Glynn Turman

Glynn Turman Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: January 31, 1947

Age: 77 years old

Birth Place: New York City, New York

Spouses: Aretha Franklin

Boasting a résumé that would earn him the envy of any ambitious character actor, Glynn Turman was nothing if not an experienced performer. As if a storied screen career and rich history on the stage weren't enough, Turman also earned acclaim for his talents as a director, both theatrically and in the television industry. Revered likewise for his roles on the soap opera "Peyton Place" (ABC 1964-69), the sitcom "A Different World" (NBC 1987-1993), and the drama series "The Wire" (HBO 2002-08), Turman's is a fame that not only transcends time, but genre. Glynn Russell Turman was born on January 31, 1947 in New York City, New York. He began his acting career in 1959 with a role in the original Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun. He followed this turn with an appearance in a televised production of Black Monday in 1961, as part of the syndicated anthology series "Play of the Week" (NTA Film Network 1959-1961). Turman graduated from the High School of Performing Arts, located in Manhattan, and set anew to a life of stage and screen acting. He kicked off his television career with a substantial recurring role on the drama series "Peyton Place" (ABC 1964-69), on which he starred for 37 episodes as the character Lew Miles. Turman made his film debut with a minor part in the racially themed romantic drama "Honky" (1971), which he followed up with appearances on TV shows like "The Doris Day Show" (CBS 1968-1973) and "Hawaii Five-O" (CBS 1968-1980), as well as with roles in movies including "Five on the Black Hand Side" (1973), "Thomasine & Bushrod" (1974), "The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat" (1974), and "Together Brothers" (1974). Turman's first headlining role came with the coming-of-age dramedy "Cooley High" (1975), in which he played a high school student nicknamed Preach. Throughout the 1970s, Turman continued to explore stage productions, both as an actor and a director. He rounded out the decade with a role on the historical miniseries "Centennial" (NBC 1978-79). In 1978, Turman married musical superstar Aretha Franklin. The 1980s gave Turman a slew of one-off television roles, as well as parts in feature films including "Penitentiary II" (1982) and the popular horror comedy "Gremlins" (1984). In 1988, Turman began a four-season-long stint as Col. Brad Taylor on the family comedy series "A Different World" (NBC 1987-1993). In addition to his role on the series, Turman directed a number of its episodes, and went on to do the same for 1990s sitcoms including "The Parent Hood" (The WB 1995-99) and "The Wayans Bros." (The WB 1995-99). Returning to dramatic acting, Turman then amounted roles in "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" (1998), "Light It Up" (1999), and "Men of Honor" (2000). Turman achieved favor with a new generation thanks to a substantial role as Baltimore Mayor Clarence V. Royce on the critically revered drama series "The Wire" (HBO 2002-08). Alongside a subsequent recurring role on the drama program "In Treatment" (HBO 2008-2010), Turman accumulated work in high profile films like the musical "Burlesque" (2010) and the science-fiction film "Super 8" (2011). At the inception of the dramedy series "House of Lies" (Showtime 2012-), Turman took on the part of Jeremiah Kaan, disapproving father to series star Don Cheadle's character Marty.

Credits

The Big Cigar

Actor
Series
2024

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1

Actor
Movie
2024

Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2

Actor
Movie
2024

Percy Jackson and the OlympiansStream

Actor
Chiron / Mr. Brunner
Series
2023
92%

Black CakeStream

Actor
Charles Mitch
Series
2023
94%

80 for BradyStream

Actor
Mickey
Movie
2023
58%

RustinStream

Actor
A. Philip Randolph
Movie
2023
84%

Cabinet of CuriositiesStream

Actor
Series
2022
93%

Women of the MovementStream

Actor
Mose Wright
Miniseries
2022
91%

The Devil You KnowStream

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Lloyd Cowans
Movie
2022
36%

The Legend of Glynn Turman

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

The Legend of Glynn Turman

Screenwriter
Movie
2022

The Legend of Glynn Turman

Self
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2022

Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist

Self
Show
2021

FBI: Most WantedStream

Guest Star
Terry Daniels
Series
2020

The Way Back

Actor
Doc
Movie
2020

Justine

Actor
Papa Don
Movie
2020

Ma Rainey's Black BottomStream

Actor
Toledo
Movie
2020
97%

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

The Red LineStream

Guest Star
Nathan Gordon
Series
2019
72%

Windows on the World

Actor
Lou
Movie
2019

Sextuplets

Actor
Leland
Movie
2019

The Robeson Effect

Executive Producer
Movie
2019

August 28: A Day in the Life of a People

Actor
Show
2018

King of Stage: The Woodie King Jr. Story

Executive Producer
Movie
2018

Solace

Actor
Clay
Movie
2017

Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart

Self
Movie
2017

Queen SugarStream

Guest Star
Ernest Bordelon
Series
2016

The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made

Actor
Show
2015

King Arthur and the Count

Executive Producer
Show
2014

How to Get Away With MurderStream

Guest Star
Nate Lahey Sr.
Series
2014
88%

Black-ishStream

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Billy Blade
Series
2014
92%

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Cowgirls 'N Angels 2

Actor
Isaac Benson
Movie
2014

The Arsenio Hall Show

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Show
2013

The Real

Guest
Talk
2013

Act Like You Love Me

Actor
David
Movie
2013

FREE Show House of Lies: S1 Ep1

Actor
Jeremiah Kaan
Show
2012

House of LiesStream

Actor
Jeremiah Kaan
Series
2012

John Dies at the EndStream

Actor
Detective Lawrence 'Morgan Freeman' Appleton
Movie
2012
60%

The Obama Effect

Actor
Slim Sugar
Movie
2012

The Pastor's Secrets

Actor
Movie
2012

1st LookStream

Guest
Reality
2011

SuitsStream

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Vic
Series
2011
91%

Super 8Stream

Actor
Dr. Woodward
Movie
2011
81%

Bright

Actor
Beamon
Movie
2011

The DefendersStream

Guest Star
Judge Owens
Series
2010
74%

Detroit 1-8-7Stream

Guest Star
Series
2010
81%

Funny or Die Presents

Actor
Chief Huckey
Show
2010

TakersStream

Actor
Chief Detective Duncan
Movie
2010
28%

BurlesqueStream

Actor
Harold Saint
Movie
2010
37%

FlashForwardStream

Guest Star
Senator Noland
Series
2009
80%

NCIS: Los AngelesStream

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2009

Preaching to the Pastor

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Bishop Hightower
Movie
2009

The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards

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Show
2008

In TreatmentStream

Actor
Alex Prince, Sr.
Series
2008
90%

In TreatmentStream

Guest Star
Alex Prince, Sr.
Series
2008
90%

Murder 101: Locked Room Mystery

Actor
Sheriff Bob Monroe
Movie
2008

Kings of the Evening

Actor
Clarence Brown
Movie
2007

City Teacher

Actor
Kevin Sawyer
Movie
2006

Criminal MindsStream

Guest Star
Series
2005

SaharaStream

Actor
Dr. Frank Hopper
Movie
2005
38%

Cold CaseStream

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Series
2003

All of UsStream

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Series
2003

The WireStream

Actor
Mayor Clarence V. Royce
Series
2002
94%

The WireStream

Guest Star
Mayor Clarence V. Royce
Series
2002
94%

The Wire FREE

Actor
Mayor Clarence V. Royce
Show
2002

The Bernie Mac ShowStream

Guest Star
Series
2001

ScrubsStream

Guest Star
George
Series
2001
83%

Law & Order: Criminal IntentStream

Guest Star
Series
2001

Big Apple

Actor
Agent Teddy Olsen
Show
2001

Fire and Ice

Actor
Robert Aimes Sr.
Movie
2001

Resurrection Blvd.

Guest Star
Show
2000

Freedom Song

Actor
T-Bone Lanier
Movie
2000

The Visit

Actor
Reingold
Movie
2000

Men of HonorStream

Actor
Chief Floyd
Movie
2000
42%

Strange World

Guest Star
Show
1999

Light It UpStream

Actor
Principal Armstrong
Movie
1999
39%

Making It Happen: African American Masters of Invention

Host
Show
1998

The Magnificent SevenStream

Guest Star
Series
1998
33%

How Stella Got Her Groove BackStream

Actor
Dr. Shakespeare
Movie
1998
50%

Buffalo Soldiers

Actor
Sgt. Joshua "Joyu" Judges Ruth
Movie
1997

Millennium

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Series
1996

Lazarus Man

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1996

Rebound -- The Legend of Earl The Goat Manigault

Actor
Coach Powell
Movie
1996

JAGStream

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Series
1995

The Parent 'HoodStream

Director
Series
1995

The Wayans Bros.Stream

Director
Series
1995

Touched by an AngelStream

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Series
1994

ERStream

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Mr. Holmes
Series
1994

Carrera a la Libertad

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1994

Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad

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Solomon
Movie
1994

The Inkwell

Actor
Spencer Phillips
Movie
1994

Someone Else's Child

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Judge Roullard
Movie
1994

Deep Cover

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Russell Stevens Sr.
Movie
1992

A Different WorldStream

Actor
Series
1987

A Different WorldStream

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Series
1987

Matlock: The Court Martial

Actor
Maj. Dennis Orlando
Movie
1987

MatlockStream

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1986

Out of Bounds

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Lieutenant Delgado
Movie
1986

Ask Max

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Lloyd Lyman
Movie
1986

The Twilight Zone

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Series
1985

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Ben Coleman
Series
1984

Riptide

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Series
1984

Charlotte Forten's Mission

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Joshua
Movie
1984

Secrets of a Married Man

Actor
Jesse
Movie
1984

GremlinsStream

Actor
Roy Hanson
Movie
1984
86%

Fame

Guest Star
Series
1982

Penitentiary II

Actor
Charles Johnson
Movie
1982

The Greatest American HeroStream

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Captain Le Clerc
Series
1981

Grand Baby

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Movie
1981

Thornwell

Actor
James Thornwell
Movie
1981

Attica

Actor
Movie
1980

The White Shadow

Guest Star
Series
1978

The Paper Chase

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Series
1978

Fantasy Island

Guest Star
Series
1978

The Serpent's Egg

Actor
Monroe
Movie
1978

Charlie Smith and the Fritter Tree

Actor
Movie
1978

Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold

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Preston de Cordiva
Movie
1978

A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich

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Nigeria
Movie
1977

Minstrel Man

Actor
Harry Brown Jr.
Movie
1977

A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich

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Nigeria
Movie
1977

J.D.'s Revenge

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Isaac
Movie
1976

The River Niger

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Jeff Williams
Movie
1976

The Blue Knight

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1975

Cooley HighStream

Actor
Preacher
Movie
1975
89%

The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat

Voice
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1974

Thomasine & Bushrod

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Jomo J. Anderson
Movie
1974

Five on the Black Hand Side

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Gideon
Movie
1973

The RookiesStream

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Series
1972

Cannon

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Jamal
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1971

In Search of America

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Bodhi
Movie
1971

Room 222

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Series
1969

Black Brigade

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Pvt. George Brightman
Movie
1969

Mod Squad

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Lonnie
Series
1968

DaktariStream

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Series
1966

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutGlynn Turman