James McDaniel Jr. (born March 25, 1958) is 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 ...

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

and

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 ...

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 ...

. He is best known for playing Lt.

Arthur Fancy Capt. Arthur Fancy is a fictional character in the television series ''NYPD Blue''. He was played by James McDaniel from season one through eight. The fictional character appears in all 167 episodes from the show's 1993 pilot to the 2001 episode ...

on the television show ''

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 ensemble c ...

''. He created the role of Paul in the hit Lincoln Center play ''

Six Degrees of Separation Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "friend of a friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. It is also k ...

''. He played a police officer in the ill-fated 1990 series ''

Cop Rock ''Cop Rock'' is an American police procedural musical television series created by Steven Bochco and William M. Finkelstein for the American Broadcasting Company. It premiered on September 26, 1990, and broadcast eleven episodes before concludi ...

'', and a close advisor to the director Spike Lee regarding the activist

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Is ...

in the 1992 film ''

''. He also played Sgt. Jesse Longford in the ABC television series ''

Detroit 1-8-7 ''Detroit 1-8-7'' is an American police procedural drama series about the Detroit Police Department's leading homicide unit, created by Jason Richman for ABC. It featured an ensemble cast of actors including Michael Imperioli and James McDaniel. ...

''.

Early life

He was born as James McDaniel Jr. in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

on March 25, 1958, the son of physician James McDaniel Sr. The junior McDaniel attended the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

, where he studied veterinary medicine. After taking his final exams, he decided to move to

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and become an actor, despite having no prior acting experience. McDaniel enrolled in dance and voice lessons, and earned his first role in a

Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi was ...

commercial.

Career

McDaniel began acting on the stage. He appeared in the original production of ''

'' as Paul Poitier, and received the

Clarence Derwent Award The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom. Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 Aug ...

for his performance. McDaniel originated the role of Adam in ''

Someone Who'll Watch Over Me ''Someone Who'll Watch over Me'' is a play written by Irish dramatist Frank McGuinness. The play focuses on the trials and tribulations of an Irishman, an Englishman and an American (Edward, Michael, and Adam) who are kidnapped and held hostage ...

'', being the only American in the cast. He received an

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the A ...

after performing in ''

Before It Hits Home ''Before It Hits Home'' is a play by Cheryl West. Background The show was originally workshopped by the Seattle Group Theatre at the Multicultural Playwrights Festival in 1989, then later was given a reading at the Circle Repertory Company in 199 ...

''. Early roles on television include guest appearances on sitcom ''

Kate & Allie ''Kate & Allie'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989, starring Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin as two divorced women, both with children, who decide to live together in the same house. ...

'' and crime drama ''

Gabriel's Fire ''Gabriel's Fire'' is an American crime drama television series created by Donald R. Boyle, Coleman Luck and Jacqueline Zambrano that ran on ABC from September 12, 1990, to June 6, 1991, in the United States during the 1990–91 television season ...

''. He portrayed police officer Franklin Rose on the short-lived and poorly received series ''

''. McDaniel had a minor role in the

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

film ''

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

'' (1990), was a banker in '' Strictly Business'' (1991) and portrayed Brother Earl in

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

's ''

'' (1992). McDaniel guest starred as a cop on ''

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 ...

'', created by

Steven Bochco Steven Ronald Bochco Masterson (December 16, 1943 – April 1, 2018) was an American television writer and producer. He developed a number of television series, including ''Hill Street Blues'', ''L.A. Law'', ''Doogie Howser, M.D.'', ''Cop Rock'' ...

. Thereafter, he appeared often in productions with Bochco's involvement, including ''

L.A. Law ''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series that ran for eight seasons on NBC, from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it centers on the partners, associates and staff of a Los ...

'' and ''

Civil Wars A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

''. He played Lt.

on ''

'' for eight seasons, between 1993 to 2001. The series attracted some criticism regarding McDaniel being underutilized during his time on the show. McDaniel himself alluded to this, claiming to be "the highest paid

extra Extra or Xtra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper * ''Extra!'', an American me ...

on television." He was nominated for a

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In early Primetime Emmy Award ceremonies, the supporting categories were not always genre, or even gender, specific. Beginning ...

in 1996 for his work on the series. He also received three consecutive

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...

nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He portrayed the role of Sgt. Jesse Longford in crime drama ''

''. McDaniel appeared as an investigator in ''

The Following ''The Following'' is an American crime thriller television series created by Kevin Williamson, and jointly produced by Outerbanks Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. The first season follows former FBI agent Ryan Hardy ( Kevin Bacon) ...

'' and was Ezra Mills, Abbie's father, in '' Sleepy Hollow''. McDaniel made a guest appearance as a jazz trumpeter in '' NCIS: New Orleans''. McDaniel appeared in

Tamara Tunie Tamara Tunie (born March 14, 1959) is an American film, stage, and television actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera ''As the World Turns'' (1987–1995, 2000–2007, 2009 ...

's ''

See You in September "See You in September" is a song written by Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards. It was first recorded by the Pittsburgh vocal group The Tempos. This first version peaked at #23 in the summer of 1959. The most popular take on "See You In September" ...

'' (2010) and in the

Jordana Spiro Jordana Spiro (born April 12, 1977) is an American actress, director, and writer. As an actress, she has starred in numerous films and television series including Netflix's ''Ozark'' and TBS comedy television program ''My Boys''. Her debut feat ...

film ''

Night Comes On ''Night Comes On'' is a 2018 American drama film directed by Jordana Spiro, who wrote the screenplay with Angelica Nwandu. It premiered on January 19, 2018 at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Plot A teen is released from juvenile detention just as ...

'' (2018). McDaniel has also appeared extensively in television films, namely ''

Silencing Mary ''Silencing Mary'' is a 1998 American television film directed by Craig R. Baxley and written by Steve Johnson. It stars Melissa Joan Hart as a college newspaper reporter determined to get justice after her best friend is raped by one of the sch ...

'' (1996), '' Unforgivable'' (1996), and ''Out of Time'' (2000), the latter in a rare role as the main character. He portrayed

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's music career began after he dropped out of school at the age of 15, and continued f ...

in '' Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story'' (2000).

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to success in the mid-1970s as an R&B singer with the h ...

personally handpicked McDaniel to play her father.

Personal life

With his wife Hannelore, McDaniel has two children.

Filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

McDaniel won a 1995 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for ''NYPD Blue'', and won the 2006

Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

for Outstanding Performer in a Children/Youth/Family Special, "Edge of America". He has also been nominated for two

Primetime Emmys The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime E ...

for his work on ''

''. * Obie Award for ''Before It Hits Home'', 1991–1992 season * Drama Desk nomination for ''

'', 1991–1992 season * Clarence Derwent Award * Peabody Award for "Edge of America" (2005; ''NYPD Blue'' episode)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McDaniel, James 1958 births 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors African-American male actors American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors Living people Male actors from Washington, D.C. University of Pennsylvania alumni 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American people