Roger E. Mosley

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Roger E. Mosley
File:Roger E. Mosley 1980.jpg
Mosley, 1980.
Born Roger Earl Mosley
(1938-12-18)December 18, 1938
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education Jordan High School
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • writer
Years active
  • 1971–2021
Known for Playing Theodore "T.C." Calvin in Magnum, P.I.
Spouse(s) Antoinette Laudermick
Children 3

Roger Earl Mosley (/ˈmoʊzli/;[1] December 18, 1938 – August 7, 2022) was an American actor, director, and writer best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin in the CBS television series Magnum, P.I., which originally aired from 1980 until 1988.

Biography

Early life and education

Born on December 18, 1938 in Los Angeles, California, and raised by his mother, Eloise, Mosley grew up in the Imperial Courts public housing in the Watts neighborhood.[2] For high school, Mosley attended Jordan High School.[3]

Career

Mosley appeared as Monk in Terminal Island (1973). Other actors in the feature were Phyllis Davis, Don Marshall, Ena Hartman, and Tom Selleck,[4] who would later star in the television series Magnum, P.I. which would also feature Mosley.[5] In 1974, Mosley founded the Watts Repertory Company.[6]

Mosley's most prominent film role was his 1976 starring turn as the title character in Leadbelly, a biography of the musician directed by Gordon Parks.[7] In an article in the November 1982 issue of Ebony magazine, Mosley said that this was his favorite role.[8]

Mosley appeared in Magnum, P.I. from 1980 to 1988. He had a role as Tom Selleck's friend, helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin, who operates his own tourist charter, Island Hoppers.[9] He appeared in season five of Las Vegas as the billionaire friend of Montecito owner A.J. Cooper (Tom Selleck).[10]

Mosley came out of retirement to appear on the Magnum, P.I. reboot episode "A Kiss Before Dying" as Booky, T.C.'s barber, on March 11, 2019.[11][12] Stephen Hill, who played T.C. in the new series, said, "It is truly an honor for us to welcome an original cast member of Magnum, P.I.; one who embodied the role of T.C. with such thoughtful and dignified talent."[11]

Mosley also guest-starred on such shows as Night Court,[13] Kung Fu, Starsky & Hutch, Kojak, The Rockford Files, Baretta, and Sanford and Son. He also played a role in Roots: The Next Generations. Mosley made a memorable appearance in the 1973 film The Mack[14] as the militant brother of the main character Goldie.[15] He appeared in other blaxploitation films of the period, including Hit Man (1972), Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973), Darktown Strutters (1975), and The River Niger (1976).

Mosley's other film credits include McQ (1974) with John Wayne,[16] The Greatest (1977, as Sonny Liston), Semi-Tough (1977), Heart Condition (1990), and Pentathlon (1994).[17] He also starred in the television series Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992–1993) as Coach Ricketts in a recurring role with comedian/actor Mark Curry, and in the film A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) with Martin Lawrence, Lynn Whitfield, and Bobby Brown.[18]

He also appeared as a celebrity guest on The $25,000 Pyramid for a week's worth of shows in July 1983, July 1984, and June 1985.[citation needed]

Personal life

Mosley was married to Antoinette Laudermilk; they were together for nearly sixty years.[2] He had three children.

Mosley became a certificated private helicopter pilot. When making Magnum P.I., he was not allowed to do his own stunts. A pilot wearing a body stocking with false muscles was used instead.[19]

At the 2013 HAI Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, a ceremony for the restored MD 500D helicopter was held. Both Mosley and fellow Magnum P.I. co-star Larry Manetti autographed the nose of the helicopter.[20]

On August 4, 2022, Mosley was involved in a car accident in Lynwood, California, becoming paralyzed from the shoulders down. He died three days later from his injuries at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at the age of 83.[2][3][21][22]

Partial filmography

<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead YouTube link]
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ New York Times Movies Terminal Island (1973)
  5. ↑ New York Times Movies & TV Tom Selleck
  6. ↑ Loki Radoslav Pon Press, April 1, 2012 – Performing Arts Roger E. Mosley Pon Press, 2012 ISBN 9786137817421
  7. ↑ Bastrop Visitor Center Leadbelly 1976, starring Roger E. Mosley and Paul Benjamin, directed by Gordon Parks.
  8. ↑ Ebony Magazine November 1982 Page 85 Roger Mosley Continued
  9. ↑ Huffington Post TV 'Magnum P.I.' Cast: Where Are They Now? by Kim Potts
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ TV Guide Episode Detail: Puppy Love – Night Court
  14. ↑ http://www.tomselleck.de Roger E. Mosley – Biographie
  15. ↑ cinephilia The Mack USA 1973
  16. ↑ John Wayne: Actor, Artist, Hero By Richard D. McGhee Filmography Page 365
  17. ↑ Jet Magazine Page 62 Movies to see
  18. ↑ Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema by Torriano S. Berry, Venise T. Berry Page 335 Thin Line Between Love And Hate
  19. ↑ https://articles.latimes.com Helicopters Keep His Life in a Whirl : 'It's Like Flying a Plane, Except You . . . Go Sideways' by Lynn Simross June 07, 1985
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Roger_E._Mosley&oldid=726505053"