Samuel L. Jackson

Photo of Mr. Jackson at Comic-Con by L. Mangue

Samuel L. Jackson (born Samuel L. Jackson) was born on December 21, 1948 in Washington, D.C., but  was raised by his grandparents in, then segregated, Chattanooga, TN.  Jackson attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he co-founded Atlanta's black-oriented Just Us Theater and met his future wife LaTanya Richardson.  

In 1969 Morehouse College briefly suspended Jackson for taking several members of the college's board of trustees, including Martin Luther King, Sr., hostage during a sit-in to protest the absence of black trustees and a black studies curriculum.  He Graduated in 1972 with a degree in theater arts.  Jackson remained in Atlanta, finding work in television commercials and regional theatrical productions, as well as a small role in his first feature film, Together for Days in 1972. 

In 1976, after he made a brief appearance in the short-lived television series Movin' On (aired in 1977), he moved to New York City, where he became involved with the Negro Ensemble Company, performing in several notable productions (after one of these productions he met fellow alum Spike Lee, who would cast him in four films).  In 1980 Jackson married his college sweetheart, Miss Richardson (then attending Spelman College), they have a daughter, Zoe.

Another Television appearance followed, this time a part in The Trial of the Moke for public television's Great Performances.  Then Jackson landed a walk-on role in Milos Forman's Ragtime 1981.  Returning to TV, he worked for two years as Bill Cosby's stand-in on The Bill Cosby Show, before being cast as Boy Willie in the original Broadway production of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson.  Despite rave reviews and a starring role in Wilson's follow-up, Two Trains Running, large roles in Hollywood features eluded him, and a long series of walk-ons ensued, including: Coming to America 1988, Sea of Love 1989 and Goodfellas 1990.

It was 1991 when director Spike Lee, who had already directed Jackson in School Daze, Do the Right Thing 1989 and Mo' Better Blues 1990, cast him as the crack-addicted Gator in Jungle Fever, a role close to home for the former addict, that Jackson began to receive international attention.  His performance won him a special jury prize at the 1991 Cannes film Festival and the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor.  Over the next five years Jackson went on to co-star in more than 20 feature films and several made-for-TV movies.  Jackson is now perhaps best known for his portrayal of Jules, in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction 1994, which earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.   In 1996 his versatility was exhibited in five very different films: The Long Kiss Goodnight, A Time To Kill, Trees Lounge, The Great White Hype and Hard Eight.  In 1997, another Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Brown and Eve's Bayou.  In 1998 a wonderful Canadian film The Red Violin and an uncredited cameo in Out of Sight, The Negotiator and Sphere. In 1999 The Phantom Menace, and Deep Blue Sea.  In 2000 Shaft.  These films all encompass the versatility of this fine actor.

He has starred in big-budget films he has also chosen smaller budget films with focus on script.  He has also turned to the producers' chair: Caveman's Valentine.

 

 

Film

Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey~2009 - voice of Fear

Iron Man~2008 - S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury

Lakeview Terrace~2008 - LAPD Officer

Black Water Transit~2008? - Jack Vermillion

The Cleaner~2008 - Tom

1408~2007 - Mr. Olin

Jumper~2007 - NSA Agent Cox (see Actor Connections - Film)

Black Snake Moan~2007 - Lazarus

Resurrecting the Champ~2007 - Champ

Freedomland~2006 - Lorenzo Council

Snakes on a Plane<Pacific Air 121>~2006 - Nelville Flynn

Man, The~2005 - Derrick Vann

In My Country<Country of My Skull>~2005 - Langston Whitfield

Coach Carter~2005 - Coach Ken Carter

XXX: State of the Union~2005 - Agent Augustus Gibbons

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith~2005~2005 - Mace Windu

Incredibles, The~2004 - Lucious Best/Frozone (has Star Wars and Indiana Jones references)

Twisted<The Blackout Murders>~2004 - John Mills*

*San Francisco: Scene of the Crime~2004 (V) - Himself (this featurette is part of the Twisted DVD documentary/special features)

The N-Word~2004 - Himself

*Creating a Twisted Web of Intrigue~2004 - Himself (this featurette is part of the Twisted DVD documentary/special features)

Country of My Skull<see My Country>~2003 - Langston Whitfield

Kill Bill Vol 2~2003 - The Organ Player Rufus

Kill Bill Vol 1~2003 - The Organ Player Rufus

S.W.A.T.~2003 - Lt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson

Basic~2003 - Drill Instructor West

No Good Deed<The House on Turk Street>~2002 - Jack Friar

XXX~2002 - Agent Augustus Gibbons

Star Wars: Episode II -Attack of the Clones~2002 - Mace Windu

Changing Lanes~2001 - Doyle Gipson

51st State~2001 - Elmo McElroy

Caveman's Valentine, The~2001 - Romulus (see Actor Connections - Film)

Unbreakable~2001 - Elijah Price

Shaft~2000 - John Shaft

Rules of Engagement~2000 - Colonel Terry L Childers

Our Friend, Martin~1999 (V) (voice) - Turner

Stars of Star Wars: Interviews with the Cast, The~1999 (V) - Himself

Unauthorized Star Wars Story, The~1999 (V) - Himself/Interviewee

Deep Blue Sea~1999 (DVD audio commentary) - Himself

Deep Blue Sea~1999 - Russell Franklin

From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic~1999 - Himself (host)

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace~1999 - Mace Windu

All Saints: The First Video~1998 (V) (uncredited) - Himself

Violon Rouge, Le (The Red Violin)~1998 - Charles Morritz (Montreal)

Negotiator, The~1998 - Lieutenant Danny Roman

Out of Sight~1998 (uncredited) - Hejira

Sphere~1998 - Harry Adams

Jackie Brown~1997 - Ordell Robbie

Eve's Bayou~1997 - Louis Batiste

One Eight seven~1997 - Trevor Garfield

You're Still Not Fooling Anybody~1997 (archive footage) - Jules Winnfield

Sydney~1996 - Jimmy

Long Kiss Goodnight, The~1996 - Mitch Henessey

Time to Kill, A~1996 - Carl Lee Hailey

Search for One-eye Jimmy, The~1996 - Colonel Ron

Trees Lounge~1996 - Wendell

Great White Hype~1996 - Reverend Fred Sultan

Fluke~1995 (voice) - Rumbo

Die Hard: With a Vengeance~1995 - Zeus Carver

 

Kiss of Death~1995 - Kadar Lewis

Hail Caesar~1994 - Mailman

New Age, The~1994 - Dale Deveaux

Pulp Fiction~1994 - Jules Winnfield (see Actor Connections - Film)

Fresh~1994 - Sam

Amos & Andrew~1993 - Andrew Sterling

Menace II Society~1993 - Tat Lawson

True Romance~1993 - Big Don

Jurassic Park~1993 - Ray Arnold

Loaded Weapon I~1993 - Wes Lugar

Fathers & Sons~1992 - Marshall

Juice~1992 - Trip

Patriot Games~1992 - Robby Jackson (see Actor Connections - Film)

White Sands~1992 - Greg Meeker

Johnny Suede~1991 - B-Bop

Jumpin' at the Boneyard~1991 - Mr. Simpson

Jungle Fever~1991 - Gator Purify

Strictly Business~1991 (as Sam Jackson) - Monroe

Betsy's Wedding~1990 - Taxi Dispatcher (Mickey)

Goodfellas~1990 - Stacks Edwards

Return of Superfly, The~1990 - Ulysses

Mo' Better Blues~1990 - Madlock

Exorcist III, The~1990 - Dream Blind Man

Def by Temptation~1990 - Minister Garth

Sea of Love~1989 - Black Guy

Do the Right Thing~1989 (as Sam Jackson) - Mister Senor Love Daddy

School Daze~1988 - Leeds

Coming to America~1988 - Hold-Up Man

Eddie Murphy Raw~1987 - Eddie's Uncle (sketch) (contains Star Wars references)

Magic Sticks~1987 (as Sam Jackson) - Bum

Ragtime~1981 - Gang Member No. 2 (see Actor Connections - Film)

Together for Days~1972 - Stan

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