Harold Sylvester (born February 10, 1949) is an

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

n film and television

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 (), lit ...

Early life and education

Sylvester was born in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...

. He is a graduate of New Orleans' St. Augustine High School and

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...

. Turning down

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, he attended Tulane on a basketball scholarship and graduated in 1972 with a degree in theater and psychology. He was the first African American to receive an athletic scholarship from Tulane.

Career

Sylvester is best known for his role on the TV series '' Married... with Children'' as Griff, the co-worker and friend of

Al Bundy Al Bundy is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American television series '' Married... with Children''. Played by Ed O'Neill, Bundy is a misanthropic, working-class father of two who is portrayed as a somewhat tragicomedic figur ...

at the shoe store. Harold's other TV roles include the miniseries ''

Wheels A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction with axles, allow heavy objects to b ...

'' (1978), Sylvester was in Barnaby Jones, episode titled “A Desperate Pursuit”(10/11/1979), the short-lived 1981 series '' Walking Tall'', '' Today's F.B.I.'', '' Mary'' (1985), '' Shaky Ground'', and "A Different World". The most recent TV show in which he starred was ''

The Army Show ''The Army Show'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB, first shown on September 13 and ended its run on December 13, 1998. The plot follows an army sergeant, played by David Anthony Higgins, who must take charge of a group ...

''. Sylvester had a recurring role on the TV series '' City of Angels''. He has made guest appearances on shows, ranging from '' The Eddie Capra Mysteries'' to ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'' to ''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...

'' to ''

NYPD Blue ''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensembl ...

''. His first Hollywood role was as Nathan, a lead character in '' Part 2, Sounder'', the sequel to '' Sounder''. His better known film roles are in supporting roles in ''

An Officer and a Gentleman Conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman (or conduct unbecoming for short) is an offense that is subject to court martial in the armed forces of some nations. Use in the United Kingdom The phrase was used as a charge in courts martial of t ...

'' (1982), '' Uncommon Valor'' (1983), '' Innerspace'' (1987), and '' Corrina, Corrina'' (1994). He was a contract player for

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...

. Sylvester wrote the screenplay for the 1998 TV movie ''

Passing Glory ''Passing Glory'' is a 1999 basketball-drama film produced for TNT, written by Harold Sylvester, and directed by Steve James. It is based on a true story. This movie stars Andre Braugher, Rip Torn, and Sean Squire, and features a speaking role b ...

''. This screenplay was based on some of his experiences playing basketball in high school, including a groundbreaking game of St. Augustine High School's all-black team against Jesuit High School's all-white team. The Amistad Research Center of New Orleans, Louisiana, maintains a collection of Harold Sylvester's papers that document his correspondence, film and television scripts, and materials reflecting his involvement with the Free Southern Theater and his Blue Bayou Productions Company.

Personal life

Sylvester has been married to Kathleen since 1970. They have two children.

Filmography

References

4. Demetria Fulton previewed Sylvester in Barnaby Jones; episode titled, “A Desperate Pursuit” (10/11/1979).

External links

*
Harold Sylvester Speech at Education Conference, 2004
on YouTube * Sylvester'
Blue Bayou Productions Co.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sylvester, Harold 1949 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors African-American male actors American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from New Orleans St. Augustine High School (New Orleans) alumni Tulane University alumni