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Ji-Tu Cumbuka

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Ji-Tu Cumbuka
Born(1940-03-04)March 4, 1940
Helena, Alabama, U.S.
DiedJuly 4, 2017(2017-07-04) (aged 77)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1968–2004
Children1

Ji-Tu Cumbuka (March 4, 1940 – July 4, 2017) was an American actor.[1][2] He is best remembered as "Torque" in the short-lived TV series A Man Called Sloane together with Robert Conrad and Dan O'Herlihy.

In 2011, Cumbuka published his autobiography A Giant to Remember: The Black Actor in Hollywood.[3][4] He has a son and a granddaughter.

Early life

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Cumbuka was born in 1940 in Helena, Alabama,[5] to a Baptist minister. After attending Texas Southern, he moved to California to pursue his acting career, and went to Columbia College in New York City, earning a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and a master's degree in cinematography. He landed a role in the 1968 movie Uptight directed by Jules Dassin.[6]

Acting career

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Cumbuka appeared in such television productions as the Roots miniseries, Daniel Boone, Young Dan'l Boone, Knots Landing, The A-Team, The Dukes of Hazzard, Murder She Wrote, Walker, Texas Ranger, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Amen,[7] 227,[7] Sanford and Son, Hunter, In the Heat of the Night, and Matlock. He was a main cast member of the hit spy TV series A Man Called Sloane with Robert Conrad and Dan O'Herlihy.[8]

Cumbuka also appeared in numerous films. He appeared as former NBA guard Oscar Robertson in the biodrama pic Maurie (1973) about the life of Maurice Stokes.[8] In Harlem Nights (1989), he plays the toothless drunk gambler who gets shot over money. Other films in which he appeared include (but are not limited to) Change of Habit with Elvis Presley (1969), Blacula (1972), Trader Horn (1973), Lost in the Stars (1974), Mandingo (1975), Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1976), Bound for Glory (1976), The Jericho Mile (1979), Doin' Time (1985), Brewster's Millions (1985), Volunteers (1985), Out of Bounds (1986), Moving (1988), and Caged in Paradiso (1990). Cumbuka wrote, produce, and acted in the gospel musical play Help Somebody, co-starring with Kene Holliday, Hall Williams, Ali Woodson, and Glynn Turman. It debuted in Washington, D.C. in the late 90s.

Death

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Cumbuka died at the age of 77 on July 4, 2017, after a six-month battle with cancer.[2][9]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1968 Uptight Rick
1969 Change of Habit Hawk
1972 Top of the Heap Pot Peddler
1972 Blacula Skillet
1972 Up the Sandbox Black Captain
1973 Trader Horn Orange Stripe
1973 Maurie Oscar
1974 Lost in the Stars Johannes
1975 Mandingo Cicero
1976 Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde Lt. Jackson
1976 Bound for Glory Slim Snedeger - Hobo on Train
1977 Fun with Dick and Jane Guard
1977 Angela
1979 Walk Proud Sgt. Gannett
1984 Bachelor Party Alley Pimp
1985 Doin' Time Bernie Feldstein
1985 Brewster's Millions Melvin
1985 Volunteers Cicero
1986 Out of Bounds Lemar
1987 Outrageous Fortune Cab Driver
1988 Moving Edwards
1988 Glitch! Mookie
1989 Harlem Nights Toothless Gambler
1989 Murder She Wrote Calder Williams
1990 Caged in Paradiso Josh
1993 Midnight Edition Reginald Brown

References

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  1. ^ "Ji-Tu Cumbuka". TV Guide.
  2. ^ a b Barnes, Mike (July 9, 2017). "Ji-Tu Cumbuka, Actor in 'Roots' and 'Harlem Nights,' Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ Cumbuka, Ji-Tu (2011). A Giant to Remember: The Black Actor in Hollywood. S.e.l.f. ISBN 9780984279180.
  4. ^ "A Giant to Remember". Agianttoremeber.com.
  5. ^ Cumbuka, Ji-Tu (October 2011). Ji-Tu Cumbuka: A Giant to Remember. S.e.l.f. ISBN 9780984279180. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  6. ^ Ji-Tu Cumbaka bio, VH1.com; accessed April 8, 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Ji-Tu Cumbuka". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  8. ^ a b Ji-Tu Cumbuka at IMDb
  9. ^ Croom, Tene` (July 5, 2017). "We Remember Ji-Tu Cumbuka: Veteran Actor Who Starred In 'Roots' Dies At 77". Eurweb.com.
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