AL FREEMAN JR.
- Born
- 1934-03-21 (age 78)
- Died
- 2012-08-09 (aged 78) · 13 years ago
- Birthplace
- San Antonio, Texas, US
- Occupation
- Director, Educator, Professor
- Active
- 2012 - 2012
- Spouse
- Sevara E. Clemon
- Alma Mater
- Los Angeles City College, University of Massachusetts, Howard University
- AKA
- Albert Cornelius Freeman Jr., Albert C. Freeman Jr., Al Freeman
Biography
EARLY LIFE
Albert Cornelius Freeman Jr. was born on March 21, 1934, in San Antonio, Texas, to Lottie Brisette (née Coleman) and Albert Cornelius Freeman, a jazz pianist. His parents divorced when he was nine years old, and he was raised in both San Antonio and Columbus, Ohio. He attended Los Angeles City College in 1951, studying acting, but left to serve three years in the US Air Force during the Korean War. After his military service, he returned to Los Angeles City College for further studies and later earned a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts.
CAREER
Freeman's acting career began in 1958 with TV appearances, and he made his Broadway debut in 1960. He gained significant recognition for his role as police captain Ed Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live from 1972 to 1987, a role for which he won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1979. He also played Malcolm X in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generations and Elijah Muhammad in Spike Lee's 1992 film Malcolm X, earning an NAACP Image Award for the latter. Beyond acting, Freeman directed episodes of One Life to Live, becoming the first African American to direct a TV soap opera. From 1991, he was a full-time faculty member and chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts at Howard University, teaching acting. Al Freeman Jr. was a lead screenwriter for Cool Red (1976). He co-wrote the script alongside Ossie Davis and Ladi Ladebo, adapting it from a story by John Storm Roberts.
PERSONAL LIFE
Al Freeman Jr. married Sevara E. Clemon on January 8, 1960; the marriage ended in divorce. He enjoyed sailing his 40-foot sailboat. Freeman died on August 9, 2012, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 78. A memorial service was held at Howard University, which later renamed its Environmental Theatre Space in his honor.
Filmography
No filmography available for this person yet.
Box Office
Weekly Top Grossing3 Cold Dishes
₦5,331,351.00
Gingerrr
₦12,727,775.00
Gingerrr
₦21,139,500.00
The Herd
₦16,977,673.00
3 Cold Dishes
₦15,261,240.00
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Popularity Score
Top 100% of African actors
