John Witherspoon Biography (1942-)

Original surname, Weatherspoon; born January 27, 1942, in Detroit, MI; brother of William Weatherspoon (a songwriter and record producer); married AngelaRobinson (an actress and artist); children: John David, Alexander. Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Manager: Power Entertainment, 7461 Beverly Blvd., Suite 301, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Nationality
American
Gender
Male
Occupation
Actor
Birth Details
January 27, 1942
Detroit, Michigan

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • Master of ceremonies at Cinderella Club, The Jazz Singer, Associated Film, 1980
  • Heavy, Ratboy, Warner Bros., 1986
  • Pimp, Kidnapped, 1986
  • Mr. Jones, Hollywood Shuffle (also known as Robert Townsend's Hollywood Shuffle), Samuel Goldwyn, 1987
  • Reverend, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1988
  • Sid, Bird, Warner Bros., 1988
  • Mr. Strickland, House Party, New Line Cinema, 1990
  • Dukie, Talkin' Dirty after Dark, New Line Cinema, 1991
  • Evan Rood, Killer Tomatoes Strike Back!, Fox Video, 1991
  • Wild Rudy, The Five Heartbeats, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
  • Mr. Jackson, Boomerang, Paramount, 1992
  • Voice of first card player, Bebe's Kids (animated; also known as Robin Harris' Bebe's Kids), Paramount, 1992
  • Arch, Fatal Instinct, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1993
  • Clarence James Carter III, The Meteor Man, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1993
  • First drunk, Murder Was the Case (short film), Interscope Records,1994
  • Mr. Jones, Friday, New Line Cinema, 1995
  • Silas Green, Vampire in Brooklyn (also known as Wes Craven's Vampire in Brooklyn), Paramount, 1995
  • Bill, Fakin' Da Funk, Image Entertainment, 1997
  • Detective, Sprung, Trimark Pictures, 1997
  • The Delicatessen Story, 1997
  • Mr. Mimm, I Got the Hook Up, Dimension Films, 1998
  • Reverend Morris, Bulworth, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1998
  • Roscoe, Ride, Dimension Films, 1998
  • Mr. Jones, Next Friday, New Line Cinema, 2000
  • Scrap Iron, The Ladies Man (also known as The Ladies' Man),Paramount, 2000
  • Street vendor, Little Nicky, New Line Cinema, 2000
  • Voice of second zoo bear, Dr. Dolittle 2 (also known as DR2and DR.2), Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
  • Mr. Jones, Friday after Next, New Line Cinema, 2002
  • Blind man, Soul Plane, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 2004
  • Voice of Satchel Paige, Are We There Yet?, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2004
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • (As "Detroit" John Witherspoon) Himself, The Richard Pryor Show, NBC, 1977
  • Himself and various characters, Townsend Television, Fox, 1993
  • John "Pops" Williams, The Wayans Bros., The WB, 1995-1999
  • Voice of Dad, Waynehead (animated), The WB, 1996-1997
  • Spoon, The Tracy Morgan Show, NBC, 2003-2004
  • Movies
  • Wes Thomas, High Freakquency (also known as 24/7 Radio), Black Entertainment Television, 1998
  • Specials
  • The Comedy Store 15th Year Class Reunion, NBC, 1988
  • Sinbad and Friends All the Way Live ... Almost, ABC, 1991
  • "The First Commandment," Cosmic Slop, HBO, 1994
  • Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, syndicated, 1996
  • Voice of scofflaw, The Princess and the Pauper: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
  • The Sixth Annual Sears Soul Train Christmas Starfest, UPN, 2003
  • Episodic
  • Master of ceremonies, "Disco Dollar Disaster," What's Happening!!,ABC, 1978
  • (As Johnny Witherspoon) Tom, "The Final Round," The Incredible Hulk, CBS, 1978
  • Frank Wales, "School of Terror," Barnaby Jones, CBS, 1979
  • Officer Lawson, "A Matter of Mothers," Good Times, CBS, 1979
  • Detective Davies, "Circumstantial Evidence," WKRP in Cincinnati, CBS, 1982
  • First businessperson, "The Young, the Beautiful, and the Degraded," Hill Street Blues, NBC, 1982
  • The Redd Foxx Show, ABC, 1986
  • Guest, Late Night with David Letterman, multiple appearances, NBC,between 1986 and 1993
  • Adam, "Family Life," What's Happening Now!!, syndicated, 1987
  • Second man, "Low Noon," 227, NBC, 1987
  • "Season Greetings," Frank's Place, CBS, 1987
  • The bailiff, "A Slight Case of Murder: Parts 1 & 2," Amen, NBC, 1988
  • Mark Steadman, "On Your Honor," L.A. Law, NBC, 1990
  • Uncle Junior, "Thanks for Nothing," Martin, Fox, 1993
  • Guest, The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, multiple appearances, beginning 1993
  • Augustus Adams, "The Harder They Fall," The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1994
  • Host, Soul Train, syndicated, 1994
  • Smoke Eye Howard, "Three Men and a Buckeye," Living Single, Fox, 1997
  • Oran Jones, "The Adventures in BeBe-Sitting," The Proud Family (animated), The Disney Channel, 2003
  • Celebrity talent scout, Last Comic Standing: The Search for the Funniest Person in America (also known as Last Comic Standing), NBC, 2003
  • Appeared in episodes of 106 and Park (also known as 106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live), Black Entertainment Television; Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam, HBO; and You Again?, NBC. Also appeared in episodes of other series, including Brother 2 Brother and Live in LA.
  • Pilots
  • Fredic Dickson, Sunday in Paris, NBC, 1991
  • Bert, The Boys, ABC, 1992
  • Grandpa, The Last Days of Russell, ABC, 1995
  • RECORDINGS
  • Music Videos
  • "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)," by Jay-Z, 2000
  • "Imitation of Life," by R.E.M., 2001
  • WRITINGS
  • Teleplays
  • Specials
  • Sinbad and Friends All the Way Live ... Almost, ABC, 1991

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 38, Gale, 2003
    Periodicals
    • Black Elegance, April, 1998, p. 72
    • Entertainment Weekly, November 29, 2002, p. 80
    • People Weekly, May 8, 1995, p. 24
    Electronic
    • John Witherspoon Official Site, http://www.bangbangbangbang.com, July 4, 2004