Howard E. Rollins Jr.
Birth Name:
Howard Ellsworth Rollins
Birth Place:
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Profession
Actor
Fast Facts
- A wax statue of Rollins, unveiled at Baltimore's Senator Theatre in 2006, was incorporated into the Great Blacks in Wax Museum
- Studied theater and earned his degree at Towson State College
- First realized he had potential as an actor when a friend convinced him to try out for a local Baltimore theater production of "Of Mice and Men․"
- Quote: "[on becoming an actor] "Things made sense to me for the first time in my life․""
- Played a role in America's first soap opera primarily featuring black actors, "Our Street․"
- Tall and often imposing, he served as a leading man on the stage and played acclaimed roles on film and television, including Coalhouse Walker Jr․ in "Ragtime" and Virgil Tibbs in "In the Heat of the Night․"
- Vaguely considered becoming a teacher when he was young
Awards
- 1981NYFCC Award - Best Supporting Actor:Nominated
- 1982Oscar - Best Actor in a Supporting Role:Nominated
- 1982Golden Globe - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1982Golden Globe - New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture:Nominated
- 1983Daytime Emmy - Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Daytime Drama Series:Nominated