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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Henry Winkler to Paul Zaza
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
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CREDITS
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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
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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
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Television Appearances
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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
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Movies
- Wes Thomas, High Freakquency (also known as 24/7 Radio), Black Entertainment Television, 1998
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Specials
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The Comedy Store 15th Year Class Reunion, NBC, 1988
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Sinbad and Friends All the Way Live ... Almost, ABC, 1991
- "The First Commandment," Cosmic Slop, HBO, 1994
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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
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The Sixth Annual Sears Soul Train Christmas Starfest, UPN, 2003
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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
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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.
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Pilots
- Fredic Dickson, Sunday in Paris, NBC, 1991
- Bert, The Boys, ABC, 1992
- Grandpa, The Last Days of Russell, ABC, 1995
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RECORDINGS
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Music Videos
- "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)," by Jay-Z, 2000
- "Imitation of Life," by R.E.M., 2001
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WRITINGS
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Teleplays
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Specials
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Sinbad and Friends All the Way Live ... Almost, ABC, 1991
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
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Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 38, Gale, 2003
Periodicals
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Black Elegance, April, 1998, p. 72
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Entertainment Weekly, November 29, 2002, p. 80
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People Weekly, May 8, 1995, p. 24
Electronic
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John Witherspoon Official Site, http://www.bangbangbangbang.com, July 4, 2004
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