Robert Hooks
| Robert Hooks | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Robert Dean Hooks April 18, 1937 Washington, D.C., United States |
| Other names | Bobby Dean Hooks |
| Occupation | Actor Producer Director |
Father of actor, writer, director Kevin Hooks
Robert Dean "Bobby" Hooks (born April 18, 1937) is an African-American actor of films, television, and stage. With a career as a producer and political activist to his credit, he is most recognizable to the public for his over 100 roles in films and television.
Youngest of five children, Hooks was born in Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C., the son of Bertha (née Ward), a seamstress, and Edward Hooks, who worked on the railroad tracks, where he died.
Hooks has been regarded, variously, as a gifted artist who broke the color barriers in stage, film and television before the term "colorblind casting" even existed, and a leading man when there were no African American matinee idols. He originated roles on the New York stage in such classics as Dutchman, A Taste of Honey and Where's Daddy? for which he won the Theatre World Award. He was the first African American lead on a television drama, the original N.Y.P.D.
In 1968 Hooks was the host of the new public affairs television program, Like It Is.
Most famously, Hooks, along with Douglas Turner Ward,founded The Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). He then brought Gerald Krone in as Production Manager. The NEC is credited with the launch of the careers of many major black artists of all disciplines, while creating a body of performance literature over the last thirty years, providing the backbone of African-American theatrical classics. Additionally Hooks is the sole founder of two significant black theatre companies: the DC Black Repertory Company, and New York's Group Theatre Workshop, built to mentor the talents of New York's disadvantaged youth. He soon brought in Dr. Barbara Ann Teer to teach classes and develop the workshop.
...
Wikipedia