Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs

Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is an American actor and singer who began acting in 1969 and trained with the Negro Ensemble Company and also with the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble. Born in New York City, he graduated in 1971 from the High School of Art and Design and spent a short time at Wilkes University. He won the role of Freddie Washington on the ABC comedy Welcome Back, Kotter in 1975, the part that made him best known. That same year he starred as Richard Morris in Cooley High (1975), and he appeared in Claudine (1974). He later had a role in Roots and played Sgt. Dobbs on Alien Nation from 1989 to 1990. He portrayed Joe Jackson in The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992) and Panda Thomas in Rob Zombie's 31 (2016). He also performed on Rick James' 1981 album Street Songs.