Roger E. Mosley

Roger E. Mosley

Mosley in 1980
Born Roger Earl Mosley
(1938-12-18) December 18, 1938
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1971–2014

Roger Earl Mosley (born December 18, 1938) is an American actor, director and writer best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin in the television series, Magnum, P.I..[1]

Biography

Mosley was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in the Imperial Courts public housing with his mother Eloise Harris in Watts. In 1974, he founded the Watts Repertory Company.[2]

Mosley is a licensed private helicopter pilot in real life, but when on the set of Magnum P.I. he was not allowed to do his own stunts. A pilot wearing a body stocking with muscles would be used instead.[3] In 2013 at the 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.[4]

Career

Mosley appeared as Monk in Terminal Island (1973). Other actors in the feature were Phyllis Davis, Don Marshall, Ena Hartman and Tom Selleck.[5] Selleck would later become Magnum P.I..[6] His most prominent film role to date was his 1976 starring turn as the title character in Leadbelly, directed by Gordon Parks.[7] In an article in the November 1982 issue of Ebony magazine, it was reported that this was his favorite role.[8]

He appeared in Magnum, P.I. as Tom Selleck's friend and a helicopter pilot who operates his own tourist charter Island Hoppers [9] from 1980-1988. He appeared in season five of Las Vegas as the billionaire friend of Montecito owner A.J. Cooper (Tom Selleck).[10]

He has guest-starred on shows such as Night Court,[11] Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, The Rockford Files, Baretta, and Sanford and Son; he also had a role in Roots: The Next Generations. He made a memorable appearance in the 1973 film The Mack,[12] as the militant brother of the main character Goldie.[13] He appeared in other blaxploitation films including Hit Man (1972), Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973), Darktown Strutters (1975) and The River Niger (1976). His other film credits include McQ (1974) with John Wayne,[14] The Greatest (1977, as Sonny Liston), Semi-Tough (1977), Heart Condition (1990) and Pentathlon (1994).[15] He also starred in Hangin' With Mr. Cooper (1992-1993) as Coach Ricketts in a recurring role with comedian/actor Mark Curry,[16] and in A Thin Line Between Love & Hate (1996) with Martin Lawrence, Bobby Brown, and Lynn Whitfield.[17]

Partial filmography

References

  1. ↑ http://www.tomselleck.de Roger E. Mosley Biographie
  2. ↑ Loki Radoslav Pon Press, 1 Apr 2012 - Performing Arts Roger E. Mosley Pon Press, 2012 ISBN 9786137817421
  3. ↑ 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
  4. ↑ Police Helicopter Pilot Helicopter Aviation & Beyond Magnum PI Helicopter Flies Again In Hawaii
  5. ↑ New York Times Movies Terminal Island (1973)
  6. ↑ New York Times Movies & TV Tom Selleck
  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. ↑ Celebrity Networth Roger E. Mosley Net Worth
  11. ↑ TV Guide Episode Detail: Puppy Love - Night Court
  12. ↑ http://www.tomselleck.de Roger E. Mosley - Biographie
  13. ↑ cinephilia The Mack USA 1973
  14. ↑ John Wayne: Actor, Artist, Hero By Richard D. McGhee Filmography Page 365
  15. ↑ Jet Magazine Page 62 Movies to see
  16. ↑ Who was who on TV, Volume 2 by Norman Chance Page 29 Hangin' With Mr. Cooper: Sitcom: 1992 - 1997
  17. ↑ Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema by Torriano S. Berry, Venise T. Berry Page 335 Thin Line Between Love And Hate
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