Clifton Davis

Last updated

Clifton Davis
Clifton Davis in 1998.jpg
Davis in 1998
Born
Clifton Duncan Davis

(1945-10-04) October 4, 1945 (age 78)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • minister
  • author
Years active1971–present
Known for That's My Mama , Amen
Spouses
  • Ann Taylor
    ​
    (m. 1981⁠–⁠1991)​
  • Monica Durant
    ​
    (m. 2000)​
Website www.cliftondavis.com

Clifton Duncan Davis (born October 4, 1945) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author.

Contents

Davis wrote The Jackson 5's No. 2 hit "Never Can Say Goodbye" in 1971. He has numerous Broadway credits, including Hello, Dolly! (opposite Pearl Bailey); Aladdin ; Wicked ; and his Tony Award–nominated turn in Two Gentlemen of Verona , among others. [1] Davis starred in the television shows That's My Mama, Amen, Madam Secretary , and others. He has hosted the Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Gospel Superfest and Lifestyle Magazine. Davis has appeared on the game shows Match Game and Pyramid and appeared in many movies.

Davis is a minister of a Baptist church and has also operated an interdenominational ministry for many years. He has been a guest on the Trinity Broadcasting Network many times. Davis wrote "A Mason-Dixon Memory", one of the chapters in the book Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul , about the racism that he experienced while growing up. [2]

Early life

Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Thelma van Putten Langhorn, a nurse, and Toussaint L'Ouverture Davis, a Seventh-day Adventist minister. He was raised in Mastic, New York, and he is a graduate of Pine Forge Academy, a Black boarding school operated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Davis holds a BA in Theology from Oakwood University and a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University. [3]

Career

Davis in a club Clifton Davis.jpg
Davis in a club

Before becoming a successful actor Davis was a songwriter who wrote The Jackson 5's No. 2 hit "Never Can Say Goodbye."

He made his Broadway debut in the mid-1960s as a replacement in the original Broadway production of Hello, Dolly! In 1969, he replaced Cleavon Little in the role of Lee Haines in Jimmy Shine, opposite Dustin Hoffman and Rue McClanahan. The following year, he served as standby for Al Freeman, Jr. in the short-lived Broadway play Look to the Lillies , followed by a featured role in The Engagement Baby. [4] He created the role of Valentine in Galt MacDermot and John Guare's musical Two Gentlemen of Verona , based on the eponymous Shakespeare comedy. [5] [6] For this production, he was nominated for a 1972 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. [7] He left the Broadway production on November 27, 1972, [8] to open the touring company in January 1973. [9] He played the role of Joey Evans in the 1978 West Coast Revival of Pal Joey , which was called Pal Joey '78. [10] He returned to Broadway in 2014, creating the role of the Sultan in the stage adaptation of Disney's Aladdin. [11] In 2022, Davis joined the Broadway company of Wicked, playing Dr. Dillamond, a role he had previously played in the show's two separate touring companies. [12] He has amassed several Off-Broadway credits as well, including How to Steal an Election (1968), Horseman, Pass By (1969), Lorraine Hansberry's To Be Young, Gifted, and Black (1969), Do It Again! (1971), and Hapgood (1994). [13]

He starred as barber Clifton Curtis in the mid-1970s television show That's My Mama with Theresa Merritt, Theodore Wilson, and Ted Lange. [14]

Davis co-starred with singer and Broadway performer Melba Moore on her musical variety television show. Later he made a guest appearance on the third episode of the first season of The Bobby Vinton Show in September 1975, singing "I've Got the Music in Me" and "Never Can Say Goodbye". He sang the Polish lyrics with Vinton to the show's theme song, titled "My Melody of Love".

A triple heart bypass survivor, Davis participated in the "Superstars" celebrity TV sports competitions of the 1970s as well as made several appearances as one of the celebrity panelists on the game show Match Game. He appeared in the film Scott Joplin, in 1977. Davis made numerous appearances on several incarnations of Pyramid from the early 1970s to the early 1990s.

From 1986 to 1991, Davis co-starred with Sherman Hemsley and Anna Maria Horsford as the Reverend Doctor Ruben Gregory in the sitcom Amen, which ran for five seasons. Davis released one acclaimed studio recording in 1991 on Benson Records titled Say Amen. He also played the mayor of Miami in the 1999 film Any Given Sunday. Davis starred in Toronto and on Broadway in Aladdin, playing the Sultan of Agrabah. [15]

Ministry

From 1987 to 1989, he was an Associate Pastor of the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church in southern California. For the last twenty-five years, Davis has been an active member of Youthville, USA a children's services organization. He served as the co-founder and co-pastor of the Welcome Christian Center in Huntington Beach, California. Davis is a licensed minister at St. Luke Baptist Church, New York, New York. He has had an interdenominational ministry for over 30 years. Davis has served as its National Spokesperson and Advisory Board Chairman. [16] He is the emcee and host of The Most Soulful Sound, an annual gospel choir competition in Raleigh, North Carolina. Davis also hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament in Elizabeth City State University, where he served as its vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement. Since the end of 2005, Davis has held the position of executive director for Welcome America, a non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which hosts the largest Fourth of July celebration in the nation each year. He is a frequent guest and host on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Davis also hosted the TV show Gospel Superfest from 2000 to 2008, syndicated by United Television. [17]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972 Together for Days Gus
1974 Lost in the Stars Absalom
1977 Scott Joplin Louis Chauvin
1994Heart of StoneRichard Polite
1999 Any Given Sunday Mayor Tyrone Smalls
2001 Kingdom Come Charles Winslow
Max Keeble's Big Move Supt. Bobby 'Crazy Legs' Knebworth
The PaintingThomas Ayers
2002 The Climb Cheryl's Dad
2006The Engagement: My Phamily BBQ 2Uncle Joe
2007 Cover D.A. Simmons
2012David E. Talbert's What My Husband Doesn't KnowFranklin
2013God's Amazing Grace... Is Just A Prayer AwayWilbert Richardson
2016Prayer Never FailsMichael Brown
2020A Shot Through the WallDeputy Chief Bill Walker
2022We Are Gathered Here TodayJoe Wyatt

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1971 A World Apart Matt Hampton2 episodes
1972The Melba Moore-Clifton Davis ShowCo-hostSeries
1973 Love Story James MonroeEpisode "A Glow of Dying Embers"
1973, 1977 Police Story Mark Randolph /
Ed Webber		Episodes: "The Ho Chi Minh Trail" & "The Malflores"
1974 The Wide World of Mystery SaxonEpisode: "Legacy of Blood"
1974–1975 That's My Mama Clifton Curtis39 episodes
1977 Little Ladies of the Night ComfortTV movie
1978 Superdome P.K. JacksonTV movie
Cindy Captain Joe PrinceTV movie
1979 Vega$ Leon HazlettEpisode: "The Eleventh Event"
1980 The Love Boat Mr. ReevesEpisode: "Invisible Maniac"
The Littlest Hobo Phil McLeanEpisode: "Licence to Steal"
The Night the City ScreamedArnold ClementsTV movie
1981 Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige Cool Papa BellTV movie
1986–1991 Amen Reverend Reuben Gregory110 episodes
1989Dream DateBill FairviewTV movie
1990–1994 Stellar Gospel Music Awards Co-hostSpecials
1993 The John Larroquette Show Jada SweetEpisode: "Pros and Cons"
1996 The Jamie Foxx Show CharlesEpisode: "Seems Like Old Times"
1997 Living Single Harrison CushmoreEpisode: "Mother Inferior"
Sparks Pastor AlexanderEpisode: "It's the Gospel"
Malcolm & Eddie Leonard LarsonEpisode: "Club Story"
Party of Five Martin WilcoxEpisode: "Point of No Return"
Grace Under Fire Dr. SwansonEpisode: "Sam's Dad"
The Sentinel President LemecEpisode: "Fool Me Twice"
The Gregory Hines Show Pauley's FatherEpisode: "Three's Not Company"
1998 Any Day Now Councilman Lyle HammondEpisode: "No Comment"
1999 In the House Ted Miller2 episodes
2000 City of Angels Dr. Langston EllisEpisode: "Bride and Prejudice"
Veronica's Closet Brian's FatherEpisode: "Veronica Checks Out"
2000–2008Gospel SuperfestHost
2001Lifestyle MagazineHostSeries
2002 American Dreams Alvin LewisEpisode: "The Home Front"
2004 Half & Half Pastor David AdamsEpisode: "The Big Practice What You Preach Episode"
Halloweentown High Principal Phil FlannaganTV movie
2012 Political Animals ReporterEpisode: "Pilot"
Mr. Box Office JudgeEpisode: "Pilot"
2013 The First Family ClaytonEpisode: "The First Triangle"
2015–2019 Madam Secretary Ephraim Ware42 episodes
2017 Iron Fist Lawrence Wilkins5 episodes
The Good Fight Anthony SpiegelEpisode: "Not So Grand Jury"
2017–2023 Billions Judge Wailand6 episodes
2018 New Amsterdam Pierre PampilEpisode: "Rituals"
Blue Bloods Inspector AzoulayEpisode: "Mind Games"
2019 I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson Jeffrey CarterEpisode: "It's the Cigars You Smoke That Are Going to Give You Cancer"
2019–2021 Godfather of Harlem Elijah Muhammad 6 episodes
2023 Survival of the Thickest EmmanuelEpisode: "Let It Out, Bitch!"
2024 Clipped Elgin Baylor 4 episodes

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References

  1. ↑ "Clifton Davis – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Clifton Davis in Ministry". Archived from the original on August 13, 2010. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Clifton Davis – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Two Gentlemen of Verona Broadway @ St. James Theatre - Tickets and Discounts - Playbill". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Mansion (Two Gentlemen Of Verona/1971 Original Broadway Cast/Remastered)". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Two Gentlemen of Verona – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Two Gentlemen of Verona – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Two Gentlemen of Verona – Broadway Musical – 1973-1973 Tour | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Pal Joey – Broadway Musical – 1978–1978 Tour | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Aladdin – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Clifton Davis – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Clifton Davis". iobdb.com. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ baydog (December 17, 2006). "Ted Lange And Clifton Davis". youtube.com. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed Will Co-Star in Disney's Aladdin; Complete Cast Announced". playbill.com. Playbill. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Bio". Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Gospel Superfest (TV Movie 2005) - IMDb". IMDb . Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
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