Occupation Actor Years active 1964–1997 | Name Julius Harris Role Actor | |
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Children Gideon Harris, Kimberly Harris Movies Live and Let Die, Super Fly, King Kong, Black Caesar, Harley Davidson and the M Similar People Yaphet Kotto, Clifton James, Geoffrey Holder, Guy Hamilton, Larry Cohen | ||
Julius Harris (August 17, 1923 – October 17, 2004) was an American actor who appeared in more than 70 movies and numerous television series in a career that spanned four decades.
Contents
Early life and career
Born in Philadelphia, Harris worked as a nurse, and a bouncer in New York City jazz clubs before he began acting, and served as a medic in the United States Army during World War II. After hanging out with many struggling actors, he took a dare and auditioned for his first role and was cast as the father in Nothing But a Man, a critically acclaimed 1964 film about black life in the South starring Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln.
Some of his most prominent roles included the villainous, steel-armed Tee Hee in the James Bond film Live and Let Die, Scatter in Super Fly, Bubbletop Woodson in Let's Do It Again, Captain Bollin in Shaft's Big Score, Inspector Daniels in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Joseph in Islands in the Stream and Ugandan President Idi Amin in the TV movie Victory at Entebbe. He also appeared in Trouble Man, King Kong, Black Caesar, Hell Up in Harlem, Friday Foster, Shrunken Heads, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and in guest-starring roles on Sanford and Son, Good Times, and Love Boat among others. Harris was a member of the Negro Ensemble Company in New York City and appeared on Broadway in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, No Place to Be Somebody.
Death
On October 17, 2004, Harris died of heart failure at the age of 81. He was cremated and interred in Philadelphia, his place of birth. He was survived by his daughter Kimberly and his son Gideon.
Filmography
Actor
1997
ER (TV Series) as
Gramps
- Random Acts (1997) - Gramps
1996
The Burning Zone (TV Series) as
Tribal Shaman
- The Silent Tower (1996) - Tribal Shaman
1994
Shrunken Heads as
Mr. Sumatra
1993
The Gifted
1992
Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence as
Houngan
1992
The Boys (TV Movie) as
Doc
1992
Eerie, Indiana (TV Series) as
Prop Man
- Reality Takes a Holiday (1992) - Prop Man
1992
Jake and the Fatman (TV Series) as
James Allan Chester
- Pennies from Heaven (1992) - James Allan Chester
1992
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive (TV Movie) as
Elderly Farmer
1992
Nurses (TV Series) as
Rev. Curtis
- Eat Something (1992) - Rev. Curtis
1991
Last Breeze of Summer (Short) as
The Reverend
1991
Civil Wars (TV Series) as
Judge Adams
- Pilot (1991) - Judge Adams
1991
Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) as
Jack Lee Johnson
- Judge Not (1991) - Jack Lee Johnson
1991
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man as
Old Man
1991
The Golden Girls (TV Series) as
Mr. Lewis
- Older and Wiser (1991) - Mr. Lewis
1990
Prayer of the Rollerboys as
Speedbagger
1990
Dragnet (TV Series) as
Mr. Leyland
- Living Victim (1990) - Mr. Leyland
1990
Darkman as
Gravedigger
1990
To Sleep with Anger as
Herman
1989
1st & Ten (TV Series) as
Willie Buck Newton
- The Irreducible Bottom Line (1989) - Willie Buck Newton
1989
Friday the 13th: The Series (TV Series) as
Simpson
- The Butcher (1989) - Simpson
1988
Split Decisions as
Tony Leone
1987
Frank's Place (TV Series) as
Mr. Kicks
- Cool and the Gang: Part 2 (1987) - Mr. Kicks
- Cool and the Gang: Part 1 (1987) - Mr. Kicks
1987
A Gathering of Old Men (TV Movie) as
Coot
1987
Outlaws (TV Series) as
Butch
- Primer (1987) - Butch
1986
The Love Boat (TV Series) as
Minister
- The Shipshape Cruise (1986) - Minister
1986
Capitol (TV Series) as
Papa Nebo
- Episode dated 6 October 1986 (1986) - Papa Nebo
1986
Hollywood Vice Squad as
Jesse
1983
Cagney & Lacey (TV Series) as
Sgt. Major Brennan / Bardo
- Post Partum (1986) - Sgt. Major Brennan
- The Grandest Jewel Thief of Them All (1983) - Bardo
1986
My Chauffeur as
Johnson
1985
Amazing Stories (TV Series) as
Joe
- Mr. Magic (1985) - Joe
1985
Crimewave as
Hardened Convict
1985
Hollywood Wives (TV Mini Series) as
Reverend Daniel
- Episode #1.1 (1985) - Reverend Daniel
1984
The Jeffersons (TV Series) as
Rev. Taylor
- They Don't Make Preachers Like Him Anymore (1984) - Rev. Taylor
1984
Benson (TV Series) as
Uncle Buster
- The Reunion (1984) - Uncle Buster
1984
Booker (TV Movie) as
Lee
1984
Gone Are the Dayes (TV Movie) as
Man #1
1984
The Enchanted as
Booker T
1984
Hart to Hart (TV Series) as
Krohn
- Slam Dunk (1984) - Krohn
1983
Going Berserk as
Judge
1983
Missing Pieces (TV Movie) as
Spencer Harris
1983
St. Elsewhere (TV Series) as
Earl
- Graveyard (1983) - Earl
1981
Simon & Simon (TV Series) as
Jules / Montgomery
- Thin Air (1982) - Jules
- The Least Dangerous Game (1981) - Montgomery (as Julius W. Harris)
1982
Voyagers! (TV Series) as
Auctioneer
- The Travels of Marco- and Friends (1982) - Auctioneer
1982
The Blue and the Gray (TV Mini Series) as
Preacher / Swamp Preacher
- Part 3 (1982) - Preacher (credit only)
- Part 2 (1982) - Preacher
- Part 1 (1982) - Swamp Preacher (credit only)
1981
Full Moon High as
Hijacker (uncredited)
1981
Circle of Power as
B.B.
1981
Thornwell (TV Movie) as
Frisco
1980
First Family as
Ambassador Longo
1980
Gorp as
Fred the Chef
1979
Uptown Saturday Night (TV Movie) as
Geechie Dan
1979
The Incredible Hulk (TV Series) as
Doc Alden
- The Slam (1979) - Doc Alden
1979
Delta Fox as
Tiny (as Julius W. Harris)
1978
Insight (TV Series) as
Baggott / Avery
- Plus Time Served (1979) - Baggott
- The Flawed Magi (1978) - Avery
1979
Vega$ (TV Series) as
Yancy
- Kill Dan Tanna! (1979) - Yancy
1978
B.J. and the Bear (TV Series) as
Colonel Whitmore
- The Foundlings (1978) - Colonel Whitmore
1978
To Kill a Cop (TV Movie) as
Detective Baker
1978
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV Series) as
Mr. Dove
- Voodoo Doll, Part II (1978) - Mr. Dove
- Voodoo Doll: Part 1 (1978) - Mr. Dove
1978
Ring of Passion (TV Movie) as
Chappie Jackson
1977
The Fat Albert Christmas Special (TV Movie) as
Mr. Tyrone (voice)
1977
Kojak (TV Series) as
Joe Addison
- Once More from Birdland (1977) - Joe Addison
1977
Looking for Mr. Goodbar as
Black Cat
1977
Alambrista! as
2nd Drunk
1977
Visions (TV Series) as
Second Drunk
- Alambrista! (1977) - Second Drunk
1977
Islands in the Stream as
Joseph
1977
Sanford and Son (TV Series) as
Doctor
- The Will (1977) - Doctor
1976
Good Times (TV Series) as
Ben Foster
- Florida's Night Out (1976) - Ben Foster
1976
Victory at Entebbe (TV Movie) as
President Idi Amin (as Julius W. Harris)
1976
King Kong as
Boan
1976
Rich Man, Poor Man (TV Mini Series) as
Augie
- Part II: Chapters 3 and 4 (1976) - Augie
1975
Friday Foster as
Monk Riley
1975
Ellery Queen (TV Series) as
Doyle the Butler
- The Adventure of the Mad Tea Party (1975) - Doyle the Butler
1975
Let's Do It Again as
Bubbletop Woodson
1975
Doctors' Hospital (TV Series) as
Tolan
- Knives of Chance (1975) - Tolan
1975
Cannon (TV Series) as
Millner
- Search and Destroy (1975) - Millner
1975
A Cry for Help (TV Movie) as
George Rigney
1975
Harry O (TV Series) as
Arthur 'Art Sully' Daniels
- Sound of Trumpets (1975) - Arthur 'Art Sully' Daniels
1974
Salty (TV Series) as
Clancy
- The Vigil (1975) - Clancy
- To Taylor from Salty with Love (1975) - Clancy
- Sentimental Value (1975) - Clancy
- A Sense of Worth (1975) - Clancy
- Scape Goat (1974) - Clancy
- Reach for a Dream (1974) - Clancy
- For the Price of Freedom (1974) - Clancy
- A New Friend (1974) - Clancy
- Miss Betsy (1974) - Clancy
- Lost in Transit (1974) - Clancy
- Just a Quick Snack (1974) - Clancy
- Hostage (1974) - Clancy (as Julius W. Harris)
- Gold Dust and Jewel Fish (1974) - Clancy
- Girl on an Island (1974) - Clancy
- Forget Me Not (1974) - Clancy
- For the Love of Clancy (1974) - Clancy
- Clancy's Big Decision (1974) - Clancy
- Chess Set (1974) - Clancy
- Bleak Mansion (1974) - Clancy
- Aunt Cleo (1974) - Clancy
1974
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as
Inspector Daniels
1973
Blade as
Card Player
1973
Hell Up in Harlem as
Papa Gibbs (as Julius W. Harris)
1973
Shock-a-bye, Baby (TV Movie)
1973
The Bob Newhart Show (TV Series) as
Mr. Billings
- Blues for Mr. Borden (1973) - Mr. Billings
1973
Salty as
Clancy Ames (as Julius W. Harris)
1973
Live and Let Die as
Tee Hee (as Julius W. Harris)
1973
Black Caesar as
Mr. Gibbs (as Julius W. Harris)
1972
Trouble Man as
Big
1972
Super Fly as
Scatter (as Julius W. Harris)
1972
Shaft's Big Score! as
Capt. Bollin (as Julius W. Harris)
1971
Incident in San Francisco (TV Movie) as
Henry Carter
1969
Slaves as
Shadrach
1967
N.Y.P.D. (TV Series) as
Hector / Banks / Hostage in bar
- Candy Man: Part 2 (1969) - Hector
- Candy Man: Part 1 (1969) - Hector
- Which Side Are You On? (1968) - Banks
- Fast Gun (1967) - Hostage in bar
1964
Nothing But a Man as
Will Anderson
Self
1999
E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Superfly: The Ron O'Neal Story (1999) - Self
1999
Inside 'Live and Let Die' (Video documentary short) as
Self
1994
VideoZone (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Shrunken Heads/Peter David (1994) - Self
1987
Ein Aufstand alter Männer (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
1973
Bond 1973: The Lost Documentary (Documentary short) as
Self
Archive Footage
2023
Carnage Collection: Vicious Violence & Vengeance as
Mr. Sumatra
2013
Bond's Greatest Moments (TV Movie documentary) as
Tee Hee (uncredited)
2012
Top Gear (TV Series) as
Tee Hee
- 50 Years of Bond Cars (2012) - Tee Hee (uncredited)
2008
Film '72 (TV Series) as
Tee Hee
- Quantum of Solace Special (2008) - Tee Hee (uncredited)
2005
11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Memorial Tribute
2004
Svengoolie (TV Series) as
Mr. Sumatra
- Shrunken Heads (2004) - Mr. Sumatra
2002
James Bond: A BAFTA Tribute (TV Special)
2002
Best Ever Bond (TV Movie documentary) as
Tee Hee (uncredited)
1986
James Bond at the Movies (Video short) as
Self
1983
At the Movies (TV Series)
- James Bond (1983)
References
Julius Harris Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA