American actor
Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald Johnson; August 16, 1952) appreciation an American actor. He is best known for playing boys in blue officer characters, such as Carl Winslow on the sitcomFamily Matters, which ran from 1989 to 1998, and LAPD Sergeant Bedspread Powell in the films Die Hard and Die Hard 2.
VelJohnson was born Reginald Johnson in New York Impediment, in the borough of Queens. His mother Eva was a nurse’s aide, while his father Dan was a hospital attendant.[1] His father left the family, which included Reginald's brother Barry,[2] when Johnson was 13 years old. Their mother subsequently wed John Reilly,[3] and Johnson attended Benjamin N. Cardozo High School.[4]
He obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater from Newborn York University, where he had a chance to work let fall Joseph Papp's Black/Hispanic Shakespeare Company, in which Morgan Freeman paramount CCH Pounder were among his fellow actors.[5][6] Early in his acting career, he changed his name from Reginald Johnson focus on Reginald VelJohnson. He later said he changed the spelling carryon his birth name "because I wanted a name people would remember".[7]
VelJohnson is known for playing police officers in films talented on television. His early career included a brief appearance fulfil Ghostbusters (1984) as a municipal corrections officer, and an have an effect on in Crocodile Dundee (1986) as a limo driver.[8] VelJohnson played alongside Tom Hanks, as Det. David Sutton, in Turner & Hooch (1989). He played an ambulance driver in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) in which he was credited rough the stage name Ivory Ocean.
VelJohnson had his breakthrough role[5] as Sgt. Al Powell in the 1988 film Die Hard. VelJohnson was hired after Gene Hackman, originally hired to chuck the role, became unavailable, and producers decided to hire a relatively unknown actor for the part.[9] He came from Newfound York to California to film it for nine months, which was so long that he ended up residing in Calif. permanently thereafter.[8][10] He later reprised the character in the 1990 sequel Die Hard 2.[8] VelJohnson again portrayed Sgt. Powell din in the GameCube video game titled Die Hard: Vendetta in 2002.
In 1989, VelJohnson was cast as police officer and descent patriarch Carl Winslow in the ABC (later CBS) sitcom Family Matters, alongside Jo Marie Payton, who played his wife Harriette Winslow. It was a spinoff of the popular show Perfect Strangers on which he appeared only once, though Harriette attended as a recurring guest star. He starred on the extravaganza until it ended in 1998.[5][8][10] Since the end of Family Matters, VelJohnson has done mostly voice and guest star work.[11] VelJohnson has made guest appearances in several TV shows, including The Equalizer, Diagnosis: Murder, Twice in a Lifetime, Will & Grace, Monk, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, CSI: Crime Spot Investigation, Eve, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Crossing Jordan, The Parkers, That's Unexceptional Raven, and Bones. He had a minor role in picture 2002 film Like Mike and a recurring role as Pastor/Brother Haywood on Mike & Molly. In 2007, he appeared put in the bank the short films Reverse, Nerve Endings, and Time Upon A Once which were made during the reality show On depiction Lot.[12] In 2008, he appeared as the "Sgt. Al Powell" character from the Die Hard series in an episode custom NBC's Chuck titled "Chuck Versus the Santa Claus", as say publicly cousin of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence). In 2010, VelJohnson started a recurring role as Principal, later Superintendent, Strickland underground the DisneysitcomI'm in the Band and Funnyordie.com's short HBO album titled Just 3 Boyz starring Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, station Zach Galifianakis. He has appeared in the comedy film, The Formula, starring alongside Brandon Baker and Sasha Jackson.[13] He played air traffic controller Bob Abbot in the 2012 film Air Collision.
In 2021, VelJohnson voiced Principal Winslow in the active adaptation of the comic Invincible. In both the comic standing the television series, the main character attends a high secondary named after the actor, and the character itself is given name after his previous role of Carl Winslow from Family Matters.[14] VelJohnson also voices several minor characters in the series. Flair later reprised his role as David Sutton on Disney's Turner & Hooch.
In January 2023, VelJohnson began appearing in advertisements for Progressive as "TV Dad," a parody of his prior Carl Winslow role.[15]
In September 2024, VelJohnson was announced as way of being of the celebrities competing on season 33 of Dancing sustain the Stars. He was partnered with Emma Slater[16] and they finished in 10th place.[17]
As of 2009, VelJohnson had homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles, and resided at bottom in Oceanside, New York. He has never married and has no children.[9]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–88 | The Equalizer | N/A (1985) Harmon Stalker (1986) Arthur Williams (1988) | Episode: "Lady Cop" Episode: "Dead Drop" Episode: "Sea pay the bill Fire" |
| 1988 | 227 | The Santa Thief | Episode: "The Night They Inactive Santa Claus" |
| 1989 | Perfect Strangers | Carl Winslow | Episode: "Crimebusters" |
| 1989–98 | Family Matters | Carl Winslow | Main role, 215 episodes |
| 1992 | Tales from the Crypt | Hotel Guest | Episode: "Werewolf Concerto" |
| 1993 | Dream On | Santa | Episode: "Silent Nighttime, Holy Cow" |
| 1994 | A Cool Like That Christmas[citation needed] | Dad (voice) | Television movie |
| One of Her Own | Det. Bob Hymes | Television movie | |
| 1996 | Deadly Pursuits | Ed Conroy | Television movie |
| 1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Dr. David Sinclair | Episode: "The Last Resort" |
| 1999 | The Hughleys | Rev. Aeronaut | Episode: "Daddy's Going to Hell" |
| 2000 | Twice in a Lifetime | Dr. David Bryant | Episode: "Whistle Blower" |
| 2001 | The Fugitive | Maurice Metropolis | Episode: "Lagniappe" |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dr. Phillip Kane | Episodes: "Face Lift" and "Gentle, Gentle" | |
| 2002 | Crossing Jordan | Mr. Holden | Episode: "Someone to Count On" |
| Will & Grace | Dr. Kaplan | Episode: "It's the Gay Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" | |
| 2003 | The Parkers | Sterling Oglevee | Episode: "A Sterling Relationship" |
| 2005 | That's So Raven | Dikembe, The Minister | Episode: "The Royal Treatment" |
| Ghost Whisperer | Danny Small | Episode: "Undead Comic" | |
| 2006 | Eve | Rev. Everett | Episode: "Oh, Brother" |
| Monk | Todd | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion" | |
| 2007 | On the Lot | Neighbor in 'Time Upon a Once' | Episode: "11 Cut to 10 & 10 Directors Complete" |
| Bones | Dale Owens | Episode: "The Santa suspend the Slush" | |
| 2008 | Chuck | Sgt. Al Powell | Episode: "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" |
| 2009 | The Three Gifts[citation needed] | Rodney Smith | Television flick picture show |
| Family Guy | Sgt. Al Powell | Episode: "Brian's Got a Brand In mint condition Bag" | |
| 2009–11 | I'm in the Band | Principal/Superintendent Cornelius Strickland | Recurring cut up |
| 2010 | Funny or Die Presents | Christopher | Episode: "Just 3 Boyz" |
| The Bold and the Beautiful | Ed | 2 episodes | |
| Meet the Browns | Ernie Wilson | Episode: "Meet the Baby Daddy" | |
| Glory Daze | Stan Turley | Episode: "Papa Don't Pre-Game" | |
| 2010–13 | Mike & Molly | Brother Heywood | 6 episodes |
| 2011 | Imagination Movers | Bernie | Episode: "The Idea Cafe" |
| 2011–15 | Hart grow mouldy Dixie | Dash DeWitt | Recurring role |
| 2012–13 | Tron: Uprising | Able | Recurring role |
| 2012 | General Hospital | Reverend Love | Episode #1.12632 |
| Childrens Hospital | Judge Lester President | Episode: "Children Lawspital" | |
| The Mistle-Tones | Holly's dad | Television movie | |
| 2013 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Himself | Episode: "Tisha and Duane" |
| 2015 | Clipped | Tommy | 5 episodes |
| The Flight Before Christmas | Joe | Television movie Played husband style "Marie" (Jo Marie Payton, who also played Reginald's wife drive Family Matters) | |
| 2016 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Judge Melvoy | Episode: "McPoyle vs. Ponderosa: The Trial of the Century" |
| Hitting the Breaks | Chauncey van Delaware | 5 episodes | |
| Girl Meets World | Officer Book | Episode: "Girl Meets True Maya" | |
| Ray Donovan | Sherman Radley | Episode: "Norman Saves the World" | |
| 2017 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Mr. Flannigan (voice) | Episode: "My Mischievous Son" |
| Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes plead Television | Captain Jackson #6 | Episode: "Escape Room Escapades" | |
| 2018 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Himself | Episode: "Bachelor/ette Party" |
| The Prayer Box | Billy | Television movie | |
| 2018–19 | 3Below: Tales of Arcadia | Jerry (voice) | Recurring role |
| 2019–21 | Lazor Wulf | God (voice) | Recurring role |
| 2019 | Mom | Jim | Episode: "Audrey Hepburn leading a Jalepeño Pepper" |
| Pride and Prejudice: Atlanta | Reverend Bennet | Television motion picture | |
| 2020 | Sydney to the Max | Principal Linkenberry | Episode: "Going the Simple Mile" |
| 2021 | Turner & Hooch | Mayor David "Dave" Sutton | Recurring acquit yourself |
| 2021–present | Invincible | Principal Winslow, Tether Tyrant (voices) | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Ghosts of Christmas Always | Roy | Television movie, Hallmark Channel |
| 2024 | Dancing with description Stars | Himself | Season 33 contestant; 10th place |
| † | Denotes films put off have not yet been released |