Bill Duke Biography (1943-)

Born William Henry Duke, Jr., February 26, 1943, in Poughkeepsie, NY; son ofWilliam Henry and Ethel Louise Douglas Duke. Addresses: Agent: Writers& Artists Agency, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90024-6095.; Office: Yagya Productions Inc., P.O. Box 55306, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Director, actor, producer, writer
Birth Details
1943
Poughkeepsie, New York, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Director
  • Maximum Security, 1987
  • A Rage in Harlem, Miramax, 1991
  • Deep Cover, New Line Cinema, 1992
  • Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, 1993
  • The Cemetery Club (also known as Looking for a Live One), 1993
  • America's Dream, 1996
  • Hoodlum, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1997
  • Also directed The Hero (short).
  • Film Executive Producer
  • Hoodlum, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1997
  • Film Appearances
  • Duane, Car Wash, Universal, 1976
  • Leon James, American Gigolo, Paramount, 1980
  • Cooke, Commando, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
  • Malcolm, No Man's Land, Orion, 1987
  • Sergeant Mac Eliot, Predator, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
  • Captain Armbruster, Action Jackson, Lorimar, 1988
  • Lieutenant Borel, Sans espoir de retour (also known as Street of No Return and Rua sem regresso), Bac Films, 1988
  • Albert Diggs, Bird on a Wire, Universal, 1990
  • Mr. Johnson, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, 1993
  • World Beat, 1993
  • Detective, Menace II Society, 1993
  • Detective Scott, Susan's Plan (also known as Dying to Get Rich), 1998
  • Detective Hicks, Payback, Warner Bros., 1999
  • Studio producer, Foolish, Artisan Entertainment, 1999
  • (Uncredited) Head DEA agent, The Limey, Artisan Entertainment, 1999
  • Detective Glass, Fever, Cowboy Booking International, 1999
  • Book of Love, Artisan Entertainment, 2000
  • Earl, Never Again, 2001
  • Hinges, Exit Wounds, Warner Bros., 2001
  • Lieutenant Washington, National Security, 2001
  • Television Director
  • Movies
  • Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI (also known as The Johnnie Gibson Story, Johnnie Gibson F.B.I., and Agent Gibson: Undercover FBI),CBS, 1986
  • The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery (also known as GoldenSpiders), Arts and Entertainment, 2000
  • Specials
  • Me and Mom, ABC, 1985
  • Hell Town, NBC, 1985
  • Heartbeat (also known as Private Practice and Women's Medical), ABC, 1988
  • Episodic
  • Knot's Landing, CBS, 1979-83
  • Falcon Crest (also known as The Vintage Years), CBS, 1981
  • Flamingo Road, NBC, 1981-82
  • Emerald Point, N.A.S. (also known as Navy), CBS, 1983-84
  • Hunter, NBC, 1984-85
  • "The Killing Floor," American Playhouse, PBS, 1985
  • "The Junction," The Twilight Zone, 1987
  • "Raisin in the Sun," American Playhouse, PBS, 1989
  • "The Meeting," American Playhouse, PBS, 1989
  • Brewster Place, ABC, 1990
  • Also directed "Bride and Prejudice," City of Angels, CBS; and episodes of McGruder and Loud, ABC; Miami Vice, NBC; Cagney andLacey, CBS; Hill Street Blues, NBC; Dallas, CBS; Fame; Spenser: For Hire; Starman; Matlock; The Outsiders; and Crime Story.
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Luther Freeman, Palmerstown, U.S.A. (also known as Kings of theHill), CBS, 1980-81
  • Movies
  • "Happy" Jordan, Love Is Not Enough, NBC, 1978
  • Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force, NBC, 1978
  • Luther Seth Foster, Dallas: The Early Years, CBS, 1986
  • Blackbird Wills, Always Outnumbered, HBO, 1998
  • Ivor "Max" Maxwell, Black Jaq, 1998
  • Jenga, Who Killed Atlanta's Children, Showtime, 2000
  • Specials
  • Sanda, Santiago's Ark, 1972
  • Santiago's America, 1975
  • Himself, Frank Capra's American Dream, 1997
  • Himself, Intimate Portrait: Robin Givens, Lifetime, 2000
  • Episodic
  • Sylk, "Bad Dude," Kojak, 1976
  • Officer Dryden, "Hutchison for Murder One," Starsky and Hutch, 1978
  • David Pearl, "Angels on the Run," Charlie's Angels, 1978
  • Himself, "Redd Foxx: Say It Like It Is," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
  • Also appeared in episodes of Benson and Maddox.
  • Stage Director
  • The Secret Place, Playwrights Horizons, New York City, 1972
  • Unfinished Women, New York Shakespeare Festival, Mobile Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1977
  • Sonata, Theatre of the Arts, Los Angeles, 1985
  • No Place to Be Somebody, Matrix Theatre, 1987
  • Directed more than thirty Off-Broadway plays.
  • Stage Appearances
  • Akano, Slave Ship, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, NY, 1969-70
  • First man, industrialist, and Rastus, "Day of Absence," Brotherhood and Day of Absence (double bill), Negro Ensemble Company, St. Mark's Playhouse, New York City, 1970
  • Garrett Morris, Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1971, then Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1971-72
  • Also appeared in productions of Barefoot in the Park, Plaza Suite, Look Back in Anger, Emperor Jones, Macbeth, Richard III, and Othello.
  • RECORDINGS
  • Music Videos
  • Appeared in Busta Rhymes's Dangerous.
  • WRITINGS
  • Plays
  • An Adaptation: Dream (one-act), produced by Negro Ensemble Company, New York City, 1971
  • Sonata, produced by Theatre Genesis, St. Marks Playhouse, New YorkCity, later at Theatre of the Arts, Los Angeles, 1985
  • Television Episodes
  • Good Times, CBS, 1974-79
  • Books
  • (With Danny Glover) Black Light: The African American Hero, Thunder's Mouth Press, c. 1994
  • Also wrote Bill Duke's 24-Hours L.A. Contributor of articles and poems to magazines and newspapers, including Black Creation.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Contemporary Black Biography, 1992. Volume 3, Gale,
    Periodicals
    • Ebony, January, 1991, p. 128.
    • Essence, February, 1994, p. 52; October, 2000, p. 78.
    • Jet, April 12, 1999, p. 24.
    • Premiere, April, 1991, pp. 40-42.

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