Reginald VelJohnson | |
---|---|
Born | Reginald Johnson August 16, 1952 New York City, U.S. |
Education | Benjamin N. Cardozo High School |
Alma mater | New York University (BFA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1979–present |
Known for | Carl Winslow – Family Matters Al Powell – Die Hard |
Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald Johnson; August 16, 1952) is an American actor. He is best known for playing police officer characters, such as Carl Winslow on the sitcom Family Matters, which ran from 1989 to 1998, and LAPD Sergeant Al Powell in the films Die Hard and Die Hard 2 .
VelJohnson was born Reginald Johnson in New York City, in the borough of Queens. His mother Eva was a nurse’s aide, while his father Dan was a hospital attendant. [1] His father left the family, which included Reginald's brother Barry, [2] when Johnson was 13 years old. Their mother subsequently married John Reilly, [3] and Johnson attended Benjamin N. Cardozo High School. [4]
He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from New York University, where he had a chance to work with Joseph Papp's Black/Hispanic Shakespeare Company, in which Morgan Freeman and CCH Pounder were among his fellow actors. [5] [6] Early in his acting career, he changed his name from Reginald Johnson (his birth name) to Reginald VelJohnson. He later said he changed the spelling "because I wanted a name people would remember". [7]
VelJohnson is known for playing police officers in films and on television. His early career included a brief appearance in Ghostbusters (1984) as a municipal corrections officer, and an appearance in Crocodile Dundee (1986) as a limo driver. [8] VelJohnson played alongside Tom Hanks, as Det. David Sutton, in Turner & Hooch (1989). He played an ambulance driver in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) in which he was credited by the stage name Ivory Ocean.
VelJohnson had his breakthrough role [5] as Sgt. Al Powell in the 1988 film Die Hard . VelJohnson was hired after Gene Hackman, originally hired to play the role, became unavailable, and producers decided to hire a relatively unknown actor for the part. [9] He came from New York to California to film it for nine months, which was so long that he ended up residing in California permanently thereafter. [8] [10] He later reprised the character in the 1990 sequel Die Hard 2 . [8] VelJohnson again portrayed Sgt. Powell in the GameCube video game titled Die Hard: Vendetta in 2002.
In 1989, VelJohnson was cast as police officer and family patriarch Carl Winslow in the ABC (later CBS) sitcom Family Matters, alongside Jo Marie Payton, who played his wife Harriette Winslow. It was a spinoff of the popular show Perfect Strangers on which he appeared only once, though Harriette appeared as a re-occurring guest star. He starred on the show until it ended in 1998. [5] [8] [10] Since the end of Family Matters, VelJohnson has done mostly voice and guest star work. [11] VelJohnson has made guest appearances in several TV shows, including The Equalizer , Diagnosis: Murder , Twice in a Lifetime , Will & Grace , Monk , It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , Eve , Brooklyn Nine-Nine , Crossing Jordan , The Parkers , That's So Raven , and Bones . He had a minor role in the 2002 film Like Mike and a recurring role as Pastor/Brother Haywood on Mike & Molly . In 2007, he appeared in the short films Reverse, Nerve Endings, and Time Upon A Once which were made during the reality show On the Lot . [12] In 2008, he appeared as the "Sgt. Al Powell" character from the Die Hard series in an episode of NBC's Chuck titled "Chuck Versus the Santa Claus", as the cousin of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence). In 2010, VelJohnson started a recurring role as Principal, later Superintendent, Strickland on the Disney sitcom I'm in the Band and Funnyordie.com's short HBO film titled Just 3 Boyz starring Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, and Zach Galifianakis. He has appeared in the comedy film, The Formula, starring alongside Brandon Baker and Sasha Jackson. [13] He played air traffic controller Bob Abbot in the 2012 film Air Collision .
In 2021, VelJohnson voiced Principal Winslow in the animated adaptation of the comic Invincible . In both the comic and the television series, the main character attends a high school named after the actor, and the character itself is named after his previous role of Carl Winslow from Family Matters. [14] VelJohnson also voices several minor characters in the series. He later reprised his role as David Sutton on Disney's Turner & Hooch .
In January 2023, VelJohnson began appearing in advertisements for Progressive as "TV Dad," a parody of his previous Carl Winslow role. [15]
In September 2024, VelJohnson was announced as one of the celebrities competing on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars . He was partnered with Emma Slater [16] and they finished in 10th place. [17]
As of 2009, VelJohnson had homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles, and resided primarily in Oceanside, New York. He has never married and has no children. [9]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Wolfen | Morgue Attendant | Credited as Reginald Vel Johnson |
1984 | Ghostbusters | Corrections Officer | Credited as Reggie Vel Johnson |
1985 | Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins | EMT | |
1986 | Crocodile Dundee | Gus | |
1988 | Plain Clothes | Captain Graff | |
Die Hard | Sgt. Al Powell | ||
1989 | Turner & Hooch | Detective David "Dave" Sutton | |
1990 | Die Hard 2 | Sgt. Al Powell | Cameo |
1991 | A Fond Little Memory[ citation needed ] | Short film | |
1993 | Posse | Preston | |
2000 | Ground Zero | Burt Green | |
2002 | Like Mike | Mr. Boyd | |
2005 | Sunday Evening Haircut[ citation needed ] | O.C. | Short film Producer, writer |
Suits on the Loose[ citation needed ] | Brother Steedman | ||
Death to the Supermodels | Tom | Direct-to-video release | |
2006 | Hidden Secrets[ citation needed ] | Norman Wexler | |
2007 | Three Days to Vegas | RJ Jackson | |
Out at the Wedding [18] | Dexter | ||
2009 | Steppin: The Movie | Mr. Shavers | |
2010 | Jelly[ citation needed ] | Joe Woods | |
You Again | Mason Dunlevy | ||
2012 | Brother White[ citation needed ] | Hill | |
Air Collision | Bob Abbot | ||
2013 | The Formula[ citation needed ] | Professor Millan | |
2014 | 12 Dog Days Till Christmas' [19] | Probation Officer Art Stephenson | |
Strike One[ citation needed ] | Judge Morris | ||
2018 | Funny Story | Hank | |
2019 | Avengers: Endgame | Fire Chief | Scenes deleted |
2020 | The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee | Reggie | |
2023 | Glisten and the Merry Mission | Snowy Owl | Voice |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985–88 | The Equalizer | N/A (1985) Harmon Hunter (1986) Arthur Williams (1988) | Episode: "Lady Cop" Episode: "Dead Drop" Episode: "Sea of Fire" |
1988 | 227 | The Santa Thief | Episode: "The Night They Arrested Santa Claus" |
1989 | Perfect Strangers | Carl Winslow | Episode: "Crimebusters" |
1989–98 | Family Matters | Carl Winslow | Main role, 215 episodes |
1992 | Tales from the Crypt | Hotel Guest | Episode: "Werewolf Concerto" |
1993 | Dream On | Santa | Episode: "Silent Night, Holy Cow" |
1994 | A Cool Like That Christmas[ citation needed ] | Dad (voice) | Television movie |
One of Her Own | Det. Bob Hymes | Television movie | |
1996 | Deadly Pursuits | Ed Conroy | Television movie |
1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Dr. David Sinclair | Episode: "The Last Resort" |
1999 | The Hughleys | Rev. Bennett | Episode: "Daddy's Going to Hell" |
2000 | Twice in a Lifetime | Dr. David Bryant | Episode: "Whistle Blower" |
2001 | The Fugitive | Maurice Beaumont | Episode: "Lagniappe" |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dr. Phillip Kane | Episodes: "Face Lift" and "Gentle, Gentle" | |
2002 | Crossing Jordan | Mr. Holden | Episode: "Someone to Count On" |
Will & Grace | Dr. Kaplan | Episode: "It's the Gay Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" | |
2003 | The Parkers | Sterling Oglevee | Episode: "A Sterling Relationship" |
2005 | That's So Raven | Dikembe, The Ambassador | Episode: "The Royal Treatment" |
Ghost Whisperer | Danny Small | Episode: "Undead Comic" | |
2006 | Eve | Rev. Everett | Episode: "Oh, Brother" |
Monk | Todd | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion" | |
2007 | On the Lot | Neighbor in 'Time Upon a Once' | Episode: "11 Cut to 10 & 10 Directors Complete" |
Bones | Dale Owens | Episode: "The Santa in the Slush" | |
2008 | Chuck | Sgt. Al Powell | Episode: "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" |
2009 | The Three Gifts[ citation needed ] | Rodney Smith | Television movie |
Family Guy | Sgt. Al Powell | Episode: "Brian's Got a Brand New Bag" | |
2009–11 | I'm in the Band | Principal/Superintendent Cornelius Strickland | Recurring role |
2010 | Funny or Die Presents | Christopher | Episode: "Just 3 Boyz" |
The Bold and the Beautiful | Ed | 2 episodes | |
Meet the Browns | Ernie Wilson | Episode: "Meet the Baby Daddy" | |
Glory Daze | Stan Turley | Episode: "Papa Don't Pre-Game" | |
2010–13 | Mike & Molly | Brother Heywood | 6 episodes |
2011 | Imagination Movers | Bernie | Episode: "The Idea Cafe" |
2011–15 | Hart of Dixie | Dash DeWitt | Recurring role |
2012–13 | Tron: Uprising | Able | Recurring role |
2012 | General Hospital | Reverend Love | Episode #1.12632 |
Childrens Hospital | Judge Lester Harrison | Episode: "Children Lawspital" | |
The Mistle-Tones | Holly's dad | Television movie | |
2013 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Himself | Episode: "Tisha and Duane" |
2015 | Clipped | Tommy | 5 episodes |
The Flight Before Christmas | Joe | Television movie Played husband of "Marie" (Jo Marie Payton, who also played Reginald's wife on Family Matters) | |
2016 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Judge Melvoy | Episode: "McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century" |
Hitting the Breaks | Chauncey van Delaware | 5 episodes | |
Girl Meets World | Officer James | Episode: "Girl Meets True Maya" | |
Ray Donovan | Sherman Radley | Episode: "Norman Saves the World" | |
2017 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Mr. Flannigan (voice) | Episode: "My Mischievous Son" |
Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television | Captain Jackson #6 | Episode: "Escape Room Escapades" | |
2018 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Himself | Episode: "Bachelor/ette Party" |
The Prayer Box | Billy | Television movie | |
2018–19 | 3Below: Tales of Arcadia | Jerry (voice) | Recurring role |
2019–21 | Lazor Wulf | God (voice) | Recurring role |
2019 | Mom | Jim | Episode: "Audrey Hepburn and a Jalepeño Pepper" |
Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta | Reverend Bennet | Television movie | |
2020 | Sydney to the Max | Principal Linkenberry | Episode: "Going the Green Mile" |
2021 | Turner & Hooch | Mayor David "Dave" Sutton | Recurring role |
2021–present | Invincible | Principal Winslow, Tether Tyrant (voices) | 3 episodes |
2022 | Ghosts of Christmas Always | Roy | Television movie, Hallmark Channel |
2024 | Dancing with the Stars | Himself | Season 33 contestant; 10th place |
† | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza | Sgt. Al Powell [20] | Voice and likeness only |
Die Hard: Vendetta |
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza based on the 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. It stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, and Bonnie Bedelia, with Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton, Paul Gleason, and Hart Bochner in supporting roles. Die Hard follows New York City police detective John McClane (Willis) who is caught up in a terrorist takeover of a Los Angeles skyscraper while visiting his estranged wife.
Family Matters is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC for eight seasons from September 22, 1989, to May 9, 1997, then moved to CBS for its ninth and final season from September 19, 1997, to July 17, 1998. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers, the series was created by William Bickley and Michael Warren, and revolves around the Winslow family, an African-American middle class family living in Chicago, Illinois. Midway through the first season, the show introduced the Winslows' nerdy neighbor Steve Urkel, who was originally scripted to appear as a one-time character. However, he quickly became the show's breakout character, joining the main cast.
Steven Quincy Urkel is a fictional character on the American ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters, portrayed by Jaleel White. Originally slated for a single appearance, he broke out to be the show's most popular character, gradually becoming its protagonist. Due to the character's off-putting characteristics, a tendency to stir up events, and his role in the show's plotlines, he is considered a nuisance by the original protagonist's family, the Winslows. However, they come to accept him over time.
Paul Xavier Gleason was an American film and television actor. He was known for his roles on television series such as All My Children and films such as The Breakfast Club, Trading Places, and Die Hard.
Sherman Alexander Hemsley was an American actor. He was known for his roles as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons (1975–1985), Deacon Ernest Frye on the NBC series Amen (1986–1991), and B. P. Richfield on the ABC series Dinosaurs. Hemsley also played Judge Carl Robertson on the NBC series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. For his work on The Jeffersons, Hemsley was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award. Hemsley also won an NAACP Image Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Comedy Series or Special in 1982.
Jaimee Monae Foxworth is an American actress, model, and singer. She is best known for her role of Judy Winslow, the daughter of Carl and Harriette Winslow on the ABC sitcom Family Matters, during the show's first four seasons.
Jo Marie Payton is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Harriette Baines Winslow on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters (1989–1998), a role she originated on its forerunner series Perfect Strangers. From 2001 to 2005, Payton provided the voice for Suga Mama Proud on Disney Channel's animated series The Proud Family and reprised the role in the 2005 TV Movie The Proud Family Movie and also on Disney+’s revival The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. The role earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination in 2005. Payton also had recurring roles as the personal assistant to Gregory Hines' character, Ben Doucette, during season two of Will & Grace (1999–2000).
Jaleel Ahmad White is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Steve Urkel on the sitcom Family Matters. The character was originally intended to be a one-time guest appearance on the show; however, he was an instant hit with audiences and White became a regular cast member, and eventually the main protagonist. The series aired for a total of nine seasons, from 1989 to 1998. White then reprised his role as Urkel for the first time in 21 years in the 2019 series Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?.
Darius Creston McCrary is an American actor, singer and producer. McCrary is known for his role as Edward "Eddie" Winslow, the oldest child of Carl and Harriette Winslow on the ABC/CBS television sitcom Family Matters, which ran from 1989–1998.
Turner & Hooch is a 1989 American buddy cop comedy film starring Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog as the eponymous characters respectively. The film also co-stars Mare Winningham, Craig T. Nelson and Reginald VelJohnson. It was directed by Roger Spottiswoode and co-written by Daniel Petrie Jr., who also served as an executive producer. Touchstone Pictures acquired the screenplay for Turner & Hooch for $1 million, which was the highest amount ever paid by Touchstone for any script at the time.
Arnold Herbert Johnson was an American actor who played the lead role in the film Putney Swope (1969). The film was directed by Robert Downey Sr. Johnson appeared in Shaft (1971) as Cul, a friend of John Shaft and the owner of a shoeshine parlor. He also had roles in Rocky (1976) and Menace II Society (1993), as Thomas, the religious Christian grandfather of the lead character Caine.
Julius John Carry III was an American actor. He made his acting debut in the 1979 film Disco Godfather starring Rudy Ray Moore. He played Sho'Nuff in the martial arts film The Last Dragon. He also acted in the films World Gone Wild and The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.
"Chuck Versus Santa Claus" is the eleventh episode of the second season of Chuck, and the 24th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill and written by Scott Rosenbaum. It originally aired on NBC on December 15, 2008.
"Brian's Got a Brand New Bag" is the fourth episode of the eighth season of the animated comedy series Family Guy. It premiered on Fox in the United States on November 8, 2009. The episode follows anthropomorphic dog Brian as he dates a middle-aged woman named Rita whose daughter has stood Brian up. He becomes reluctant to continue their relationship after discovering her numerous health concerns; also, his family continually harasses him. The episode premiered during an "all–Seth MacFarlane" schedule, preceding the live-action episode Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Show.
"Bachelor/ette Party" is the 19th episode of the fifth season of the American television police sitcom series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and the 109th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by Carly Hallam Tosh and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller. It aired on Fox in the United States on April 29, 2018. The episode features guest appearances from Reginald VelJohnson, Sarah Baker, and Blake Anderson.
Sergeant Al Powell is a fictional character from the 1988 action film Die Hard and the novel on which it was based, portrayed by Reginald VelJohnson. Powell is an off-duty police officer who gets called into work to investigate a potential hostage situation at Nakatomi Plaza. Powell then becomes a central character in the conflict, and a source of moral support for protagonist John McClane. VelJohnson would reprise his role in the sequel film Die Hard 2 (1990) and the second season of the action comedy/spy-drama television series Chuck (2008).
Turner & Hooch is an American buddy cop action-comedy television series based on, and a continuation of, the 1989 film of the same name. The series, created and written by executive producer Matt Nix, serves as a legacy sequel and is produced in association with Flying Glass of Milk Productions, Wonderland Sound and Vision, 20th Television and Disney Branded Television, starring Josh Peck, Lyndsy Fonseca, Carra Patterson, and Vanessa Lengies. It is the third overall installment in the eponymous franchise and premiered on July 21, 2021 as a Disney+ exclusive. The series was canceled after one season.
The Turner & Hooch franchise consists of American buddy cop-crime comedy-thrillers including three installments: one theatrical film, one television special continuation of that film, and one legacy sequel television series. The plot comedically revolves around schedule-regimented law enforcement officers, who are teamed-up with disorderly dogs during crime scene investigations.
"The Mama Who Came to Dinner" is the pilot episode and series premiere of the American sitcom Family Matters, which is a spin-off of the American sitcom Perfect Strangers, which is set in Chicago. The episode was directed by Joel Zwick and written by William Bickley and Michael Warren, and originally aired on ABC on September 22, 1989.