Phillip Edward Van Lear

infobox actor

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caption=Van Lear as CO Louis Patterson in "Prison Break"
birthplace=Aurora, Illinois
occupation=Film, television actor

Phillip Edward Van Lear is an American actor. He plays corrections officer Louis Patterson on the show "Prison Break". He has also played in various other movies such as: "", "Chicago Cab", "Night of the Lawyers", "A Family Thing" and "Thieves Quartet". He also starred alongside Oprah Winfrey, in the film "There Are No Children Here", where he plays a thug and a vandal hell-bent on corrupting youth for his own personal gain.

Van Lear was born in Aurora, Illinois along with brother David. He taught school in Aurora for five years before becoming serious about acting. Not quite ready to jump into the deep water, he worked under the mentorship of David Morris and his wife Jo at the Riverfront Playhouse in Aurora until late 1985, when he earned his first professional television gig as a regular on the CBS Chicago based "The Magic Door", where he starred for five years. During this time he began doing theater, commercials and film. He has four children, one grandchild, and when not acting teaches film studies for the Chicago Public School System at Mather High School. He and his partner Nanette live in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood.

"'Phillip Edward Van Lear just recently finished filming episode one on 'The Beast' with Patrick Swayze. He'll be seen in the upcoming episodes of 'Leverage' on TBS, and also in 'The Express'. He played Louis Patterson for two seasons on 'Prison Break', and can be seen in 'Barber Shop 2', 'Thieves Quartet', 'There Are No Children Here' and 'Natural Born Killers'. He is a mainstay of the Chicago Theatre scene and is a multi-winning Slam Poet at Chicago's world famous 'Green Mill' Poetry Slam.He has five beautiful children and currently resides in Chicago where when not acting teaches Film Study and Arguement and Debate for Mather High School in Chicago. Mr. Van Lear also coaches Cross Country, Varsity Boys Basketball and Girls Track.
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External links

*imdb name|id=0887363