Cleavant Derricks (actor)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tony Awards
Cleavant Derricks
Cleavant Derricks as Rembrandt Brown in Sliders
Birth name	Cleavant Derricks, Jr.
Born	May 15, 1953 (age 53) Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
Notable roles	* James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls (Broadway) * Charles in Thea * Rembrandt Brown in Sliders

Best Featured Actor in a Musical 1982 Dreamgirls

This article is about Cleavant Derricks, Jr., the actor. He should not be confused with his father, Cleavant Derricks (songwriter).

Cleavant Derricks, Jr. (born May 15, 1953 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA) is a Tony Award-winning American actor and singer/songwriter. He has a twin brother Clinton Derricks-Carroll, and is the son of songwriter Cleavant Derricks.

1 Biography
- 1.1 Filmography
- 1.2 Albums
2 External Links

[edit] Biography

Derricks began his career as a Nashville gospel songwriter. With his father, he wrote the gospel album Satisfaction Guaranteed. He was the musical director and composer for the musical When Hell Freezes Over I'll Skate.

Derricks went to New York City to study acting with Vinette Carrol at the Urban Arts Theatre. He received rave reviews for his performance in her Broadway shows, including But Never Jam Today. He also won a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for creating the role of James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls. He also starred in the Broadway musical Brooklyn as the Streetsinger.

Soon afterwards, Derricks appeared in films such as Moscow on the Hudson, Neil Simon's The Slugger's Wife and recently, Wes Craven's Carnival of Souls. He was a series regular on the television series Thea with Thea Vidale and Brandy, and Good Sports with Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal. His role as Rembrandt Brown (known as the Crying Man) on Sliders with Jerry O'Connell and John Rhys-Davies is notable because Derricks is the only original Sliders actor to appear throughout the entire series. In addition, Derricks has had numerous guest-starring roles in series such as Roseanne, A Different World, Miami Vice, Spencer for Hire and many others.

[edit] Filmography

For television series, the years shown are the years Cleavant Derricks starred or guest starred.

Wedding Bells (2007)
The Bernie Mac Show (2002) as Willie
World Traveler (2001) as Carl
The Practice (2001) as Mr. Lees
18 Wheels of Justice (2000) as Harold Baines
Charmed (2000) as Cleavant Wilson
Touched by an Angel (1999) as Robert
Wes Craven's Carnival of Souls (1998) as Sid
Sliders (1995 - 2000) as Rembrandt 'Cryin' Man' Brown
Something Wilder (1994 - 1995) as Caleb
Thea (1993 - 1994) as Charles
Woops! (1992)
Drexel's Class (1991 - 1992) as George Foster
Good Sports (1991) as Jeff Mussberger
Sibs (1991)
L.A. Law (1991) as Mark Wright
A Different World (1991) as Larry
Roseanne (1989)
Moonlighting (1987) as Leonard Haven
Spenser: For Hire (1987) as Mac Dickerson
Bluffing It (1987) as Cal
Mickey and Nora (1987) as Marvin
The Equalizer (1986) as Sonny Raines
Off Beat (1986) as Abe Washington
Neil Simon's The Slugger's Wife (1985) as Manny Alvarado
Miami Vice (1985) as David Jones
Moscow on the Hudson (1984) as Lionel Witherspoon, Bloomingdales Security Officer
The Ambush Murders (1982)
Fort Apache the Bronx (1981) as Suspect #4
When Hell Freezes Over, I'll Skate (1979)
Cindy (1978) as Michael Simpson