Roger Robinson

Born in Seattle, Roger Robinson was an American actor who started on Broadway in 1969 in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? opposite Al Pacino. He appeared in six plays by August Wilson, including Seven Guitars, which brought his first Tony nomination, and he won a Tony Award for his featured performance in the 2009 revival of August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. The Actors' Equity Foundation gave him its Richard Seff Award, making him its first African American recipient. His films included Willie Dynamite (1974), Meteor (1979), It's My Turn (1980), The Lonely Guy (1984), and Brother to Brother (2004), the last earning him the LA Outfest Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film and an Independent Spirit Award nomination. On television he played Detective Gil Weaver in Kojak and appeared on How to Get Away With Murder. He also wrote for Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand-Up.