Paul Winfield

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Paul Winfield bigraphy, stories - Actor

Paul Winfield : biography

May 22, 1939 – March 7, 2004

Paul Edward Winfield (May 22, 1939 – March 7, 2004) was an American television, film and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder, which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield portrayed Captain Clark Terrell of the Starship Reliant in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and he also portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1978 television miniseries King, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award.

Personal life and death

Winfield was openly gay in his private life, but remained discreet about it in the public eye. His partner of 30 years, architect Charles Gillan, Jr., died on March 5, 2002 of bone cancer.

Winfield long battled obesity and diabetes. He died of a heart attack in 2004 at age 64, at Queen of Angels–Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles. Winfield and Gillan are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

He was also the cousin of distinguished actor William Marshall who played the lead role in the classic 1972 Blaxploitation horror filmAllmusic Blacula.Memory Alpha

Early years

Winfield was born in Los Angeles, California to Lois Beatrice Edwards, a union organizer in the garment industry. His stepfather from the age of eight was Clarence Winfield, a city trash collector and construction worker. He attended Manual Arts High School, the University of Portland, Stanford University, Los Angeles City College and the University of California at Los Angeles.

Selected filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1967 Who’s Minding the Mint? Garbage man Uncredited
1970 R.P.M. Steve Dempsey
1971 Brother John Henry Birkart
1972 Trouble Man Chalky Price
1972 Sounder Nathan Lee Morgan
1973 Gordon’s War Gordon Hudson
1974 Conrack Mad Billy
1975 Hustle Sergeant Louis Belgrave
1976 High Velocity Watson
1977 Damnation Alley Keegan
1977 The Greatest Lawyer
1977 Twilight’s Last Gleaming Willis Powell
1978 A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich Butler
1981 Carbon Copy Bob Garvey
1982 White Dog Keys
1982 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Captain Clark Terrell
1983 On the Run Harry
1984 The Terminator Lieutenant Traxler
1986 Blue City Luther Reynolds
1987 Death Before Dishonor Ambassador
1987 Big Shots Johnnie Red
1988 The Serpent and the Rainbow Lucien Celine
1990 Presumed Innocent Judge Larren Lyttle
1993 Cliffhanger Walter Wright
1993 Dennis the Menace Chief of Police
1994 The Killing Jar Judge Alternative title: Trapped
1995 In the Flesh William Stone
1996 Original Gangstas Reverend Dorsey Alternative title: Hot City
1996 Mars Attacks! Lt. General Casey
1997 Strategic Command Rowan
1998 Assignment Berlin Al Spector
1999 Catfish in Black Bean Sauce Harold Williams
2000 Knockout Ron Regent
2001 Vegas, City of Dreams Edgar Jones
2002 Second to Die Detective Grady
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1965 Perry Mason Mitch 1 episode
1966 Daktari Roy Kimba 2 episodes
1967 Cowboy in Africa Kabutu 1 episode
1968 Mission: Impossible Klaus 1 episode
1969 Mannix Walter Lucas 1 episode
1970 The Young Rebels Pompey 1 episode
1973 The Horror at 37,000 Feet Dr. Enkalla Television movie
1974 It’s Good to Be Alive Roy Campanella Television movie
1977 Green Eyes Lloyd Dubeck Television movie
1978 King Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Miniseries
1979 Backstairs at the White House Emmett Rogers Sr. Miniseries
1980 Angel City Cy Television movie
1981 The Sophisticated Gents Richard "Bubbles" Wiggins Television movie
1982 The Blue and the Gray Jonathan Henry Miniseries
1983 For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story Television movie
1984 The Fall Guy Bert Perkins 1 episode
1985 Murder, She Wrote Det. Lieutenant Starkey 1 episode
1986 Under Siege Andrew Simon Television movie
1987 Mighty Pawns Mr. Wright Television movie
1987–1988 The Charmings The Magic Mirror 19 episodes
1988–1990 227 Julian C. Barlow 24 episodes
1989 The Women of Brewster Place Sam Michael Miniseries
Wiseguy Isaac Twine 6 episodes
1990 L.A. Law Derron Holloway 4 episodes
1991 Family Matters Jimmy Baines 1 episode
1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation Captain Dathon 1 episode
1993 Irresistible Force Commander Toole Television movie
1994 Scarlett Big Sam Miniseries
1994-1998 The Magic School Bus Mr. Ruhle Occaisonal guest voice
1995 Tyson Don King Television movie
1995 Babylon 5 General Richard Franklin 1 episode
1995 White Dwarf Dr. Akada Television movie
1995–2003 Touched by an Angel Sam 13 episodes
1996 Second Noah Ramses 1 episode
1998 Walker, Texas Ranger Pastor Roscoe Jones 1 episode
1999–2004 City Confidential Narrator 94 episodes
1999 Strange Justice Thurgood Marshall Television movie
2002 Crossing Jordan Dr. Phillip Sanders 1 episode
2003 Sounder Kindly schoolteacher Television movie