rocky und Bullwinkle), Universal, 2000
- Mugger in Central Park, 15 Minutes (also known as 15 Minuten Ruhm), New Line Cinema, 2001
- Strip club owner, I Shaved My Legs for This, 2001
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Art City 3: A Ruling Passion (documentary), Twelve Films, 2002
- Jerry Robin, Jr., Tiptoes (also known as Tiny Tiptoes), Reality Check Productions, 2003
- Limousine driver, Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie, Warner Bros., 2003
- Bob, The Woodsman, Newmarket Films, 2004
- Clyde Houston, How to Get the Man's Foot outta Your Ass (also known as Baadasssss!,
Badass, and Gettin' the Man's Foot outta Your Baadasssss!), Sony Pictures Classics, 2004
- Himself, Lexie, York Entertainment, 2004
- Jim Fields, Bewitched, Columbia, 2005
- Brother James, East of A, Cinema Libre Studio, 2006
- Himself, Hooked (short film), 2006
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Stage Appearances
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Mahagonny (opera; also known as The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1978-79
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Measure for Measure, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1979-80
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Timon of Athens, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1979-80
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An Attempt at Flying, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1980-81
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The Suicide, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1980-81
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Winterset, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1980-81
- Jackie Robinson, The First (musical), Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1981
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Love's Labour's Lost, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1981-82
- Private C. J. Memphis, A Soldier's Play, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, New York City, 1981-82, then Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1982-83
- James Thunder Early, Dreamgirls (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, between 1981 and 1985
- Murderer and Richmond, King Richard III, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1983
- Aslak, Peer Gynt, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Main Stage, Williamstown, MA, 1984
- Thomas, Distant Fires, Hartford Stage Company, Hartford, CT, 1985-86
- Master Frank Ford, The Merry Wives of Windsor, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, Delacorte Theatre, 1994
- Whitelaw Savory, One Touch of Venus, City Center Theatre Encores!,Great American Musicals in Concert, New York City, 1996
- Pseudolus and Prologus, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (musical), St. James Theatre, New York City, c. 1997-98
- Fernando Perez, The Mambo Kings (musical), Golden Gate Theatre, San Francisco, CA, 2005
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The Second Annual New York Comedy Festival, New York City, 2005
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Radio Appearances
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Series
- Supporting role, "Star Wars," NPR Playhouse, National Public Radio, 1981
- Supporting role, "The Empire Strikes Back," NPR Playhouse, National Public Radio, 1983
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Episodic
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The Howard Stern Radio Show, 2000
- Frequent guest, Loveline, KROQ (Los Angeles) and syndicated.
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RECORDINGS
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Videos
- Himself, Late Night with Conan O'Brien: The Best of Triumph the InsultComic Dog (also known as The Best of Triumph the Insult Comedy Dog), Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment, 2004
- Himself, Bewitched: Star Shots, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment,2005
- Himself, Casting a Spell: Making "Bewitched," Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2005
- (Uncredited) Himself, Kermit: A Frog's Life, Walt Disney, 2005
- Himself, Why I Love "Bewitched," Sony Pictures Home Entertainment,2005
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WRITINGS
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Teleplays
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Series
- Special material, In Living Color, Fox, 1992-93
- Stand-up material, Premium Blend (also known as Comedy Central's "Premium Blend"), Comedy Central, 2001-2002
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Specials
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The Book of David: The Cult Figure's Manifesto, Comedy Central, 2002
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Episodic
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Pulp Comics: David Alan Grier (also known as Pulp Comedy),Comedy Central, 1999
- As a comedian, contributed material to episodes of various series.
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Pilots
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The Davey Gee Show, Fox, 2005
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
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Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 28, Gale, 2001
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Who's Who among African Americans, 18th edition, Gale, 2005
Periodicals
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Movieline, August, 1994, pp. 16-17
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People Weekly, December 2, 2002, p. 183
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Playbill, August 18, 1997
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