
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.
Gallery




Known For
Acting History
2025
STRAW as Richard
2025Paradise as Fred Collins
2024Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
2024The Big Cigar as Walter
2024A Hero's Journey: The Making of Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Self - Chiron
2023Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Mr. Brunner / Chiron
2023Rustin as A. Philip Randolph
2023Outlaw Johnny Black as Bullseye Black
202380 for Brady as Mickey
2022Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities as Sheriff Nate Craven
2022Is That Black Enough for You?!? as Self
2022The Legend of Glynn Turman as G.T.
2022The Devil You Know as Lloyd Cowans
2022The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder as Pa (voice)
2022Women of the Movement as Mose Wright
2021Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist as Self
2020Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: A Legacy Brought to Screen as Self - Presenter
2020Ma Rainey's Black Bottom as Toledo
2020Power Book II: Ghost as Gabriel
2020The Way Back as Doc
2020FBI: Most Wanted as Terry Daniels
2019Sextuplets as Leland
2019Justine as Papa Don
2019The Red Line as Nathan Gordon
2019Windows on the World as Lou
2018Bumblebee as General Whalen
2018The Neighborhood as Otis
2018Solace as Clay (Pastor Davis)
2017The Killing Floor as Self
2017Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart as Self
2017August 28: A Day in the Life of a People
2017Mr. Mercedes as Judge Bernard Raines
2017American Gods as Reverend Hutchins
2016Graves
2016Race as Harry E. Davis
2014How to Get Away with Murder as Nathaniel Lahey
2014black-ish as Billy Blade
2014Dakota's Summer as Isaac Benson
2014Fargo as Doctor Senator
2014Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
2013Act Like You Love Me as David Lofton
2013John Dies at the End as Detective Lawrence 'Morgan Freeman' Appleton
2012Revolution as David Kipling
2012The Obama Effect as Slim Sugar
2012Alcatraz as Emmitt Little
2012City Teacher as Kevin Sawyer
2012House of Lies as Jeremiah Kaan
2012The Pastor's Secret
2011Suits as Vic
2011Super 8 as Dr. Woodward
2010Burlesque as Harold Saint
2010The Defenders as Judge Bob Owens
2010Takers as Chief Detective Duncan
2009FlashForward as Senator Noland
2009NCIS: Los Angeles as James Pierce
2009Preaching To The Pastor as Bishop Hightower
2008In Treatment as Alex Prince Sr.
2008Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery as Sheriff Bob Monroe
2008Kings of the Evening as Clarence Brown
2007Uncle P as Dr. Niles
2005Criminal Minds as Charles Johnson
2005Sahara as Dr. Frank Hopper
2004The Seat Filler as Derrick's Dad
2002The Wire as Clarence Royce
2001The Bernie Mac Show as Carl
2001Scrubs as George
2001Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Roy Hines
2001Air Rage as Ted Bigelow
2001The Visit as Parole Board Member Reingold
2001Fire & Ice as Robert Aimes Sr.
2000Men of Honor as Chief Floyd
2000Freedom Song as T-Bone Lanier
1999Light It Up as Principal Allan Armstrong
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Dr. Young
1998How Stella Got Her Groove Back as Dr. Shakespeare
1998The Magnificent Seven as Achilles Thompson/Hector Thompson
1997Buffalo Soldiers as Sgt. Joshua 'Joyu' Judges Ruth
1996Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault as Coach Powell
1996Millennium as James Glen
1996Subterfuge as Stallworth Hubbs
1994Someone Else's Child as Judge Roullard
1994Touched by an Angel as Sheriff Ernie Guthrie
1994ER as Mr. Holmes
1994The Inkwell as Spencer Phillips
1992Deep Cover as Russell Stevens Sr.
1988Freddy's Nightmares as Dr. Redman
1987A Different World as Colonel Brad Taylor
1987A Different World as Colonel Bradford Taylor
1986Ask Max as Lloyd Lyman
1986Out of Bounds as Lieutenant Delgado
1986Matlock as Maj. Dennis Orlando
1985The Twilight Zone as (segment "Paladin of the Lost Hour")
1985Hail to the Chief as Secretary of State LaRue Hawkins
1985Charlotte Forten's Mission: Experiment in Freedom as Joshua
1984Murder, She Wrote as Stan Lassiter
1984Murder, She Wrote as Earl Browder
1984Murder, She Wrote as Ben Coleman
1984Secrets of a Married Man as Jesse
1984Hot Pursuit as Mitch Simpson
1984Gremlins as Roy Hanson
1982Penitentiary II as Charles Johnson
1982T. J. Hooker as Norman Powell
1981Thornwell as James Thornwell
1980Attica as Raymond Franklin
1978Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold as Preston de Cordiva
1978Centennial as Nate Person
1978The Paper Chase
1977A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich as Nigeria
1977The Serpent's Egg as Monroe
1977The Richard Pryor Special? as Booster Johnson
1977Minstrel Man as Harry Brown Jr.
1976The Tapestry
1976The Tony Randall Show
1976J.D.'s Revenge as Isaac / 'Ike'
1976The River Niger as Jeff Williams
1975Cooley High as Leroy "Preach" Jackson
1975Carter's Army as Pvt. George Brightman
1975The Blue Knight as Edwin Beall
1975Ceremonies in Dark Old Men as Theo
1974The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat
1974Together Brothers as Dr. Johnson
1974Thomasine & Bushrod as Jomo J. Anderson
1973Five on the Black Hand Side as Gideon
1972AWOL as Mohammed G.
1971Honky as Sailor at Bus Station
1971In Search of America as Bodhi
1969Room 222









