Born: July 2, 1927 – Died: August 23, 2005
Brock Peters, an actor of African and West Indian descent, was born on July 2, 1927, in New York City . From a young age, he was driven by a passion for show business, setting his sights on a career in the entertainment industry as early as ten years old. Peters' journey from the streets of Harlem to the heights of Hollywood is a story of perseverance and talent. His parents, although not detailed in available information, must have played a significant role in shaping his early life and ambitions.
Early Life and Career
Brock Peters attended New York City's music and Arts High School, a nurturing ground for his burgeoning talent. His journey in the acting world began with more odd jobs than acting roles, as he navigated his way out of Harlem's poverty. A pivotal moment in his early career was landing a stage role in the iconic "Porgy and Bess" in 1949. This opportunity led him to leave his physical education studies at the City College of New York (CCNY) and embark on a tour with this acclaimed musical.
Peters made his film debut in the 1950s, but it wasn't until he dropped his birth name, George Fisher, in 1953, that he started making a name for himself in the industry. His portrayal of Tom Robinson in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962) marked a major turning point, earning him widespread acclaim. This role not only showcased his powerful acting skills but also highlighted important social issues, contributing significantly to his legacy.
He received a Tony Award nomination in 1973 for his performance in Broadway's "Lost in the Stars." Peters also made notable appearances in the Star Trek franchise, including "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986) and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" (1991), further cementing his place in the entertainment industry.
Peters was married to Dolores Mae Daniels from July 29, 1961, until her death in 1989, and they had one child, Lisa Jo Fisher. Aside from his acting career, Peters was known for his deep, resonant voice, which he lent to various characters in radio adaptations, including Darth Vader in the National Public Radio versions of the Star Wars trilogy.
Brock Peters passed away at the age of 78 due to complications from pancreatic cancer on August 23, 2005. His impact on Hollywood and the entertainment industry is marked by his trailblazing roles and the depth he brought to his characters. He is remembered not just for his roles on screen and stage, but also for his unique voice and his contributions to highlighting social issues through his art. Brock Peters stands out as an icon in the entertainment industry for his versatile talent, resilience, and the significant barriers he broke through in his career.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Borg War (Video) | General Mi'Qoch (voice) |
| 2005 | JAG (TV Series) | Paul Revere |
| 2003 | Static Shock (TV Series) | Morris Grant | Soul Power (voice) |
| 2002 | The Locket (TV Movie) | Henry McCord |
| 2002 | Star Trek: Starfleet Command III (Video Game) | General Mi'Qogh (voice) |
| 2002 | The Wild Thornberrys | Jomo (voice) |
| 2002 | No Prom for Cindy (Short) | Doctor |
| 2002 | 10,000 Black Men Named George (TV Movie) | Leon Frey |
| 2002 | The Last Place on Earth | Jack Field |
| 2001 | The Legend of Tarzan (TV Series) | Usula (voice) |
| 2001 | Samurai Jack (TV Series) | Lazzor (Elder) (voice) |
| 1998–2000 | The Wild Thornberrys (TV Series) | Jomo | Dr. Jomo | Poacher (voice) |
| 1996–1998 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV Series) | Joseph Sisko | Preacher |
| 1998 | Park Day | Heseeit Turner |
| 1997 | Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Read-Along Storybook and CD (Video) | Darth Vader (voice) |
| 1997 | Disney Read Along: Star Wars: A New Hope (Video) | Darth Vader (voice) |
| 1997 | Spicy City (TV Series) | Bird (voice) |
| 1997 | Johnny Bravo (TV Series) | Chronos | Squirrel (voice) |
| 1997 | Two Weeks from Sunday (Short) | Unknown |
| 1996–1997 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (TV Series) | The Shaman | Masai (voice) |
| 1997 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues (TV Series) | King Ahasuerus | Merchant (voice) |
| 1997 | The Pretender (TV Series) | Henry Cockran |
| 1996 | Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - The Original Radio Drama (TV Series) | Darth Vader (voice) |
| 1996 | Ghosts of Mississippi | Walter Williams |
| 1996 | Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (TV Series) | Ramath (voice) |
| 1995–1996 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (TV Series) | Snorch's Voicebox | Man | The Pool (voice) |
| 1996 | Believe (Short) | Unknown |
| 1996 | Captain Planet and the Planeteers (TV Series) | Mammoth (voice) |
| 1995 | An Element of Truth (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1995 | Il barone (TV Mini Series) | Le roi Aschwinda |
| 1993–1994 | Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron (TV Series) | Dark Kat (voice) |
| 1994 | Cosmic Slop (TV Movie) | Minister Coombs (segment "Space Traders") |
| 1994 | The Commish (TV Series) | Abraham Wilkerson |
| 1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series (TV Series) | Lucius Fox | Fox | The Minotaur (voice) |
| 1991–1993 | The Pirates of Dark Water (TV Series) | Bloth (voice) |
| 1992 | You Must Remember This (TV Movie) | Gus |
| 1992 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Doctor Chasuble |
| 1992 | The Secret (TV Movie) | Thurgood 'Uncle T.' Carver III |
| 1992 | Highway Heartbreaker (TV Movie) | Bert Quinn |
| 1991 | Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country | Admiral Cartwright |
| 1991 | Pacific Station (TV Series) | Ray Taylor |
| 1991 | Alligator II: The Mutation | Chief Speed |
| 1990 | Gravedale High (TV Series) | Boneyard (voice) |
| 1990 | The Great Los Angeles Earthquake (TV Movie) | David Motubu |
| 1978–1989 | The Magical World of Disney (TV Series) | Mr. Pendergast | Zechariah |
| 1989 | The Karate Kid (TV Series) | Additional Characters (voice) |
| 1988 | To Heal a Nation (TV Movie) | Paul Turner |
| 1988 | Broken Angel (TV Movie) | Sgt. Mercurio |
| 1987 | DuckTales (TV Series) | Druid (voice) |
| 1987 | Cagney & Lacey (TV Series) | Mr. Higgins |
| 1986 | Wildfire (TV Series) | Thunderbolt (voice) |
| 1986 | Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | Admiral Cartwright |
| 1986 | Samson and Delilah (Video) | Priest (voice) |
| 1985–1986 | Galtar and the Golden Lance (TV Series) | Tormack (voice) |
| 1986 | Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) | Thornton Bentley |
| 1985 | This Is the Life (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1985 | The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible (TV Series) | Priest (voice) |
| 1984–1985 | Challenge of the GoBots (TV Series) | General Newcastle | General Newscastle (voice) |
| 1985 | Magnum, P.I. (TV Series) | President Kole |
| 1985 | Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) | Ogre | Guest Interviewee |
| 1983–1984 | The Young and the Restless (TV Series) | Frank Lewis |
| 1983 | The Smurfs (TV Series) | The ambassador (voice) |
| 1983 | A Caribbean Mystery | Dr. Graham |
| 1983 | Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Original Radio Drama (TV Series) | Darth Vader (voice) |
| 1982 | A House Divided: Denmark Vessey's Rebellion | Morris Brown |
| 1981 | Star Wars: The Original Radio Drama (TV Series) | Darth Vader (voice) |
| 1981 | The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (TV Movie) | Jim |
| 1979 | A Bond of Iron (TV Movie) | Unknown |
| 1979 | Roots: The Next Generations (TV Mini Series) | Ab Dekker |
| 1979 | Battlestar Galactica (TV Series) | Chief Opposer Solon |
| 1979 | The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (TV Movie) | Joe |
| 1978 | Abe Lincoln: Freedom Fighter | Henry |
| 1978 | Quincy M.E. (TV Series) | Dr. Frank Matthews |
| 1978 | The Bionic Woman (TV Series) | Jack Stratton |
| 1978 | The Million Dollar Dixie Deliverance (TV Movie) | Zechariah |
| 1978 | Black Beauty (TV Mini Series) | Mr. Carmichael |
| 1977 | SST: Death Flight (TV Movie) | Dr. Ralph Therman |
| 1977 | Seventh Avenue (TV Mini Series) | Sgt. Rollins |
| 1976 | Two-Minute Warning | Paul |
| 1976 | Jigsaw John (TV Series) | Vic Boylin |
| 1976 | Police Story (TV Series) | Sergeant Bagney |
| 1975 | Baretta (TV Series) | Judson B. Taylor | John Shockley |
| 1975 | Framed | Sam Perry |
| 1975 | Medical Center (TV Series) | James Rosemont |
| 1974 | McCloud (TV Series) | DDT |
| 1974 | The Streets of San Francisco (TV Series) | Jacob Willis | Earl Barnes |
| 1974 | Lost in the Stars | Stephen Kumalo |
| 1974 | The Wide World of Mystery (TV Series) | Bill Evans |
| 1973 | Pomroy's People (TV Movie) | Rev. Pomroy |
| 1973 | Slaughter's Big Rip-Off | Reynolds |
| 1973 | Soylent Green | Chief Hatcher |
| 1969–1973 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) | Jesse Dillard | Cato |
| 1972 | Norman Corwin Presents (TV Series) | Unknown |
| 1972 | Black Girl | Earl |
| 1972 | O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (TV Series) | Jess Florian |
| 1972 | Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol (TV Movie) | Berdahl |
| 1971 | Night Gallery (TV Series) | Logoda (segment "Logoda's Heads") |
| 1971 | Mod Squad (TV Series) | Johnny Pell |
| 1971 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (TV Series) | John Goodman |
| 1971 | Longstreet (TV Series) | Danny |
| 1970 | The Virginian (TV Series) | Mace Ivers |
| 1970 | Mannix (TV Series) | Sonny Carter |
| 1970 | The McMasters | Benjie |
| 1969 | The Outcasts (TV Series) | Ben Pritchard |
| 1967–1969 | Judd for the Defense (TV Series) | Marcel Nburu | Jessie Aarons |
| 1969 | The Felony Squad (TV Series) | Marcel Nburu |
| 1968 | It Takes a Thief (TV Series) | Chak |
| 1968 | Ace High | Thomas |
| 1968 | Daring Game | Jonah |
| 1967 | P.J. | Waterpark |
| 1967 | The Incident | Arnold Robinson |
| 1967 | Tarzan (TV Series) | M'Kone |
| 1967 | Mission: Impossible (TV Series) | Walter DuBruis |
| 1966 | The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (TV Series) | King M'Bala |
| 1966 | Run for Your Life (TV Series) | Lieutenant Wallace |
| 1966 | The Trials of O'Brien (TV Series) | Isadore Jaconey |
| 1965 | The Loner (TV Series) | Lemuel Stove |
| 1965 | Rawhide (TV Series) | Phinn Harper |
| 1965 | Major Dundee | Aesop |
| 1964 | Daniel Boone (TV Series) | Pompey |
| 1964 | The Doctors and the Nurses (TV Series) | Fox |
| 1964 | The Pawnbroker | Rodriguez |
| 1964 | The Eleventh Hour (TV Series) | Dennis Packsey |
| 1963 | The Great Adventure (TV Series) | Joe Bailey |
| 1963 | Heavens Above! | Matthew |
| 1963 | Sam Benedict (TV Series) | Frank Elton |
| 1962 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Tom Robinson |
| 1962 | The L-Shaped Room | Johnny |
| 1960 | Buick-Electra Playhouse (TV Series) | Molo |
| 1960 | Adventures in Paradise (TV Series) | Nicholas |
| 1959 | Porgy and Bess | Crown |
| 1956 | Producers' Showcase (TV Series) | Alexander (as Broc Peters) |
| 1956 | As the World Turns (TV Series) | Dr. Bellows #1 (1966) |
| 1954 | Carmen Jones | Sergeant Brown (as Broc Peters) |
General:
Posted Using InLeo Alpha
