Lou Myers

Lou Myers was an American actor and pianist who often played grumpy old men across film, television, and theater. Born in Chesapeake, West Virginia, he earned an MFA in theater from NYU. His Broadway debut came in 1975, playing Reverend Mosely in The First Breeze of Summer, and he was an original cast member of several August Wilson plays, including Fences, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, and The Piano Lesson. He became widely known for his role as Mr. Vernon Gaines in the sitcom A Different World. Among his honors were an NAACP Image Award for playing the Stool Pigeon in King Hedley II and an Off-Broadway AUDELCO Award for Fat Tuesday. He also worked as a pianist and founded and directed the Tshaka Ensemble Players in Africa. In 2005, the Appalachian Education Initiative named him one of 50 Outstanding Creative Artists from West Virginia.