Albert Popwell (July 15, 1926 – April 9, 1999) was an American

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

and film

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

with a career spanning six decades. Born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, Popwell started as a professional

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

r before taking up a career in acting. Popwell made his professional debut on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

at age 16 in ''The Pirate.''

Career

Popwell was featured on many television series, but is perhaps best known for his appearances in films opposite

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

, with whom he appeared in five films, beginning with ''

Coogan's Bluff Coogan's Bluff is a promontory near the western shore of the Harlem River in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City. Its boundaries extend approximately from 155th Street and the Macombs Dam Bridge viaduct t ...

'' (1968) and in the first four of the five films in the ''

Dirty Harry ''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American neo-noir action thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the ''Dirty Harry'' series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco Police Department (SFP ...

'' series, playing a different character in each film. Popwell was the wounded bank robber at the receiving end of Eastwood's iconic "Do you feel lucky?"

monologue In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...

from ''

'' (1971). He was a murderous pimp in ''

Magnum Force ''Magnum Force'' is a 1973 American neo-noir vigilante action thriller film and the second to feature Clint Eastwood as maverick cop Harry Callahan after the 1971 film ''Dirty Harry''. Ted Post, who had previously worked with Eastwood on '' Ra ...

'' (1973), appeared as militant Big Ed Mustapha in '' The Enforcer'' (1976) and as Harry's detective colleague Horace King in '' Sudden Impact'' (1983). In 1988, Popwell was offered a role in ''

The Dead Pool ''The Dead Pool'' is a 1988 American neo-noir vigilante action thriller film directed by Buddy Van Horn, written by Steve Sharon, and starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan. It is the fifth and final film in the ''Dirty ...

'', the last film in the series, but could not appear due to a scheduling conflict. Popwell's final film role was with

Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress. Known for primarily playing femme fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the recipient of various ...

in ''

Scissors Scissors are hand-operated shearing tools. A pair of scissors consists of a pair of metal blades pivoted so that the sharpened edges slide against each other when the handles (bows) opposite to the pivot are closed. Scissors are used for cutti ...

'' (1991). He died eight years later, at age 72, from complications following open heart surgery.

Selected filmography

* ''

Journey to Shiloh ''Journey to Shiloh'' is a 1968 American Western film directed by William Hale and starring James Caan, Michael Sarrazin and Brenda Scott. The film is based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Will Henry first published in 1960. Plot S ...

'' (1968) – Samuel * ''

Night Gallery ''Night Gallery'' is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC from December 16, 1970, to May 27, 1973, featuring stories of horror and the macabre. Rod Serling, who had gained fame from an earlier series, ''The Twilight Zone ...

'' (1970, episode: "The Nature of the Enemy") – Reporter * ''

'' (1968) – Wonderful Digby * ''

'' (1971) - Bank Robber * ''The Peace Killers'' (1971) – Blackjack * ''

Search Searching or search may refer to: Computing technology * Search algorithm, including keyword search ** :Search algorithms * Search and optimization for problem solving in artificial intelligence * Search engine technology, software for findi ...

'' (1972) – Griffin * ''Glass Houses'' (1972) – Albert * '' Fuzz'' (1972) – Lewis * ''

Cleopatra Jones ''Cleopatra Jones'' is a 1973 American blaxploitation film directed by Jack Starrett. Tamara Dobson stars as an undercover government agent who uses the day job of supermodel as her cover and an excuse to travel to exotic places. Bernie Casey, S ...

'' (1973) – Matthew Johnson * ''

Charley Varrick ''Charley Varrick'' (a.k.a.''The Last of the Independents'' and ''Kill Charley Varrick'') is a 1973 American neo-noir crime film directed by Don Siegel and starring Walter Matthau, Andrew Robinson, Joe Don Baker and John Vernon. ''Charley Varric ...

'' (1973) – Percy Randolph * ''

'' (1973) – Pimp, J.J. Wilson * ''

The Single Girls ''The Single Girls'' (also released under the titles ''Bloody Friday'' and ''Private School'') is a 1974 exploitation film about a group of swingers at a Caribbean resort who are stalked by a mysterious killer. The film was directed by Beverly Se ...

'' (1974) – Morris * ''Lost in the Stars'' (1974) * ''

Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American action-adventure medical drama television series jointly produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. Debuting on NBC as a midseason replacement on January 15, 1972, replacing the two short-lived situatio ...

'' (1975, episode: "905-Wild") – Officer Les Taylor * ''

Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold ''Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold'' is a 1975 American action-adventure film directed by Charles Bail and starring Tamara Dobson as Cleopatra "Cleo" Jones, Stella Stevens and Norman Fell. The film is a sequel to the 1973 action film ''Cle ...

'' (1975) – Matthew Johnson * ''

The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin, Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the ...

'' (1975, episode: "Poisoned Snow") – Nappy * '' Sanford and Son'' (1976, episode: "Sanford and Gong") – Doctor Davis * '' The Enforcer'' (1976) – Big Ed Mustapha * ''

The Buddy Holly Story ''The Buddy Holly Story'' is a 1978 American biographical film which tells the life and career of rock and roll musician Buddy Holly. It features an Academy Award-winning musical score, adapted by Joe Renzetti and Oscar-nominated lead perfor ...

'' (1978) – Eddie * ''

Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byr ...

'' (1978, episode: "The Deadly Dolphin") – Gaffer * ''Butterflies in Heat'' (1979) – Ned * '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' (1979, episode: "Cosmic Whiz Kid") – Koren * ''

The Incredible Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of '' The Incredible Hulk'' (May 1962). In his comic book a ...

'' (1980, episode: "Long Run Home") - Doctor * ''

The A-Team ''The A-Team'' is an American action-adventure television series that ran on NBC from January 1983 to March 1987 about former members of a fictitious United States Army Special Forces unit. The four members of the team were tried by court marti ...

'' (1983, episode: "The Out-Of Towners") – Digger * '' Sudden Impact'' (1983) – Horace King * ''

Magnum, P.I. ''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...

'' (1986, episode: "Missing Melody") – David Crawford * ''

Who's That Girl Who's That Girl? may refer to: Film and television * ''Who's That Girl'' (1987 film), an American film starring Madonna * ''Who's That Girl'', a Philippine film of 2011 * "Who's That Girl?", an episode of ''Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!'' Music * Who's Tha ...

'' (1987) – Parole Chairman * ''

The Siege of Firebase Gloria ''The Siege of Firebase Gloria'' is a 1989 war film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith, starring Wings Hauser and R. Lee Ermey. It was filmed in the Philippines. Plot At the start of the Tet Offensive, a Marine Long Range Reconnaissance unit le ...

'' (1989) – Jones * '' Wild at Heart'' (1990) – Barkeeper at Zanzibar (scenes deleted) * ''A Last Goodbye'' (1995) – O.C. Lee

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Popwell, Albert 1926 births 1999 deaths American male film actors American male stage actors Male actors from New York City African-American male actors American male television actors 20th-century American male actors 20th-century African-American people