Brock Peters
(1927 - 2005)His face was classic looking, almost as if it had been sculpted by a master sculptor. With its flared nostrils, intense eyes and wide mouth it was the perfect face. Not only did he have perfect looks but his voice was rich, deep and resonant and his diction sharp and perfect. All this would serve him well in his chosen profession, acting. One might think he’d grown up in Jamaica, England or Africa, yet he was a native New Yorker. This also served him well as there is no better place for an aspiring actor. He was born Brock Fisher in New York City (Harlem), New York on July 2, 1927 of African and West Indian parentage, which likely accounts for his strong diction. His parents were Sonny and Alma A. Fisher. He attended New York’s Music and Arts High School while working as a YMCA and Parks instructor, a hospital orderly and a shipping clerk. He kept his brilliant bass voice in tune by singing with the de Paur Infantry Chorus. He started acting as a teenager in 1943 in a production of “Porgy and Bess.” He worked in off-Broadway productions and eventually debuted on Broadway. He later attended the University of Chicago and City College of New York. He also worked in nightclubs and occasionally on TV in the 1950s. His films include: “Carmen Jones” (1954) as Sergeant Brown, his film debut; “Porgy and Bess” (1959) as Crown; “The L-Shaped Room” (1962) as Johnny; “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) as Tom Robinson, one of his best roles; “The Pawnbroker” (1964) with Rod Steiger, as Rodriguez; “Major Dundee” (1965) as Aesop; “The Incident” (1967) as Arnold Robinson; “P.J.” (1968) as Waterpark; “Daring Game” (1968) as Jonah; “The McMasters” (1969) as Benjie; “Black Girl” (1972) as Earl; “Soylent Green” (1973) with Charlton Heston, as Lt. Hatcher; “Lost in the Stars” (1974) as Stephen Kumalo, probably his best role and recreated from his stage performance; “Framed” (1975) as Sam Perry; “Two Minute Warning” (1976) as Paul; “Abe Lincoln: Freedom Fighter” (1978) as Henry; “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986) as Admiral Cartwright; “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” (1991) again as Admiral Cartwright; “Alligator II: The Mutation” (1991) as Chief Speed; “The Importance of Being Earnest” (1992) as Dr. Chausible; “The Ghosts of Mississippi” (1996) with James Woods, as Walter Williams; “Park Day” (1998) as Heseeit Turner; “The Last Place on Earth” (2000) as Mr. Field; "No Prom for Cindy" (2002) as Doctor and "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" (2002) as Voice of Jomo, his last theatrical film. On TV he was a regular on the series: “Seventh Avenue” (1977) a mini-series, as Sgt. Rollins; “Black Beauty” (1978) a mini-series, as Mr. Carmichael; “Roots: The Next Generations” (1979) as Ab Decker; “The Young and the Restless” (1973-present) a soap opera, as Frank Lewis (1982-89) and the animated series: “Challenge of the GoBots” (1984) as Voice of Gen. Newcastle; “Galtar and the Golden Lance” (1985) as Voice of Tormack; “Wildfire” (1986) as Additional Voices; “Gravedale High” (1990) as Voice of Boneyard; “Captain Planet and the Planeteers” (1990) as Additional Voices; “Pirates of Darkwater” (1991) as Voice of Bloth; “Batman: The Animated Series” (1992) as Voice of Lucius Fox; “Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron” (1993) as Voice of Dark Kat and “Baron, Le” (1996) a mini-series, as Le roi Aschwinda. He appeared in TV movies including: “Welcome Home, Johnny Bristol” (1972); “A Bond of Iron” (1979); “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (1981); “To Heal a Nation” (1988); “You Must Remember This” (1992); "10,000 Black Men Named George" (2002) and "The Locket" (2002). He has guest starred on such TV series as: “Adventures in Paradise”; “The Nurses”; “Daniel Boone”; “Rawhide”; “Mission: Impossible”; “Gunsmoke”; “Mannix”; “Police Story”; “Magnum, P.I.”; “Murder, She Wrote”; “The Commish”; “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “The Pretender.” He received a Tony nomination for his role in “Lost in the Stars.” He was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1976, and he received a Life Achievement Award from the National Film Society in 1977. The Screen Actors Guild also honored him with an achievement award in 1990, citing his durability and versatility. He died of pancreatic cancer on August 23, 2005 at his home in Los Angeles, California at age 78.
From Great Character Actors, Page 9.
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