Samuel Vernon Washington (August 10, 1923 – June 7, 1988) was an American character

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 ...

who starred in film and television.

Biography

Washington was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, the 8th child of Benjamin and Olive Evans of Dinwiddie County, Virginia and

Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in and the county seat of Frederick County, Maryland. It is part of the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan Area. Frederick has long been an important crossroads, located at the intersection of a major north–south Native ...

, respectively. He was 5 feet and 11 inches tall and father of 4 children with his wife, Marion Blunt. Vernon was educated at the Wolter School of Speech and Drama, Carnegie Hall, New York City, where he studied Speech under Madame Annette Wolter and Dr. Walter O. Robinson; and Drama under Rossi, Mary Higgins and Gus Lambluise. He is best known for his roles in the 1984

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

movie ''

The Last Starfighter ''The Last Starfighter'' is a 1984 American space opera film directed by Nick Castle. The film tells the story of Alex Rogan ( Lance Guest), a teenager recruited by an alien defense force to fight in an interstellar war. It also features Robe ...

'' as Otis and in the 1985 horror movie '' Friday the 13th: A New Beginning'' as George and television roles in the 1979 miniseries '' Roots: The Next Generations'' as Rev. Mills. Vernon had a recurring role on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

hit series ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...

'' as Leroy. Later he appeared in an episode of the hit CBS series, '' Falcon Crest'' as Teddy Eubanks, a horse groomer. His special abilities and training include writer, director and producer. He has been awarded the "Stars & Stripes Award" for "Ready, Front, at Ease," a lighthearted Army musical. He was the founder, producer and director of West End Repertory Theatre in New York City. He has served as Artistic Director of Greensburgh, Newark and Staten Island Theatre Arts Workshops; and Assistant Professor of Drama, Staten Island Community College, New York City.

Filmography

*'' Change at 125th Street'' (1974, TV Movie) as Herbert *'' Uncle Joe Shannon'' (1978) as Old Timer *'' Roots: The Next Generations'' (1979, TV Mini-Series) as Rev. Mills *'' The Dark'' (1979) as Henry Lydell *'' Pray TV'' (1981, TV Movie) as Jimmy *'' Falcon Crest'' (1983, Episode: "Solitary Confinements") as Teddy Eubanks *''

'' (1984) as Otis *'' Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Horomowitz'' (1988, TV Special) as himself *'' Friday the 13th: A New Beginning'' (1985) as George Winter *'' Dream West'' (1986, TV Mini-Series) as Dodson

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Vernon 1923 births 1988 deaths African-American male actors American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Connecticut 20th-century American male actors 20th-century African-American people