Al Freeman Jr.

Biography

Al Freeman, Jr. (March 21, 1934 – August 9, 2012) was an American actor and director. Freeman made appearances in many films, such as My Sweet Charlie, Finian's Rainbow, and Malcolm X, and television series such as The Cosby Show, Law & Order, Homicide: Life on the Street and The Edge of Night. He is mostly recognized for his portrayal of Police Captain Ed Hall on the ABC soap opera, One Life to Live, a role he played from 1972 through 1985, with recurring roles in 1988 and 2000. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for that role, the first African-American actor to be so honored. He left the show briefly to appear in the network's controversial sitcom Hot L Baltimore. During that period, "Ed" was played by another actor, Arthur Pendleton. He was also a director of One Life to Live, and was one of the first, if not the first, African-Americans to direct a soap opera. After leaving One Life to Live, Freeman appeared in the motion picture Down in the Delta. His Broadway theatre credits include Look to the Lilies, Blues for Mister Charlie, and Medea. His portrayal of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad in the motion picture Malcolm X earned him…

Movies & TV Shows

1. Malcolm X (1992) — Elijah Muhammad
2. Law & Order (1990) — Reverend Thayer
3. The Cosby Show (1984) — Coach Ernie Scott
4. Kojak (1973) — Donald Mosher
5. Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) — Deputy Commissioner James Harris
6. Castle Keep (1969) — Pvt. Allistair Piersall Benjamin
7. The Detective (1968) — Robbie Loughlin
8. Finian's Rainbow (1968) — Howard
9. Roots: The Next Generations (1979) — Malcolm X
10. Down in the Delta (1998) — Earl Sinclair
11. Torpedo Run (1958) — Sam Baker
12. The Mod Squad (1968)
13. The F.B.I. (1965) — Alan Harmon
14. Perry Mason Returns (1985) — Lt. Cooper
15. Ensign Pulver (1964) — Taru
16. One Life to Live (1968) — Capt. Ed Hall
17. Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker (1994) — Old Johnson Whittaker
18. Dutchman (1966) — Clay
19. King (1978) — Damon Lockwood
20. Black Like Me (1964) — Thomas Newcomb
21. The Defenders (1961) — Charlton White
22. The Mike Douglas Show (1961) — Self - Co-Host
23. The Merv Griffin Show (1962) — Self
24. Seven Hours to Judgment (1988) — Danny Larwin
25. Adventures in Paradise (1959) — Para
26. Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored (1996) — Poppa
27. The Lost Man (1969) — Dennis Lawrence
28. Hot l Baltimore (1975)
29. My Sweet Charlie (1970) — Charles Roberts
30. The Troublemaker (1964) — Intern
31. This Rebel Breed (1960) — Satchel
32. The Millionaire (1955) — Houseboy
33. The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959) — Taxi Man
34. Judd, for the Defense (1967)
35. For Pete's Sake (1966) — Harvey
36. Sniper's Ridge (1961) — Medic Gwathney
37. To Be Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
38. A Fable (1971) — The Leader
39. The Chicago Conspiracy Trial (1970)
40. Boy Meets Girl (1993) — Curtis

Directed

1. A Fable (1971) — Director