- Leon Robinson
Infobox actor
imagesize = 200px
caption = Leon atMadison Square Garden after aUSA Basketball vs. Puerto Rico game, August 2003
birthname = Leon Preston Robinson IV
birthdate = birth date and age|1962|3|8
birthplace = flagicon|USANew York, New York
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
academyawards =
emmyawards =
goldenglobeawards =
tonyawards =
spouse =Leon Preston Robinson IV (born
March 8 ,1962 ), usually credited as simply Leon, is an Americanactor andsinger , who began his professional career as an actor in 1981.Biography
Personal life
Leon was born in
Manhattan ,New York and raised in the middle class suburb of Mount Vernon. The only son of a transit authority executive and a teacher, Leon migrated to Los Angeles to play basketball forLoyola Marymount University before moving into acting. He is a alumnus of Mount Saint Michael Academy, Class of '78 and was all-city in basketball during his senior year.Career
Leon made his professional debut on the "CBS Afternoon Playhouse" production "Journey to Survival" in 1981. Before striking it on the big screen, Leon amassed numerous small screen credits, notably in a 1989 episode of the
NBC series "Midnight Caller " in which he played an athlete who falls victim tocrack cocaine . He also co-starred in the 1989 ABC miniseries "The Women of Brewster Place", as the boyfriend of a suburbanite (played byRobin Givens ). He became a part of popular music history when he was cast asSaint Martin de Porres in Madonna's controversial 1989 music video "Like a Prayer".Leon's early film roles included a football teammate of
Tom Cruise in "All the Right Moves " (1983) and as Fortune Smith, the Notre Dame-bound basketball playing co-worker ofMatt Dillon , in "The Flamingo Kid " (1984). It was only after his exposure in the Madonna video that Leon's roles became more substantial. He was a member of a singing group trying to give up his womanizing ways while his brother becomes distant inRobert Townsend 's "The Five Heartbeats " (1991). In 1993, he played a leading role in the film "Cool Runnings ". That same year, he co-starred asJohn Lithgow 's henchman out to getSylvester Stallone inRenny Harlin 's "Cliffhanger " and followed with a turn as a disillusioned ex-jock in "Above the Rim " (1994). Leon also appeared asLela Rochon 's married lover in "Waiting to Exhale " (1996) and co-produced as well as co-starred in the romantic drama "The Price of Kissing" (1997).Leon has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of two legendary singers in made-for-TV movies:
David Ruffin in the 1998 NBC miniseries "The Temptations", andLittle Richard in the self-titled 2000 NBC movie based on the life of the rock-and-roll pioneer. He received anEmmy Award nomination for his performance as Little Richard. Leon has also had recurring roles on television series such as "Oz" and "Resurrection Blvd. " and briefly hosted his own late-night talk show, "The L-Bow Room", on BET.Leon, who is also a professional singer, is the lead vocalist of his own band,
Leon and the Peoples . He recently performed at The Canal Room in New York City with The Peoples and also recorded a radio PSA for Deejay Ra's 'Hip-Hop Literacy' campaign, encouraging people to read books aboutTupac Shakur .Leon has been twice nominated for an
Image Award , and has won aYoung Artist Award .Filmography
*"Cover (2007)... Ryan Chambers
*"Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (2005)...Slim
*"Buffalo Soldiers" (2003)...Stoney
*"Little Richard " (2000)...Little Richard
*"Bats" (1999)...Jimmy Sands
*"Friends and Lovers" (1999)...Manny
*"Side Streets" (1999)...Errol Boyce
*"The Temptations" (1998)...David Ruffin
*"B.A.P.S." (1997)...Himself
*"Spirit Lost" (1997)...John
*"Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored" (1996)...Uncle Melvin
*"Pure Danger" (1996)...Felix
*"Waiting to Exhale " (1995)...Russell
*"Above the Rim " (1994)...Shep
*"Bad Attitude" (1993)
*"Cliffhanger" (1993)...Kynette
*"Cool Runnings " (1993)...Derice Bannock
*"The Five Heartbeats " (1991)...J. T. Matthews
*"The Women of Brewster Place " (1989)...Abshu
*"Colors" (1988)...Killer Bee
*"The Lawless Land" (1988)...Road Kill
*"The Father Clements Story" (1987)...Ice
*"Band of the Hand" (1986)...Moss
*"The Flamingo Kid " (1984)...Fortune Smith
*"All the Right Moves " (1983)...ShadowExternal links
*imdb name|name=Leon|id=0502442
* [http://www.justleon.com Leon's official website]
* [http://thepeoples.biz/ Leon & The Peoples]
* [http://www.myspace.com/leonthepeoples Leon & The Peoples MySpace Page]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.