Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
January 31, 1947
Place of Birth:
New York City, New York, USA
Social Media
Glynn Turman
Biography
Glynn Russell Turman, born on January 31, 1947, in New York City, is a revered American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, whose career spans decades. He gained early recognition for his role as Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 film "Cooley High." Turman's talent shone on Broadway, earning a Tony Award for "The Great White Hope." He's renowned for TV work in "The Wire," math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford Taylor on the NBC sitcom "A Different World," fictional Baltimore mayor Clarence Royce on the HBO drama series "The Wire" and "House of Lies." His filmography includes impactful roles in "Gremlins" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." With a captivating presence, Turman continues to enthrall audiences, showcasing remarkable versatility and depth in his performances.
Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | STRAW | Richard |
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 | |
| 2024 | A Hero's Journey: The Making of Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Self - Chiron |
| 2023 | 80 for Brady | Mickey |
| 2023 | Outlaw Johnny Black | Bullseye Black |
| 2023 | Rustin | A. Philip Randolph |
| 2022 | The Legend of Glynn Turman | G.T. |
| 2022 | The Devil You Know | Lloyd Cowans |
| 2022 | Is That Black Enough for You?!? | Self |
| 2021 | Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist | Self |
| 2020 | Ma Rainey's Black Bottom | Toledo |
| 2020 | The Way Back | Doc |
| 2020 | Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: A Legacy Brought to Screen | Self - Presenter |
| 2019 | Windows on the World | Lou |
| 2019 | Sextuplets | Leland |
| 2019 | Justine | Papa Don |
| 2018 | Bumblebee | General Whalen |
| 2018 | Solace | Clay (Pastor Davis) |
| 2017 | The Killing Floor | Self |
| 2017 | Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart | Self |
| 2017 | August 28: A Day in the Life of a People | |
| 2016 | Race | Harry E. Davis |
| 2013 | John Dies at the End | Detective Lawrence 'Morgan Freeman' Appleton |
| 2013 | Act Like You Love Me | David Lofton |
| 2012 | The Pastor's Secret | |
| 2012 | City Teacher | Kevin Sawyer |
| 2012 | The Obama Effect | Slim Sugar |
| 2011 | Super 8 | Dr. Woodward |
| 2010 | Burlesque | Harold Saint |
| 2010 | Takers | Chief Detective Duncan |
| 2009 | Preaching To The Pastor | Bishop Hightower |
| 2008 | Kings of the Evening | Clarence Brown |
| 2008 | Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery | Sheriff Bob Monroe |
| 2007 | Uncle P | Dr. Niles |
| 2005 | Sahara | Dr. Frank Hopper |
| 2004 | The Seat Filler | Derrick's Dad |
| 2001 | Fire & Ice | Robert Aimes Sr. |
| 2001 | The Visit | Parole Board Member Reingold |
| 2001 | Air Rage | Ted Bigelow |
| 2000 | Freedom Song | T-Bone Lanier |
| 2000 | Men of Honor | Chief Floyd |
| 1999 | Light It Up | Principal Allan Armstrong |
| 1998 | How Stella Got Her Groove Back | Dr. Shakespeare |
| 1997 | Buffalo Soldiers | Sgt. Joshua 'Joyu' Judges Ruth |
| 1996 | Subterfuge | Stallworth Hubbs |
| 1996 | Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault | Coach Powell |
| 1994 | The Inkwell | Spencer Phillips |
| 1994 | Someone Else's Child | Judge Roullard |
| 1992 | Deep Cover | Russell Stevens Sr. |
| 1987 | A Different World | Colonel Bradford Taylor |
| 1986 | Out of Bounds | Lieutenant Delgado |
| 1986 | Ask Max | Lloyd Lyman |
| 1985 | Charlotte Forten's Mission: Experiment in Freedom | Joshua |
| 1984 | Secrets of a Married Man | Jesse |
| 1984 | Gremlins | Roy Hanson |
| 1983 | Manimal | Ty Earl |
| 1982 | Penitentiary II | Charles Johnson |
| 1981 | Thornwell | James Thornwell |
| 1980 | Attica | Raymond Franklin |
| 1978 | Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold | Preston de Cordiva |
| 1977 | A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich | Nigeria |
| 1977 | Minstrel Man | Harry Brown Jr. |
| 1977 | The Richard Pryor Special? | Booster Johnson |
| 1977 | The Serpent's Egg | Monroe |
| 1976 | J.D.'s Revenge | Isaac / 'Ike' |
| 1976 | The River Niger | Jeff Williams |
| 1976 | The Tapestry | |
| 1975 | Ceremonies in Dark Old Men | Theo |
| 1975 | Cooley High | Leroy "Preach" Jackson |
| 1975 | The Blue Knight | Edwin Beall |
| 1975 | Carter's Army | Pvt. George Brightman |
| 1974 | Thomasine & Bushrod | Jomo J. Anderson |
| 1974 | Together Brothers | Dr. Johnson |
| 1974 | The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat | |
| 1973 | Five on the Black Hand Side | Gideon |
| 1972 | AWOL | Mohammed G. |
| 1971 | Honky | Sailor at Bus Station |
| 1971 | In Search of America | Bodhi |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Paradise | Fred Collins |
| 2024 | The Big Cigar | Walter |
| 2023 | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Mr. Brunner / Chiron |
| 2022 | Women of the Movement | Mose Wright |
| 2022 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Pa (voice) |
| 2022 | Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities | Sheriff Nate Craven |
| 2020 | Power Book II: Ghost | Gabriel |
| 2020 | FBI: Most Wanted | Terry Daniels |
| 2019 | The Red Line | Nathan Gordon |
| 2018 | The Neighborhood | Otis |
| 2017 | Mr. Mercedes | Judge Bernard Raines |
| 2017 | American Gods | Reverend Hutchins |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self |
| 2014 | How to Get Away with Murder | Nathaniel Lahey |
| 2014 | black-ish | Billy Blade |
| 2014 | Fargo | Doctor Senator |
| 2012 | House of Lies | Jeremiah Kaan |
| 2012 | Revolution | Major David Kipling |
| 2012 | Alcatraz | Emmitt Little |
| 2011 | Suits | Vic |
| 2010 | The Defenders | Judge Bob Owens |
| 2009 | FlashForward | Senator Noland |
| 2009 | NCIS: Los Angeles | James Pierce |
| 2008 | In Treatment | Alex Prince Sr. |
| 2005 | Criminal Minds | Charles Johnson |
| 2002 | The Wire | Clarence Royce |
| 2001 | Scrubs | George |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Roy Hines |
| 2001 | The Bernie Mac Show | Carl |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dr. Young |
| 1998 | The Magnificent Seven | Achilles Thompson/Hector Thompson |
| 1996 | Millennium | James Glen |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel | Sheriff Ernie Guthrie |
| 1994 | ER | Mr. Holmes |
| 1987 | A Different World | Colonel Brad Taylor |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone | (segment "Paladin of the Lost Hour") |
| 1985 | Hail to the Chief | Secretary of State LaRue Hawkins |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Stan Lassiter |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Earl Browder |
| 1984 | Murder, She Wrote | Ben Coleman |
| 1982 | T. J. Hooker | Norman Powell |
| 1978 | The Paper Chase | |
| 1978 | Centennial | Nate Person |
| 1976 | The Tony Randall Show | |
| 1969 | Room 222 |