Samuel L. Jackson Biography (1948?-)

Full name, Samuel Leroy Jackson; born December 21, 1948 (some sources cite 1949), in Washington, DC; raised in Chattanooga, TN; son of Elizabeth Jackson (a domestic worker and supply buyer); married LaTanya Richardson (an actress),1980; children: Zoe. Addresses: Agent: Toni Howard, International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Manager: TheFirm, 9465 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Publicist: Lisa Kasteler, Wolf/Kasteler/Van Iden and Associates Public Relations, 335 North Maple Dr., Suite 351, Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Actor, voice performer, producer
Birth Details
December 21, 1948?
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • (As Sam Jackson) Stan, Together for Days (also known as Black Cream), Olas, 1972
  • Second gang member, Ragtime, Paramount, 1981
  • Eddie's uncle, Eddie Murphy Raw (also known as Raw), Paramount, 1987
  • Holdup man, Coming to America (also known as Prince in New York), Paramount, 1988
  • Leeds, School Daze, Columbia, 1988
  • (Uncredited) Criminal, Sea of Love, Universal, 1989
  • (As Sam Jackson) Mister Senor Love Daddy, Do the Right Thing, Universal, 1989
  • Dream blind man, The Exorcist III (also known as Exorcist III:The Legion and William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist III), TwentiethCentury-Fox, 1990
  • Madlock, Mo' Better Blues, Universal, 1990
  • Mickey, Betsy's Wedding, Buena Vista, 1990
  • Minister Garth, Def by Temptation, Troma, 1990
  • (As Sam Jackson) Nate Cabot, The Return of Superfly, Triton, 1990
  • Stacks Edwards, GoodFellas (also known as Goodfellas and Wise Guy), Warner Bros., 1990
  • Ulysses, A Shock to the System, Corsair, 1990
  • Gator Purify, Jungle Fever, Universal, 1991
  • (As Sam Jackson) Monroe, Strictly Business (also known as Go Natalie, Go Beverly), Warner Bros., 1991
  • B-Bop, Johnny Suede, Miramax, 1992
  • Greg Meeker, White Sands, Warner Bros., 1992
  • Lieutenant commander Robby Jackson, Patriot Games, Paramount, 1992
  • Marshall, Fathers & Sons, Pacific Pictures, 1992
  • Mr. Simpson, Jumping at the Boneyard, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992
  • Trip, Juice (also known as Angel Town 2), Paramount, 1992
  • Andrew Sterling, Amos & Andrew, Columbia, 1993
  • Big Don, True Romance (also known as Breakaway), Warner Bros., 1993
  • (As Sam Jackson) Dre, The Meteor Man, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1993
  • Ray Arnold, Jurassic Park (also known as JP), Universal, 1993
  • Sergeant Wes Luger, National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (also knownas Loaded Weapon 1), New Line Cinema, 1993
  • Tat Lawson, Menace II Society, New Line Cinema, 1993
  • Dale Deveaux, The New Age, Warner Bros., 1994
  • Jules Winnfield, Pulp Fiction, Miramax, 1994
  • Mail carrier, Hail Caesar, Trimark Pictures, 1994
  • Sam, Fresh, Miramax, 1994
  • Calvin Hart, Kiss of Death, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1995
  • Kadar Lewis, Losing Isaiah, Paramount, 1995
  • (As Sam Jackson) Narrator, To Be a Black Man (documentary short film), NDG Ideas, 1995
  • Voice of Rumbo, Fluke, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1995
  • Zeus Carver, Die Hard: With a Vengeance (also known as Die Hard3 and Simon Says), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1995
  • Carl Lee Hailey, A Time to Kill, Warner Bros., 1996
  • Colonel Ron, The Search for One-Eye Jimmy, Northern Arts Entertainment, 1996
  • Jimmy, Hard Eight (also known as Sydney), Samuel Goldwyn, 1996
  • Mitch Hennessey, The Long Kiss Goodnight, New Line Cinema, 1996
  • Reverend Fred Sultan, The Great White Hype, Twentieth Century-Fox,1996
  • Wendell, Trees Lounge, Orion Classics, 1996
  • Dr. Harry Adams, Sphere, Warner Bros., 1997
  • Dr. Louis Batiste, Eve's Bayou, Trimark Pictures, 1997
  • Ordell Robbie, Jackie Brown (also known as Rum Punch), Miramax, 1997
  • Trevor Garfield, 187 (also known as One Eight Seven), Warner Bros., 1997
  • (Uncredited) Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's, Northern Arts Entertainment, 1997
  • (In archive footage) You're Still Not Fooling Anybody, 1997
  • Charles Morritz, The Red Violin (also known as Il violino rosso and Le violon rouge), New Line Cinema, 1998
  • (Uncredited) Hejira Henry, Out of Sight, Universal, 1998
  • Lieutenant Danny Roman, The Negotiator (also known as Verhandlungssache), Warner Bros., 1998
  • Mace Windu, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (also known as The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1999
  • Russell Franklin, Deep Blue Sea, Warner Bros., 1999, also appearedin audio commentary for DVD
  • Voice of Turner, Our Friend, Martin (live action and animated), Twentieth Century-Fox Home Entertainment, 1999
  • Forever Hollywood (short documentary film), 1999
  • Colonel Terry L. Childers, Rules of Engagement (also known as Les regles d'engagement and Rules--Sekunden der Entscheidung), Paramount, 2000
  • Elijah Price, Unbreakable, Buena Vista, 2000
  • John Shaft (title role), Shaft (also known as Shaft--Noch Fragen?), Paramount, 2000
  • Willie Nutter, Any Given Wednesday, Buena Vista, 2000
  • Romulus Ledbetter, The Caveman's Valentine (also known as The Sign of the Killer), MCA/Universal, 2001
  • Agent Augustus Gibbons, XXX (also known as Triple X), Columbia, 2002
  • Doyle Gipson, Changing Lanes, Paramount, 2002
  • Elmo McElroy, The 51st State (also known as Formula 51 andFormule 51), Screen Gems, 2002
  • Jack Friar, The House on Turk Street (also known as No Good Deed), Mac Releasing, 2002
  • Mace Windu, Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones (also known as Star Wars II and Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones; alsoreleased as Attack of the Clones: The IMAX Experience), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2002
  • The Comeback, 2002
  • Sergeant Dan "Hondo" Harrelson, S.W.A.T., Columbia, 2003
  • Sergeant Nathan West, Basic (also known as Formation extreme), Columbia, 2003
  • Coach Ken Carter, Coach Carter, Paramount, 2004
  • John Mills, Twisted (also known as Blackout), Paramount, 2004
  • Langston Whitfield, Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limitsof Forgiveness in the New South Africa (also known as Country of My Skull and In My Country), Sony Pictures Classics, 2004
  • Rufus, Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (also known as Kill Bill and Vol. 2), Miramax, 2004
  • Voice of Lucius Best/Frozone, The Incredibles (animated), Buena Vista/Walt Disney, 2004
  • Agent Augustus Gibbons, XXX: State of the Union, Columbia, 2005
  • Coach Ken Carter (title role), Coach Carter (also known as AllDay Long), Paramount, 2005
  • Lorenzo Council, Freedomland, Paramount, 2005
  • Mace Windu, Star Wars: Episode III--Revenge of the Sith (also known as Star Wars: Episode III), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2005
  • Vann, The Man, New Line Cinema, 2005
  • The Namesake, Miramax, 2006
  • Film Executive Producer
  • The Caveman's Valentine (also known as The Sign of the Killer), MCA/Universal, 2001
  • The 51st State (also known as Formula 51 and Formule 51), Screen Gems, 2002
  • Film Producer
  • Eve's Bayou, Trimark Pictures, 1997
  • Film Work
  • Other
  • Automated dialog replacement voice, Mystery Train, Orion, 1989
  • Television Appearances
  • Documentary Miniseries
  • Voice, Jazz, PBS, 2001
  • America beyond the Color Line with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., PBS, 2002
  • Voice of Jack Johnson, Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, PBS, 2005
  • Movies
  • (As Samuel Jackson) George Harris, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Showtime, 1987
  • Calvin Fredericks, Dead Man Out (also known as Dead Man Walking), HBO, 1989
  • Reverend Bob McClain, Common Ground, CBS, 1990
  • Hatcher, Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace (also known as Dead and Alive, In the Line of Duty: Mob Justice, and Mob Justice), ABC, 1991
  • The steward, "Simple Justice," The American Experience, PBS, 1993
  • Jamaal, Against the Wall (also known as Attica! Attica! andAttica: Line of Fire), HBO, 1994
  • Richard Greener, Assault at West Point (also known as Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker and Conduct Unbecoming: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker), Showtime, 1994
  • Himself, Coaching the Minors, ESPN, 2003
  • Specials
  • "The Displaced Person," American Short Story, PBS, 1976
  • "The Trial of the Moke," Great Performances, PBS, 1978
  • Making "Do the Right Thing," 1989
  • The janitor, Spike & Co: Do It a Cappella, PBS, 1990
  • Robby Jackson, The Secret World of Spying, 1992
  • Quentin Tarantino: Hollywood's Boy Wonder, BBC, 1994
  • Inside the Academy Awards, TNT, 1995
  • Narrator, The Journey of the African-American Athlete, HBO, 1996
  • AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movies, CBS, 1998
  • (In archive footage) Warner Bros. 75th Anniversary: No Guts, No Glory, 1998
  • Host, From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light &Magic, Fox, 1999
  • Panelist, 9 Movie Moments that Made the '90s, MTV, 1999
  • Himself, The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money, Bravo, 1999
  • An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence Benefitting the United Negro College Fund, syndicated, 1999
  • Narrator, Opening the Tombs of the Golden Mummies Live, Fox, 2000
  • Himself, AFI's 100 Years, 100 Thrills: America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies, CBS, 2001
  • Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, CBS, 2001
  • (Uncredited) R2-D2: Beneath the Dome, 2001
  • Host, Middle School Confessions, HBO Family Channel, 2002
  • (In archive footage) Lieutenant commander Robby Jackson, Patriot Games: Up Close, 2002
  • Presenter, Muhammad Ali's All-Star 60th Birthday Celebration!, CBS, 2002
  • Reader, Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives, HBO, 2003
  • Soul Man: Isaac Hayes, 2003
  • Himself, The N-Word, Trio, 2004
  • Hollywood Legenden, 2004
  • John Travolta: The Inside Story, 2004
  • Awards Presentations
  • Presenter, The 16th Annual CableACE Awards, TNT, 1995
  • Presenter, The 67th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1995
  • The American Film Institute Salute to Steven Spielberg (also knownas The American Film Institute Life Achievement Award), NBC, 1995
  • Presenter, The 1997 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 1997
  • Host, The 1998 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 1998
  • Presenter, The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
  • Host, The 1999 ESPY Awards, ESPN, 1999
  • Presenter, The VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards, VH1, 1999
  • The 1999 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 1999
  • Presenter, The First Annual Laureus Sports Awards, TNT, 2000
  • Presenter, 2000 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2000
  • Presenter, The 72nd Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 2000
  • 2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Fox, 2000
  • Host, The 2001 ESPY Awards, ESPN, 2001
  • Brit Awards 2001, 2001
  • The 73rd Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2001
  • The 2001 Essence Awards, Fox, 2001
  • The 2001 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2001
  • Host, ESPY Awards (also known as The 2002 ESPY Awards), ESPN, 2002
  • Host, Hollywood Salutes Nicolas Cage: An American Cinematheque Tribute, TNT, 2002
  • Presenter, AFI Awards 2001, CBS, 2002
  • The 74th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2002
  • Presenter, The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards, NBC, 2003
  • Himself, E! Entertainer of the Year 2003, E! Entertainment Television, 2003
  • The 2003 MTV Movie Awards, MTV, 2003
  • Presenter, The 46th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 2004
  • Presenter and narrator, The 2004 ESPY Awards (also known as The12th Annual ESPY Awards), ESPN, 2004
  • Episodic
  • Movin' On, NBC, 1974
  • Leroy Clancy, "White Knight," Spenser: For Hire, ABC, 1986
  • Ned, "My Enemy, My Friend," Spenser: For Hire, ABC, 1987
  • Brother Elvis, "Here's Why You Should Always Make Your Bed in the Morning," The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, NBC and Lifetime, 1989
  • "Intensive Care," A Man Called Hawk, ABC, 1989
  • Lawrence "Larry" (some sources cite Lenny) Melrose, "Hearts and Diamonds," Roc, Fox, 1991
  • Louis Taggart, "The Violence of Summer," Law & Order, NBC, 1991
  • Reggie Jenkins, "Ghost Story: Part 1," Ghostwriter, PBS, 1992
  • Reggie Jenkins, "Who Burned Mr. Brinker's Store?: Part 1," Ghostwriter, PBS, 1992
  • Walter, "Since Walter," I'll Fly Away, NBC, 1992
  • Guest, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, multiple appearances, between 1994 and 2003
  • Voice of the mayor, "The Pied Piper," Happily Ever After: Fairy Talesfor Every Child (animated), HBO, 1995
  • Guest, TFI Friday, 1996
  • Guest, "The Police," Dennis Miller Live, HBO, 1997
  • Guest, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, ABC, 1997
  • Himself, "Club Sandwiches Are Not Seals," Road Rules, MTV, 1998
  • Guest, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1998
  • Guest host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1998
  • Himself, "Samuel L. Jackson," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
  • Himself, Intimate Portrait: Pam Grier, Lifetime, 1999
  • Guest, The Howard Stern Show, E! Entertainment Television, 2000
  • (Uncredited) John Shaft, WWF Smackdown!, UPN, 2000
  • Himself, "Giorgio Armani: Deconstructing Fashion," Biography, Artsand Entertainment, 2001
  • Himself, "Reginald Veljohnson: His Family Matters," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
  • Guest, The Big Breakfast, Channel 4, 2001
  • Guest, Parkinson, BBC, 2001
  • Voice of Angel Joseph, "Seven Days of Kwanzaa," The Proud Family (animated), The Disney Channel, 2001
  • Guest, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
  • David, "Camp Nowhere," The Nightmare Room, 2002
  • Guest, "25 Toughest Stars," Rank, E! Entertainment Television, 2002
  • Guest, The Frank Skinner Show, Independent Television, 2002
  • Guest, Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo, 2002
  • Guest, Richard and Judy, Channel 4, 2002
  • Guest, V Graham Norton, Channel 4, 2002
  • Guest, The View, ABC, 2002
  • Guest, Total Request Live (also known as Total Request andTRL), MTV, 2002 and 2004
  • Himself, "John Travolta," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2003
  • Himself, "Snoop Hangs with S.W.A.T.," Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, MTV, 2003
  • Guest, "John Travolta," Revealed with Jules Asner, E! Entertainment Television, 2003
  • Guest, Banzai, Fox, 2003
  • Guest, Film 03, BBC, 2003
  • Guest, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, BBC, 2003
  • Guest, Tinseltotwn TV, 2003
  • (In archive footage) Celebrities Uncensored, E! Entertainment Television, 2003
  • Guest, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (also known as The DailyShow), Comedy Central, 2004
  • Guest, Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (also known as Ellenand The Ellen DeGeneres Show), syndicated, 2004
  • Guest, Film 04, BBC, 2004
  • Guest, GMTV, Independent Television, 2004
  • Guest, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC, 2004
  • Voice, Coming Attractions, multiple episodes, E! Entertainment Television, 2004
  • Appeared in episodes of E! Celebrity Profile (also known as Celebrity Profile), E! Entertainment Television; The Entertainment Business, Bravo; Golf 2000 with Peter Jacobsen, syndicated; and MovieHouse (also known as MTV's Movie House), MTV.
  • Other
  • Voice of fear, 2004: A Light Knight's Odyssey (animated), 2004
  • Stage Appearances
  • Lucky, Mobile Theatre: The Mighty Gents, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1979
  • Sergeant, Kiowa man, soldier, Klansman, and other roles, Mother Courage and Her Children, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, Estelle R. Newman Theatre, New York City, 1980
  • Cephus, Home, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, New York City,1981
  • Private Louis Henson, A Soldier's Play, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, between 1981 and 1983
  • Ohio Tip-Off, Center Stage Theatre, Baltimore, MD, 1983
  • Native Speech, Center Stage Theatre, 1984
  • Actor 7, The District Line, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four,1984-1985
  • Lyons, Fences, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, WA, 1985
  • Boy Willie, The Piano Lesson, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1987
  • Sergeant Prince Logan, We: Part I-Sally/Part II-Prince, Negro Ensemble Company, Theatre Four, 1988
  • Wolf, Two Trains Running, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1989
  • Burners Frolic, Negro Ensemble Company, 1990
  • Jonquil, Negro Ensemble Company, 1990
  • Distant Fires, Coast Playhouse, Los Angeles, 1993
  • Appeared as the title role in Othello; appeared in Spell #7, New York Shakespeare Festival, New York City.
  • Radio Appearances
  • Guest, The Howard Stern Radio Show, 2000
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • (Uncredited) All Saints: The First Video, 1998
  • The Stars of Star Wars: Interviews from the Cast, IMC Vision, 1999
  • The Unauthorized Star Wars Story, Visual Entertainment, 1999
  • Host, Comic Books & Superheroes, 2001
  • Narrator, The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture, Columbia/TriStar, 2002
  • Baadasssss Cinema, New Video Group, 2002
  • Jackie Brown: How It Went Down, Miramax Home Entertainment, 2002
  • The Making of "Changing Lanes" (also known as Behind the Scenesof "Changing Lanes"), 2002
  • Pulp Fiction: The Facts, Miramax Home Entertainment, 2002
  • XXX: A Filmmakers Diary, Columbia, 2003
  • Music Videos
  • "911 Is a Joke," by Public Enemy, 1990
  • "It's Alright (Send Me)," by Winans Phase 2, 1999
  • Video Games
  • Officer Frank Tenpenny, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (also knownas Grand Theft Auto V, GTA 4, and GTA: San Andreas), Rockstar Games, 2004

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 19, Gale, 1998
    • Dils, Tracey E., Samuel L. Jackson, Chelsea House, 2000
    • Hudson, Jeff, Samuel L. Jackson: The Unauthorised Biography, Virgin Publishing, 2004
    • International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, 4th edition, St. James Press, 2000
    Periodicals
    • Details, February, 1996
    • Ebony, August, 2003, pp. 170-74
    • Empire, Issue 75, 1995, pp. 54-56; October, 1997, p. 196; December, 1998, pp. 90-95
    • Entertainment Weekly, June 16, 2000, p. 24
    • Essence, May, 2002, pp. 140-43
    • Golf, November, 1998, p. 96
    • Harper's Bazaar, February, 1993
    • Jet, June 7, 1999, p. 54; July 21, 2003, p. 50
    • Los Angeles Times Magazine, June 11, 2000, pp. 12-15, 33-36
    • Maxim, May, 2002, pp. 120-21
    • Newsweek, June 5, 1995
    • New York, June 10, 1991
    • New York Times, June 9, 1991, p. H16; February 7, 1993, November 2, 1997
    • People Weekly, August 17, 1998, p. 110
    • Playboy, April, 1995, pp. 120-21, 132-34; June, 1999, pp. 55-68, 168-69
    • Premiere, May, 1992; June, 1995, pp. 92-96; June, 2002, pp. 70-71
    • Sight and Sound, Volume 6, issue 12, 1996, pp. 7-8
    • Sports Illustrated, July 8, 2002, p. 26
    • Time Out, September 11, 1996
    • Total Film, October, 2000, pp. 36-37
    • Variety, August 28, 2000, p. F22

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