Charles S. Dutton

Charles Stanley Dutton (born January 30, 1951) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his roles in the television series Roc (1991–1994) and the television film The Piano Lesson, the latter of which earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. His other accolades include three Primetime Emmy Awards and three NAACP Image Awards.

Dutton has also appeared in many feature films such as Alien 3 (1992), Menace II Society (1993), A Time to Kill (1996), Black Dog (1998), Cookie's Fortune (1999), and Gothika (2003).

Early life Charles Stanley Dutton was born on January 30, 1951, on the east side of Baltimore, Maryland. His father was a truck driver and his parents divorced when he was four. He grew up in Baltimore's Latrobe Homes public housing project. In his youth, Dutton dropped out of school before finishing middle school. He had a short-lived stint as an amateur boxer with the nickname "Roc", a nickname derived from "Rockhead", due to rock throwing battles which took place during Dutton's childhood.

In 1967, when he was 16, Dutton got into a fight that resulted in the death of a man Dutton claimed had attacked him with a knife.

Prison convictions, discovering acting, and education After the knife fight, Dutton pleaded guilty in 1967 to manslaughter and was sentenced to five years in prison, which he began serving at the Maryland House of Correction in Jessup, Maryland. Out on parole after 18 or 20 months, he was arrested on robbery and handgun charges. He was sentenced on the handgun violation and sent to the Maryland Penitentiary, near his boyhood home, for three more years. A fight with a guard added on another eight years. In reference to this, Dutton later said, "I got three years for killing a black man and eight for punching a white man."

During his prison term, Dutton was stabbed by another prisoner and nearly died. He became interested in radical movements and the Black Panther Party.

Several months into his second prison term, Dutton was sentenced to six days of solitary confinement for refusing to clean toilets. Prisoners were allowed to take one book and, unintentionally, he grabbed an anthology of black playwrights. He enjoyed the book so much that upon release from solitary, he petitioned the warden to start a drama group for the winter talent show. The warden agreed on the condition that Dutton go back to school and get his GED. Dutton accomplished that and eventually completed a two-year college program at Hagerstown Junior College (now Hagerstown Community College) in Hagerstown, Maryland, graduating with an Associate of Arts degree in 1976.

Dutton acting in a 1979 production of EquusDutton was paroled on August 20, 1976. After his release from prison, he enrolled as a drama major at Towson State University (now Towson University) in the Baltimore suburb of Towson, Maryland, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978. After his time at Towson, Dutton earned a master's degree in acting from the Yale School of Drama in 1983.

Acting career In 1984, Dutton made his Broadway debut in August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, winning a Theatre World Award and a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. In 1988, Dutton played Leroy Brown in Crocodile Dundee II and a killer in the television miniseries The Murder of Mary Phagan opposite Jack Lemmon and Kevin Spacey. In 1990, Dutton earned a second Best Actor Tony nomination for his role in another Wilson play, The Piano Lesson. Dutton co-starred in Alien 3, the debut film of director David Fincher, then co-starred in 1993's Rudy. Other films he has appeared in include Get on the Bus, A Time to Kill, Cookie's Fortune, Cry, the Beloved Country, Surviving the Game, Menace II Society, Secret Window, and A Low Down Dirty Shame.

Dutton won Outstanding Guest Actor Emmy Awards in 2002 and 2003 for his roles in The Practice and Without a Trace. He was previously nominated in 1999 for his guest-starring role as Alvah Case in the HBO prison drama Oz in its second-season premiere episode. For this role, he was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Also in 1999, he starred in an ensemble cast in Aftershock: Earthquake in New York in which he played the Mayor of New York City. Dutton gained acclaim for his comedy show Roc shown on FOX television (but produced by HBO) from 1991 to 1994. His work in this role won him an NAACP Image Award. He co-starred in the popular but short-lived 2005 CBS science fiction series, Threshold.

In 2000, Dutton directed the HBO miniseries The Corner. The miniseries was close to his heart, for Dutton grew up on the streets of East Baltimore. It was adapted from The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood (Broadway Books, 1997) by David Simon (a reporter for the Baltimore Sun) and Ed Burns (a retired Baltimore homicide detective). The Corner won several Emmys in 2000, including Best Miniseries. Dutton won for his direction of the miniseries. He worked with Simon previously in a 1996 episode of Homicide: Life on the Street.

He starred as Montgomery County, Maryland Police Chief Charles Moose in the 2003 made-for-TV movie D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear, and appeared in Season 2 of The L Word. Dutton also appeared in "Another Toothpick," an episode of The Sopranos. He guest starred on House M.D. as the father of Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps). Dutton also had small roles in First Time Felon alongside Omar Epps and on Sleeper Cell: American Terror as the father of undercover FBI agent Darwyn Al-Sayeed. He also directed two episodes of Sleeper Cell.

On October 9, 2007, HBO announced that it had arranged a deal with Dutton where he would develop, direct, and star in series and movies for the network. He also appeared in the 2007 film Honeydripper. On February 14, 2013, Dutton returned to TV in Zero Hour, playing the role of a priest. In 2013, Dutton played Detective Margolis in the horror film The Monkey's Paw.

Filmography

Film

+ Year Title Role Notes 1985 Cat's Eye Dom 1986 The Best of Times Doctor Death Uncredited1988 No Mercy Sergeant Sandy Crocodile Dundee II Leroy Brown 1989 Jacknife Jake 1990 Q&A Detective Sam Chapman 1991 Mississippi Masala Tyrone Williams 1992 Jack Reed: One of Our Own Lt. Charles Silvera 1992 Alien 3 Leonard Dillon Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor The Distinguished Gentleman Elijah Hawkins 1993 Menace II Society Mr. Butler Rudy Fortune 1994 Surviving the Game Walter Cole Foreign Student Howlin' Wolf A Low Down Dirty Shame Sonny Rothmiller 1995 Cry, the Beloved Country John Kumalo Seven Cop Uncredited Nick of Time Huey 1996 A Time to Kill Sheriff Ozzie Walls Get on the Bus George 1997 Mimic Officer Leonard Norton 1998 Black Dog Agent Allen Ford 1999 Cookie's Fortune Willis Richland Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male Random Hearts Alcee 2002 Eye See You FBI Agent Hendricks 2003 Gothika Dr. Douglas Grey 2004 Against the Ropes Felix Reynolds Also director Secret Window Ken Karsch 2005 The L.A. Riot Spectacular The Mayor 2007 Honeydripper Maceo 2008 The Third Nail Sydney Washington American Violet Reverend Sanders The Express: The Ernie Davis Story Willie Davis 2009 Fame Mr. James Dowd 2010 Legion Percy Walker 2012 Bad Ass Panther Least Among Saints George The Obama Effect John Thomas LUV Cofield 2013 The Monkey's Paw Detective Margolis 2014 Android Cop Mayor Jacobs Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery Cookie (voice) Comeback Dad Othell 2015 The Perfect Guy Roger Vaughn Carter High Freddie James 2016 Veneration Lt. A.J. Robertson Short

Television

+ Year Title Role Notes 1985, 1986 Miami Vice Lieutenant Pearson/Ed McCain 2 episodes 1985 The Equalizer Abmennet Episode: "Bump and Run" 1986 Cagney & Lacey Mr. Johnson Episode: "The Marathon" Apology Asst. District Attorney Television film 1988 The Murder of Mary Phagan Jim Conley 1991–1994 Roc Roc Emerson 72 episodes 1994 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Captain Jonas Cutter 2 episodes 1995 The Piano Lesson Boy Willie Television filmNominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television FilmNominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Zooman Emmett Television film 1996 Homicide: Life on the Street Elijah Sanborn Episode: "Prison Riot" 1997 First Time Felon N/A Television filmDirector 1998 Oz Professor Alva Case Episode: "The Tip"Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Blind Faith Charles Williams Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie 1999 Aftershock: Earthquake in New York Mayor Bruce Lincoln Television film The 60's Reverend Willie Taylor 2000 Deadlocked Jacob Doyle For Love or Country Dizzy Gillespie The Corner N/A Miniseries; 6 episodesDirectorPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special 2001 Ed Reverend Carver Episode: "Valentine's Day" The Sopranos Officer Wilmore Episode: "Another Toothpick" The Practice Leonard Marshall Episode: "Killing Time"Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series 2002 10,000 Black Men Named George Milton Webster Television film 2002–2003 Without a Trace Chet Collins 2 episodesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series 2003 D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear Chief Charles Moose Television film 2004 Something the Lord Made William Thomas 2005 Mayday Admiral Randolf Hennings The L Word Dr. Benjamin Bradshaw 4 episodes 2005–2006 Threshold J.T. Baylock 13 episodes 2006–2007 House Rodney Foreman 2 episodes 2007 My Name Is Earl Reggie Episode: "Get a Real Job" 2008 Racing for Time Lt. Stack Television filmAlso director 2009 CSI: NY Talmadge Neville Episode: "Greater Good" 2010 Dark Blue Walter Shell Episode: "Shell Game" 2011 Law & Order: LA Reverend Davidson Episode: "Carthay Circle" Criminal Minds Tony Cole Episode: "The Bittersweet Science" American Horror Story: Murder House Detective Granger 2 episodes 2012 The Good Wife Pastor Damon Episode: "Blue Ribbon Panel" 2012–2014 Longmire Detective Fales 6 episodes 2013 Zero Hour Father Mickle 6 episodes 2014 The Following FBI Director Tom Franklin Episode: "The Messenger" 2015 Bessie William 'Pa' Rainey Television film

Stage Year Title Role Notes 1984 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Levee BroadwayTheatre World Award Nominated—Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play - 1985 1988 Splendid Mummer Ira Frederick Aldridge Off-BroadwayAmerican Place Theatre; Arena Stage 1990 The Piano Lesson Boy Willie BroadwayNominated—Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play 2003 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (revival) Levee Broadway 2009 Death of a Salesman Willy Loman Yale Repertory Theater