Carl Lumbly

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9.1 Superb
95 votes

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Biography

Recent Role:
Captain Joel Rucker on Southland
Gender:
Male
Born:
8-14-1952
Birthplace:
Jamaica, West Indies
The son of Jamaican immigrants, Carl Lumbly started his career in Minnesota as a journalist, working for the 3M company in public relations, writing freelance and penning for the Associated Press. While on an assignment to do a story on Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop Theatre, fate was on Lumbly's side, and he ended up being cast in one of the productions. He stayed there for two years doing improvisational comedy.

Lumbly then moved to San Francisco, where he met and worked with actor Danny Glover in a production of "Sizwe Bansi is Dead" by Athol Fugard. The production brought

More the two actors to Los Angeles on a Cal Arts Council Tour, where they ended up doing "The Island," another Fugard play, at the Matrix Theatre.

An acclaimed veteran of the stage, Lumbly has been working steadily ever since, appearing in such films as "Escape from Alcatraz," "Caveman," "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension," "Judgment in Berlin," "The Bedroom Window," "Everybody's All American," "To Sleep with Anger," "Pacific Heights," "South Central," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and "Men of Honor." He also starred in the film, "Just a Dream," which was directed by his friend, Danny Glover, for Showtime.

On television, Lumbly starred in the series, "Cagney & Lacey," ABC's "Going to Extremes" and "M.A.N.T.I.S."; had recurring roles on "ER" and "EZ Streets"; and guest starred on "The X-Files," "The West Wing," "Family Law" and "Kate Brasher."

His numerous made-for-television movies and miniseries include "The Chicago Conspiracy Trial," "Tribeca: The Box," "Out of Darkness," "Cagney & Lacey: The Return," "America's Dream Reunion," "The Ditchdigger's Daughter," "Buffalo Soldiers," for which he earned a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor; "Oprah Winfrey Presents The Wedding," "The Color of Friendship" and "Built for Speed: The Little Richard Story." Lumbly received Ace Award nominations for his work in "Nightjohn" and "On Promised Land," both for the Disney Channel.

Lumbly is married to actress Vonetta McGee and has one son. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, writing and playing with his two dogs.

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  •  
    8.1 Great
    Review hide show

    A lot of people will rank him up there as one of the Alias superstars, but for me he was one of the weakest of the main cast. I think it was the sicked back dreadlock look in the later seasons that got to me - but either way I wasnt a fan on his on screen performance with any of our main characters. The only memorable scene I remember him in was when Sydney was telling him about SD-6 being fake for the firts time, he did a really good job in that scene. But for me though - hes just simply average. Theres nothing there that stands out to me that I would ever want to go and watch a show because he is in it. I think he could have been easily replaced on the show and wish that he would have been killed off for shock value sometime.

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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    Carl Lumby- Stealth Actor? hide show

    As one of the agents worked over by Arvin Sloane, and the Sloane clone of Season Four, on Alias, Carl Lumbly's Agent Marcus Dixon is truly a stealth weapon!

    We've seen the family man deal with the loss of his long-time wife, the kidnapping of his children, the seeming betrayal of several co-workers and a promotion and demotion in his department.

    It might've been harder for the amazing Mr. Lumbly if he hadn't served quiet notice during his run as Mark Petrie in Cagney & Lacey and proved his ability to command the screen as Dr. miles Hawkins, a.k.a. M.A.N.T.I.S.! There was a doctor role in the short-lived Going To Extremes.

    In his scenes last season on Alias, he sizzled with Angela Bassett; he also brought a palpable contented, settled-in love for Dix's wife, Diane. The tone when she was taken from him would pierce the heart of anyone who's fallen in love.

    It's easy to laud his parts, as he makes the men he inhabits feel real, guys you would want to hang out with and have a drink or two with. He goes from good husband and father to concerned friend to quiet assassin to raging-at-the-universe-and-you're-in-the-way, sometimes, even in the same episode!

    I'd just babble on, like the fangirl I am, so I'll just suggest strongly to stop down and watch this lovely man do all sorts of things, even a bit unlovely, and find yourself another to-watch actor!

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