Thomas Jefferson Byrd

Thomas Jefferson Byrd (June 25, 1950 – October 3, 2020) was an American character actor who played in several of director Spike Lee's films. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the 2003 Broadway revival of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.[1]

Thomas Jefferson Byrd
Born(1950-06-25)June 25, 1950
Griffin, Georgia, U.S.
DiedOctober 3, 2020(2020-10-03) (aged 70)
Atlanta, Georgia
EducationMorris Brown College
California Institute of the Arts
OccupationActor
Years active1992–2020

Career

Byrd earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Morris Brown College and later received a Master of Fine Arts degree in dance from California Institute of the Arts.[1]

Byrd starred in numerous regional stage productions including the San Diego Repertory Theatre's award-winning performance of Spunk.[2] He also starred in Home by Samm-Art Evans, Two Trains Running, The Piano Lesson and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Alliance Theater, Flyin' West, Hamlet and Miss Evers' Boys at the Indiana Repertory, and in other productions of Flyin' West at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and at the Long Wharf Theatre.[2]

For his Broadway debut, a performance in the 2003 revival of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Byrd received a Tony Award nomination for best featured actor.[3][1]

Byrd appeared in several films by Spike Lee, including Clockers, Get on the Bus, Bamboozled, Red Hook Summer, and Chi-Raq.[2] Byrd also appeared as Stokely Darling in Lee's Netflix series She's Gotta Have It.[2] His other films credits include Set It Off, Ray, and Brooklyn's Finest.[2]

Death

After an emergency call was made in Atlanta, Georgia, around 1:45 a.m. on October 3, 2020, Byrd was found unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds in his back and pronounced dead. He was 70.[4][1][5] A spokesperson for Atlanta police said that homicide detectives were "working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident".[4] On October 17, 2020, a 30-year-old man was arrested for having a connection to Byrd's murder.[6]

Work

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1995ClockersErrol Barnes[7]
1996Girl 6Caller #18
1996Get on the BusEvan Thomas Sr.
1996Set It OffLuther
1997Touch MeCountry Doctor
1998He Got GameSweetness
1998BulworthUncle Rafeeq
2000TroisThomas
2000BamboozledHoneycutt
2001MacArthur ParkCody
2002Never Get Outta the BoatWilliam Ellis
2002The Kudzu ChristmasReverend Burton
2004X, YMarcus
2004RayJimmy
2009Brooklyn's FinestUncle Jeb
2010Bronx ParadiseJimmy
2012Red Hook SummerDeacon Zee[8]
2014Da Sweet Blood of JesusBishop Zee[9]
2015Chi-RaqApollo[10]
2020Freedom's PathAbnerPosthumous release; Final film role

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1992In the Heat of the NightLouis ArthurEpisode: "Random's Child"
1993I'll Fly Away: Then and NowPanhandlerTV movie
1997Living SingleMr. LeonEpisode: "Moonlight Savings Time"
1998Mama Flora's FamilyFlora's Pa2 episodes
1999Passing GloryTV movie
2001BoycottRaymond ParksTV movie
2004Law & Order: Criminal IntentCurtis RomneyEpisode: "Mad Hops"
2005Lackawanna BluesNumb Finger PeteTV movie
2017–19She's Gotta Have ItStokely Darling10 episodes
2020The Last O.G.JimmyEpisode: "Family Feud"

Theatre
Year Title Role Notes
2003 Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Toledo Won Theatre World Award[11]
Nominated for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play[12]

Awards and nominations
YearAwardNominated workResultNotes
2003 Theatre World Award Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Won [11]
2003 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play Nominated [12]

References
  1. Burns, Asia Simone (October 4, 2020). "Thomas Jefferson Byrd, actor in Spike Lee films, killed in Atlanta". ajc.com. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  2. Hudson, Tanay (October 4, 2020). "Spike Lee Reveals Actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd Was Murdered In Atlanta, Georgia". madamenoire.com. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  3. "NOMINATIONS / 2003 / ACTOR (FEATURED ROLE - PLAY)".
  4. Yasharoff, Hannah (October 4, 2020). "Spike Lee mourns his longtime star Thomas Jefferson Byrd, 70, killed in apparent shooting". usatoday.com. USA Today. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  5. "American Actor Jefferson Byrd Shot Dead By Unknown Gunmen". The African Media. October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  6. Bruce Haring (October 17, 2020). "Suspect Arrested In Film Actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd Atlanta Murder". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  7. "Thomas Jefferson Byrd, actor in Spike Lee films, shot dead in Atlanta". The Guardian.
  8. "Red Hook Summer (2012)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. 2019.
  9. "Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (2015)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. 2019.
  10. "Thomas Jefferson Byrd: Spike Lee pays tribute after actor's 'tragic murder'". BBC.
  11. Fisher, James (2011). Historical Dictionary of Contemporary American Theater: 1930-2010. Scarecrow Press. p. 488. ISBN 9780810879508.
  12. "Thomas Jefferson Byrd Tony Awards Info". BroadwayWorld. 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
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