Carl Lumbly
Carl Winston Lumbly (born August 14, 1951)[2] is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Dick Hallorann in Doctor Sleep, NYPD Detective Marcus Petrie on the CBS police drama Cagney & Lacey, CIA Agent Marcus Dixon on the ABC espionage drama series Alias, and as the voice of J'onn J'onnz/Martian Manhunter for the animated series Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, as well as the direct-to-DVD animated film Justice League: Doom and the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us.[3] Lumbly portrayed J'onn J'onnz's father, M'yrnn, on Supergirl from 2017 until 2019.
Carl Lumbly | |
|---|---|
 Lumbly in his senior year of high school | |
| Born | Carl Winston Lumbly August 14, 1951 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | South High School Macalester College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse(s) | Deborah Santana
(m. 2015–2019) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
Lumbly was born to Jamaican immigrants in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He graduated from South High School there and Macalester College in nearby St. Paul.
Lumbly's first career was as a journalist in Minnesota. While on assignment for a story about a workshop theatre, he was cast as an actor. He stayed with the improvisational company for two years and later moved to San Francisco where he discovered a newspaper ad seeking “two black actors for South African political plays.” He went to the audition and landed one of the parts (along with then-unknown Danny Glover). Lumbly toured with Glover in productions of Athol Fugard’s Sizwe Bansi is Dead and The Island.[4]
Career
His first major role was Detective Marcus Petrie on the television series Cagney & Lacey (1982–1988), where his character was paired with Detective Victor Isbecki (Martin Kove). In 1985 he appeared as Theseus in The Gospel At Colonus, an African-American musical iteration of the Oedipus legend, which starred Morgan Freeman and The Blind Boys Of Alabama, on PBS' Great Performances series.
In 1987, he garnered positive reviews for his portrayal of Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale in the HBO television movie Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8. In 1989-90, he portrayed ongoing character Earl Williams (named for the prisoner in Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's story The Front Page), a teacher falsely accused of the rape/murder of a female student, in the hit TV series L.A. Law.
From 1994–1995, Lumbly starred as the main character in the short-lived science fiction series M.A.N.T.I.S.. Perhaps his most visible role was as Marcus Dixon in the American television series Alias (2001–2006).
Other prominent roles include providing the voice for the Martian Manhunter in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, which is why he was cast as the father of the same character in 2017 for the TV show Supergirl. In Superman: The Animated Series Lumbly voiced the Mayor of Metropolis in the episode "Speed Demons" in 1997, and as an alien military general in the episode "Absolute Power" in 1999. He voiced the villain Stalker on Batman Beyond.
In 2000, Lumbly portrayed activist and Congressman Ron Dellums in the Disney Channel original film, The Color of Friendship. Although the movie was focused on Dellums' daughter's friendship with a white South African girl, the film also discussed Dellums' role in ending apartheid in South Africa.
Also in 2000, Lumbly guest starred in the season one The West Wing episode "Six Meetings Before Lunch" as Jeff Breckenridge, a nominee for U.S. Assistant Attorney General who supports reparations for slavery. Lumbly appeared as Lt. Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek in the 2004 television series Battlestar Galactica. He also plays a role in the Kane's Wrath expansion pack for the video game Command and Conquer 3. More recently, he played police captain Joe Rucker on TNT's Southland.
Personal life
Lumbly has been married twice and has one son. He was married to actress Vonetta McGee from 1987 until her death in 2010. Together, they had one son named Brandon Lumbly, born in 1988. Lumbly married author Deborah Santana in 2015 and the couple divorced in 2019.[1]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Escape from Alcatraz | Inmate | |
| 1981 | Caveman | Bork | |
| 1981 | Lifepod | Keshah | |
| 1984 | The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension | John Parker | |
| 1987 | The Bedroom Window | Det. Quirke | |
| 1988 | Coming to America | stadium janitor | |
| 1988 | Judgement in Berlin | Edwin Palmer | |
| 1988 | Everybody's All-American | Narvel Blue | |
| 1990 | To Sleep with Anger | Junior | |
| 1990 | Pacific Heights | Lou Baker | |
| 1992 | South Central | Ali | |
| 1998 | Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero | Additional Voices | Direct-to-video[5] |
| 1998 | How Stella Got Her Groove Back | Judge Spencer Boyle | |
| 2000 | Men of Honor | Mac Brashear | |
| 2000 | 9mm of Love | Cue | Short film |
| 2002 | Just a Dream | J.M. Hoagland | |
| 2003 | Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property | Nat Turner - Gray | Documentary |
| 2007 | Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation | Sam Nujoma | |
| 2008 | The Alphabet Killer | Dr. Ellis Parks | |
| 2008 | Immigrants | Splits Jackson (voice) | English Dub[5] |
| 2010 | Nominated | Ray Cowan | [6] |
| 2012 | Justice League: Doom | Martian Manhunter/ J'onn J'onzz / Ma'alefa'ak (voice) | Direct-to-video[5] |
| 2012 | 99% | Dr. Carl Westen | Short film |
| 2015 | Justice League: Gods and Monsters | Silas Stone (voice) | Direct-to-video[5] |
| 2015 | Quitters | Dr. Weiss | |
| 2015 | America Is Still the Place | ||
| 2016 | Gilpin's Nightmare | Charles Gilpin | Short film |
| 2016 | Love Twice | Rodrigo | |
| 2016 | A Cure for Wellness | Wilson | |
| 2019 | Doctor Sleep | Dick Hallorann | [7] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Emergency! | Beutel | Episode: What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing...?" |
| 1979 | Undercover with the KKK | Reverend Lowell | TV movie |
| 1980 | Lou Grant | Beutel | Episode: "Hazard" |
| 1980 | Taxi | Customer #2 | Episode: "Fantasy Borough: Part 1" |
| 1981 | The Jeffersons | Jimmy | Episode: "And the Doorknobs Shined Like Diamonds" |
| 1981 | B. J. and the Bear | Telephone Rep. | Episode: "Intercepted Pass" |
| 1981–1988 | Cagney & Lacey | Detective Marcus Petrie | 105 episodes |
| 1985 | Great Performances | Theseus | Episode: "The Gospel at Colonus" |
| 1987 | Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 | Bobby Seale | TV movie |
| 1989–1990 | L.A. Law | Earl Williams | 6 episodes |
| 1991 | Eyes of a Witness | Mambulu | TV movie |
| 1991 | Brother Future | Denmark Vesey | TV movie |
| 1991 | American Experience | Narrator | Episode: "Marcus Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind" |
| 1992 | Back to the Streets of San Francisco | Charlie Walker | |
| 1992–1993 | Going to Extremes | Dr. Norris | 17 episodes |
| 1993 | Tribeca | Ernest | Episode: "The Box" |
| 1994 | Out of Darkness | Addison | TV movie |
| 1994–1995 | M.A.N.T.I.S. | Dr. Miles Hawkins | 22 episodes and TV movie |
| 1994 | SeaQuest 2032 | Lamm | Episode: "The Last Lap of Luxury" |
| 1994 | On Promised Land | Floyd Ween | TV movie |
| 1994 | Cagney & Lacey: The Return | Marcus Petrie | TV movie |
| 1996 | America's Dream | Cal | TV movie; Segment: "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black" |
| 1996 | Chicago Hope | Michael Johnson | Episode: "Life Lines" |
| 1996 | Nightjohn | John | TV movie |
| 1996 | Touched by an Angel | Willis Thompson | Episode: "Sins of the Father" |
| 1996 | The X-Files | Marcus Duff | Episode: "Teliko" |
| 1996–1997 | EZ Streets | Mayor Christian Davidson | 9 episodes |
| 1997 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Colonel William Marcus (voice) | Episode: "Other Space" |
| 1997 | The Ditchdigger's Daughters | Donald Thornton | TV movie |
| 1997 | Buffalo Soldiers | John Horse | TV movie |
| 1998 | The Wedding | Lute McNeil | TV Movie |
| 1999 | Any Day Now | Nathan | 2 episodes |
| 1997–1998 | Superman: The Animated Series | Alterus / Mayor (voice) | 2 Episodes[5] |
| 1999 | Border Line | Detective Mollo | TV movie |
| 1999 | ER | Dr. Graham Baker | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Strange World | Kevin Manus | Episode: "Eliza" |
| 1999–2000 | Batman Beyond | Stalker/Officer Williams (voice) | 2 Episodes[5] |
| 1999–2000 | The Wild Thornberrys | Red Colobus Monkey / Tumbulu (voice) | 2 Episodes[5] |
| 2000 | The Color of Friendship | Congressman Ron Dellums | TV movie |
| 2000 | Little Richard | Bud Penniman | TV movie |
| 2000 | The West Wing | Jeff Breckenridge | Episode: "Six Meetings Before Lunch" |
| 2000 | The Magnificent Seven | Obediah Jackson | Episode: "The Trial" |
| 2000 | Family Law | Tom Calloway | Episode: "Affairs of the State" |
| 2001 | American Experience | Frederick Douglass | Episode: "The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry"" |
| 2001 | Kate Brasher | Jackson Turner | Episode: "Jackson Turner" |
| 2001 | Night Visions | Dan | Episode: "A View Through the Window" |
| 2001–2004 | Justice League | Martian Manhunter/ J'onn J'onzz (voice) | 46 Episodes[5] |
| 2001–2006 | Alias | Marcus Dixon | 105 episodes |
| 2002 | Toonami | Swayzak | Episode: "Trapped in Hyperspace" |
| 2003 | The Wonderful World of Disney | The Father | Episode: "Sounder" |
| 2003 | Static Shock | Anansi the Spider / Martian Manhunter/J'onn J'onzz (voice) | 4 Episodes[5] |
| 2004–2006 | Justice League Unlimited | Martian Manhunter/ J'onn J'onzz (voice) | 18 Episodes[5] |
| 2005 | Slavery and the Making of America | Salomon Northup | Episode: "Seeds of Destruction" |
| 2006 | Battlestar Galactica | Lt. Danny "Bulldog" Novacek | Episode: "Hero" |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Cordell Baker '08 | Episode: "Wednesday's Women" |
| 2008 | Grey's Anatomy | Kurt Walling | Episode: "There's No 'I' in Team" |
| 2008 | Chuck | Ty Bennett | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Sensei" |
| 2009 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Tornado Champion / Tornado Tyrant (voice) | Episode: "Hail the Tornado Tyrant"[5] |
| 2010 | Black Panther | Uncle S'Yan (voice)/Other voice roles | 6 Episodes[5] |
| 2010 | Trauma | Special Agent Reynolds | Episode: "Tunnel Vision" |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | James 'Jay-Mo' Morris | Episode: "Devil's Night" |
| 2011 | NCIS | Rear Admiral Beau Hindley | Episode: "Tell-All" |
| 2012 | Southland | Captain Joel Rucker | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Family Guy | Loan Officer (voice) | Episode: "Baking Bad" |
| 2014 | Hope: The Last Paladin | Robert Danforth | Pilot |
| 2015 | The Returned | Pastor Leon Wright | 5 episodes |
| 2015 | Zoo | Delavenne | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | UnREAL | Dr. Henry Carter | Episode: "Infiltration" |
| 2017 | Six | Robert Chase, Sr. | Episode: "Confession" |
| 2017 | Doubt | Walter Don Burkes | Episode: "#2.5" |
| 2017–2018 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Charles Langston | 4 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Supergirl | M'yrnn J'onzz | 11 Episodes |
| 2019 | This Is Us | Abe Clarke | [8] |
| 2020 | God Friended Me | Alphonse Jeffries | Episode: "BFF" |
| 2020 | Altered Carbon | Lukas Imani | 2 Episodes |
| 2021 | The Falcon and the Winter Soldier | Upcoming miniseries |
Theatre
- Eden (1980)
- The Motherfucker with the Hat (2013)
- Storefront Church (2013)
- Let There Be Love (2015)
- Between Riverside and Crazy (2015)
- Red Velvet (2016)
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Alias | Agent Marcus Dixon (voice) | |
| 2008 | Command and Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath | Brother Marcion (voice) | |
| 2010 | BioShock 2 | Charles Milton Porter (voice) | |
| BioShock 2: Minerva's Den | |||
| 2012 | Diablo III | Witch Doctor - Male (voice) | [5] |
| 2013 | Injustice: Gods Among Us | Martian Manhunter/ J'onn J'onzz (voice) | Uncredited |
| 2014 | Diablo III: Reaper of Souls | Witch Doctor - Male (voice) | [5] |
| 2015 | Heroes of the Storm | Nazeebo (voice) | |
| 2017 | Tacoma | Odin (voice) | [5] |
References
- CARL LUMBLY
- According to the State of Minnesota. Minnesota Birth Index, 1935-2002. At Ancestry.com
- Hillard, Kyle. "Martian Manhunter Coming To Injustice: Gods Among Us". Game Informer.
- "Carl Lumbly - About this Artist". Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Carl-Lumbly/
- Nominated
- Fleming Jr., Mike (August 1, 2018). "'Doctor Sleep' Gets Carl Lumbly For Dick Halloran, Alex Essoe For Wendy Torrance". Deadline. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- Andreeva, Nellie; Petski, Denise (February 7, 2019). "'This Is Us' Casts Young & Teen Beth; Carl Lumbly To Play Her Father". Deadline.
- "1980-1989 Awards". United States: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. Archived from the original on 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
