Glynn Russell Turman, born on January 31, 1947, in New York City, is a revered American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, whose career spans decades. He gained early recognition for his role as Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 film "Cooley High." Turman's talent shone on Broadway, earning a Tony Award for "The Great White Hope." He's renowned for TV work in "The Wire," math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford Taylor on the NBC sitcom "A Different World," fictional Baltimore mayor Clarence Royce on the HBO drama series "The Wire" and "House of Lies." His filmography includes impactful roles in "Gremlins" and "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom." With a captivating presence, Turman continues to enthrall audiences, showcasing remarkable versatility and depth in his performances.

Filmography

• 2026When They're Gone — Calvin “Cece” Carr, Executive Producer
• Paradise — Fred Collins
• 2025STRAW — Richard
• 2024Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2
• The Big Cigar — Walter
• 202380 for Brady — Mickey
• 2023Outlaw Johnny Black — Bullseye Black
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians — Mr. Brunner / Chiron
• 2023Rustin — A. Philip Randolph
• Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities — Sheriff Nate Craven
• 2022The Devil You Know — Lloyd Cowans
• 2022The Legend of Glynn Turman — G.T., Writer
• The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder — Pa (voice)
• 2022Women of Theatre, New York — Executive Producer
• Women of the Movement — Mose Wright
• FBI: Most Wanted — Terry Daniels
• 2020Ma Rainey's Black Bottom — Toledo
• Power Book II: Ghost — Gabriel
• 2020The Way Back — Doc
• 2019Justine — Papa Don, Executive Producer
• 2019Sextuplets — Leland
• The Red Line — Nathan Gordon
• 2019Windows on the World — Lou
• 2018Bumblebee — General Whalen
• 2018Solace — Clay (Pastor Davis)
• The Neighborhood — Otis
• American Gods — Reverend Hutchins
• 2017August 28: A Day in the Life of a People
• Mr. Mercedes — Judge Bernard Raines
• Graves
• 2016Race — Harry E. Davis
• 2014Dakota's Summer — Isaac Benson
• Fargo — Doctor Senator
• How to Get Away with Murder — Nate Lahey Sr.
• black-ish — Billy Blade
• 2013Act Like You Love Me — David Lofton
• 2013John Dies at the End — Detective Lawrence 'Morgan Freeman' Appleton
• Alcatraz — Emmitt Little
• 2012City Teacher — Kevin Sawyer
• House of Lies — Jeremiah Kaan
• House of Lies: Fridays at Galweather — Director
• Revolution — David Kipling
• 2012The Obama Effect — Slim Sugar
• 2012The Pastor's Secret
• Suits — Vic
• 2011Super 8 — Dr. Woodward
• 2010Burlesque — Harold Saint
• 2010Takers — Chief Detective Duncan
• The Defenders — Judge Bob Owens
• FlashForward — Senator Noland
• NCIS: Los Angeles — James Pierce
• 2009Preaching To The Pastor — Bishop Hightower
• In Treatment — Alex Prince, Sr.
• 2008Kings of the Evening — Clarence Brown
• 2008Murder 101: The Locked Room Mystery — Sheriff Bob Monroe
• 2007Uncle P — Dr. Niles
• Criminal Minds — Charles Johnson
• 2005Sahara — Dr. Frank Hopper
• 2004The Seat Filler — Derrick's Dad
• The Wire — Clarence Royce
• 2001Air Rage — Ted Bigelow
• Big Apple — Ted Olsen
• 2001Fire & Ice — Robert Aimes Sr.
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent — Roy Hines
• Scrubs — George
• The Bernie Mac Show — Carl
• 2001The Visit — Parole Board Member Reingold
• 2000Freedom Song — T-Bone Lanier
• 2000Men of Honor — Chief Floyd
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Dr. Young
• 1999Light It Up — Principal Allan Armstrong
• 1998How Stella Got Her Groove Back — Dr. Shakespeare
• The Magnificent Seven — Achilles Thompson/Hector Thompson
• 1997Buffalo Soldiers — Sgt. Joshua 'Joyu' Judges Ruth
• Homeboys in Outer Space — Director
• Millennium — James Glen
• 1996Rebound: The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault — Coach Powell
• 1996Subterfuge — Stallworth Hubbs
• The Parent 'Hood — Director
• The Wayans Bros. — Director
• ER — Mr. Holmes
• 1994Someone Else's Child — Judge Roullard
• 1994The Inkwell — Spencer Phillips
• Touched by an Angel — Sheriff Ernie Guthrie
• 1992Deep Cover — Russell Stevens Sr.
• Hangin' with Mr. Cooper — Director
• Freddy's Nightmares — Dr. Redman
• A Different World — Colonel Brad Taylor, Director
• 1986Ask Max — Lloyd Lyman
• Matlock — Dennis Orlando
• 1986Out of Bounds — Lieutenant Delgado
• 1985Charlotte Forten's Mission: Experiment in Freedom — Joshua
• Hail to the Chief — Secretary of State LaRue Hawkins
• The Twilight Zone — (segment "Paladin of the Lost Hour")
• 1984Gremlins — Roy Hanson
• Hot Pursuit — Mitch Simpson
• Murder, She Wrote — Stan Lassiter, Earl Browder, Ben Coleman
• 1984Secrets of a Married Man — Jesse
• 1983The Grand Baby
• American Playhouse — Joshua
• 1982Penitentiary II — Charles Johnson
• T. J. Hooker — Norman Powell
• Dynasty — Director
• 1981Thornwell — James Thornwell
• 1980Attica — Raymond Franklin
• Centennial — Nate Person
• 1978Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold — Preston de Cordiva
• The Paper Chase
• 1977A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich — Nigeria
• 1977Minstrel Man — Harry Brown Jr.
• 1977The Richard Pryor Special? — Booster Johnson
• 1977The Serpent's Egg — Monroe
• 1976J.D.'s Revenge — Isaac / 'Ike'
• 1976The River Niger — Jeff Williams
• 1976The Tapestry
• The Tony Randall Show
• 1975Carter's Army — Pvt. George Brightman
• 1975Ceremonies in Dark Old Men — Theo
• 1975Cooley High — Leroy "Preach" Jackson
• 1975The Blue Knight — Edwin Beall
• 1974The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat — (voice)
• 1974Thomasine & Bushrod — Jomo J. Anderson
• 1974Together Brothers — Dr. Johnson
• 1973Five on the Black Hand Side — Gideon
• 1972AWOL — Mohammed G.
• 1971Honky — Sailor at Bus Station
• 1971In Search of America — Bodhi
• Hawaii Five-O — Harley Dartson
• Room 222
• CBS Playhouse — Jackson
• You Look Familiar: Vernée Watson — Executive Producer

Appearances as themselves (8)

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians Official Podcast — Self
• 2024A Hero's Journey: The Making of Percy Jackson and the Olympians — Self - Chiron
• 2022Is That Black Enough for You?!? — Self
• 2021Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist — Self
• 2020Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: A Legacy Brought to Screen — Self - Presenter
• 2017Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart — Self
• 2017The Killing Floor — Self
• Late Night with Seth Meyers — Self