Richard Brooks (actor)

American actor, singer and director (born 1962)

Richard Brooks

Born|

Richard L. Brooks

(1962-12-09) December 9, 1962 (age 61)

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Education| Interlochen Center for the Arts
Occupations|

* Actor
* singer
* director

Years active| 1983–present

Richard L. Brooks (born December 9, 1962) is an American actor, singer, and director. He played the eccentric bounty hunter Jubal Early in the space-western Firefly and assistant district attorney Paul Robinette in the NBC drama series Law & Order from 1990 to 1993, later appearing as a defense attorney on that same show. In 2013, he began starring as Patrick Patterson in the BET drama series, Being Mary Jane.

## Early life

[edit]

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Brooks studied acting, dance, and voice work at Interlochen Academy of Arts in Michigan. Later, he moved to New York City and was a student of the Circle in the Square Professional Theater School.[1]

## Career

[edit]

While in New York, Brooks performed in the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference production of August Wilson's Fences, which gained him a positive reputation.[1] A subsequent move to Los Angeles found the actor landing television roles in Hill Street Blues and The Russians Are Coming, along with made-for-TV features such as Badge of the Assassin (1985) and Resting Place (1986). With Teen Wolf (1985), The Hidden (1987), Off Limits (1988), Shakedown (1988), and Shocker (1989), Brooks began his work in the world of feature films. Brooks appeared as OD in the award-winning film 84C MoPic (1989), directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan.

Throughout the 1990s, most of his popularity came from his widespread exposure in his role as Paul Robinette on Law & Order.[2] His roles alternated between feature films, television, and the stage. After appearing in The Substitute and playing the villain in The Crow: City of Angels (both 1996), Brooks opted to try his hand at directing, and the result was Johnny B Good (1998). It is about a young, urban black man who makes a positive change after suffering amnesia. Brooks returned to television for the short-lived series G vs E in 1999. In 2001, he made a guest appearance in NYPD Blue. Brooks' performance on Joss Whedon's Firefly as bounty hunter Jubal Early in the existentialist series finale "Objects in Space" gained him many fans. He also appeared as Hasdrabul Skaras in "Slayer", the fifth episode of the series Brimstone and as Detective Ehrle in the short-lived Fox series Drive, alongside Nathan Fillion, with whom Brooks had worked on Firefly.

Brooks founded his own production company, Flat Top Entertainment LLC. At the dawn of the millennium, Brooks released his first solo R&B album, Smooth Love, on Flat Top Records.

In March 2011, Brooks played the role of Harmond Wilkes in Radio Golf, written by August Wilson, at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York.[3] He played Frederick Douglass in the 2013 PBS series The Abolitionists.

Brooks starred as Patrick in the BET original series Being Mary Jane. It premiered July 2, 2013. He starred as Lead Marshal Pollack in Person of Interest, season 3, "The Devil's Share". He played Warden Gregory Wolfe in season 4 of The Flash,[4] and Dwight Wise in Seasons 5 and 6 of the show Bosch.[5] Brooks played Augustus Barringer on the UMC network comedy The Rich and the Ruthless (2017–2021).

## Filmography

[edit]

### Film

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1984  | With Intent to Kill | Eddie Cox  | TV movie
1985  | Teen Wolf | Lemonade  |
Badge of the Assassin | Anthony "Tony" Bottom  | TV movie
1986  | Resting Place | Booker T. Douglas  | TV movie
Good to Go | Chemist  |
1987  | A Special Friendship | Matt Bowser  | TV movie
The Hidden | Sanchez  |
1988  | Saxo | Joe  |
Off Limits | Preacher  |
Shakedown | Michael Jones  |
1989  | Terror on Highway 91 | \-  | TV movie
84C MoPic | OD  |
Shocker | Rhino  |
The Neon Empire | Tampa  | TV movie
1990  | To Sleep with Anger | Babe Brother  |
1992  | Memphis | Eben Kinship  | TV movie
1995  | Chameleon | Tom Wilson  |
1996  | Black Rose of Harlem | Yancey  |
The Substitute | Wellman  |
The Crow: City of Angels | Judah Earl  |
Code Name: Wolverine | Special Agent John Baines  | TV movie
1998  | The Wedding | Lincoln Odis  | TV movie
Johnny B Good | \-  |
The Adventures of Ragtime | Agent Dooley  |
Acid Rain | \-  |
1999  | In Too Deep | Wesley  |
2004  | Lexie | Ricardo French  | Video
2006  | Spy Games: The Black Wolf Hunt | \-  | TV movie
2009  | Dough Boys | Detective Nichols  |
2010  | Who Da Man? | Dante  | Short
2011  | In My Pocket | Dr. Barry  |
2013  | Officer Down | McAlister's Lawyer  |
2015  | The Sin Seer | Jake Ballard  |
2016  | You Can't Hurry Love | Pastor Avery  | TV movie
2020  | Noah's Arc: The 'Rona Chronicles | Wade's Dad  | Short
Troubled Waters | Floyd Cash  |
Steele Justice | Alex  |

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1983  | Hill Street Blues | Tyrone Crane  | Episode: "The Russians Are Coming"
1988  | Spenser: For Hire | Robert  | Episode: "The Siege"
1989  | Tour of Duty | Private First Class Marsten  | Episode: "True Grit"
Almost Grown | Curtis  | Episode: "Jersey Blues"
1990–2006  | Law & Order | Paul Robinette | Main Cast: Season 1-3, guest: Season 6 & 16-17
1994  | ER | Mr. Freeman  | Episode: "Chicago Heat"
Chicago Hope | Henry Lavelle  | Episode: "Shutt Down"
Diagnosis: Murder | Mercury "The Heat" Jones  | Episode: "Standing Eight Count"
1995  | Renegade | Barry  | Episode: "Repo Raines"
1997  | Nash Bridges | Max Moore  | Episode: "Found Money"
Renegade | Agent Marcus Donner  | Episode: "Top Ten with a Bullet"
1998  | Brimstone | Hasdrabul Skaras  | Episode: "Slayer"
NYPD Blue | Everette McRae  | Episode: "Hammer Time"
1999  | WWE Raw | Henry McNeil  | Episode: "Rebellion Results"
Judging Amy | Mr. Plymouth  | Episode: "Presumed Innocent"
1999–2000  | G vs E | Henry McNeil  | Main Cast
2001  | NYPD Blue | Captain Eric Knowlton  | Episode: "Franco, My Dear, I Don't Give a Damn"
Dead Last | Tyrell Nitro "TNT" Thompson  | Episode: "The Problem with Corruption"
2002  | Firefly | Jubal Early  | Episode: "Objects in Space"
2003  | Skin | \-  | Episode: "Pilot"
NCIS | Lieutenant Colonel Walsh  | Episode: "Marine Down"
2006  | Close to Home | Phil Raab  | Episode: "Community"
2007  | Drive | Detective Ehrle  | Recurring cast
2009  | Lie to Me | Mark Boulware  | Episode: "Life is Priceless"
2011  | Childrens Hospital | Robert  | Episode: "Father's Day"
Charlie's Angels | Richard Umbaque  | Episode: "Royal Angels"
2013  | American Experience | Frederick Douglass | Episode: "The Abolitionists: Part 1-3"
Person of Interest | Lead Marshal Pollack  | Episode: "The Devil's Share"
2013–19  | Being Mary Jane | Patrick Patterson  | Main Cast
2015  | Elementary | Detective Demps  | Episode: "For All You Know"
2016  | The Good Wife | Ace Barnstone  | Episode: "Targets"
2017  | Chicago Justice | Defense Attorney Paul Robinette | Episode: "Uncertainty Principle" [6]
2017–18  | The Flash | Warden Gregory Wolfe | Recurring cast: Season 4
2017–21  | The Rich and the Ruthless | Augustus Barringer  | Main Cast
2018–19  | Jacqueline and Jilly | Magnus Mitchell  | Main Cast
2019  | The Blacklist | Mitchell Young  | Episode: "Olivia Olson (No. 115)"
All Rise | Assistant Chief Jack Healy  | Episodes: "Pilot" & "A View from the Bus"
2019–20  | Bosch | Dwight Wise  | Recurring cast: Season 5-6
2019–21  | Good Trouble | Joseph  | Recurring cast: Season 2-3
2020  | The Haves and the Have Nots | Al  | Recurring cast: Season 7, guest: Season 8
2021  | Chicago P.D. | Lieutenant Mike Carey  | Episode: "Tender Age"
Shameless Hall of Shame | Big Liam  | Episode: "Frank: Ghosts of Gallagher Past"
2022  | Abbott Elementary | Gerald  | Episode: "Gifted Program"

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

Year  | Award  | Category  | Work  | Result

|
|
|
|

2018  | Daytime Emmy Awards | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series | The Rich and the Ruthless | Nominated

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Richard Brooks - About This Person". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. 2007. Archived from the original on November 19, 2007. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
2. ^ "'Law & Order's' Richard Brooks to Star in Geva Theater's RADIO GOLF, 3/22 - 4/17". BroadwayWorld.com. 2011-02-23. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
3. ^ Lomax, Janet (2011-03-24). "Former Law and Order star takes the stage at Geva in Radio Golf". WHEC.com. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
4. ^ "The Flash Adds Law & Order Alum In Recurring Role". Screen Rant. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
5. ^ Frederick, Brittany (April 21, 2020). "Bosch season 6 features Chicago Med and Chicago Justice alums". onechicagocenter.com. One Chicago Center. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
6. ^ Stanhope, Kate (January 10, 2017). "'Law & Order' Star to Reprise Role on 'Chicago Justice'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 26, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Richard Brooks (actor).

* Richard Brooks at IMDb

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Spain
* 2

Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC