Joe Seneca
Born: 1919-01-14 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Died: 1996-08-15
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Joe Seneca (January 14, 1919 – August 15, 1996) was an American film and television actor who had a lengthy Hollywood career, portraying bit parts in many major films and television sitcoms spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s. Seneca was born Joel McGhee in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to his Hollywood career, Seneca belonged to the R&B singing group "The Three Riffs", performing at upscale supper clubs in New York City. He was also a songwriter and had big hits with "Talk to Me" which was sung by Little Willie John and "Break It to Me Gently", which was a smash twice, once by Brenda Lee in 1962, and once by Juice Newton in 1982. His song "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" was recorded by Ike & Tina Turner, Manfred Mann and The Spencer Davis Group. Arguably his most well-known roles are that of bluesman Willie Brown in Crossroads and Dr. Meddows in The Blob, the evil head of a government team sent to contain the title creature. Seneca also made multiple appearances on The Cosby Show as Hillman President Dr. Zachariah J. Hanes. He also played Alvin Newcastle [1]on an episode of The Golden Girls entitled "Old Friends." Joe appeared in Spike Lee's "School Daze" as the Mission College President McPherson in 1988. Joe appeared on Matlock: The Blues Singer Episode May 9, 1989. Joe also appeared in Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" Music Video In the late 80's. He died from asthma at the age of 77. Description above from the Wikipedia article Joe Seneca, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
1997
- The Longest Memory as Whitechapel
1996
- A Time to Kill as Reverend Isaiah Street
1994
- Christy as Joseph Scott
- The Vernon Johns Story as Deacon Wilkes
1993
- seaQuest DSV as Professor Bingham
- The Saint of Fort Washington as Spits
1992
- Malcolm X as Toomer
1991
- Mississippi Masala as Williben Williams
1990
- Law & Order as Lionel Jackson
- Mo' Better Blues as Big Stop's Friend
1989
- Doogie Howser, M.D.
- Tarzan in Manhattan as Joseph
1988
- China Beach
- School Daze as President Harold McPherson
- The Blob as Dr. Meddows
1987
- Friday the 13th: The Series as Hedley
- Big Shots as Ferryman
- A Gathering of Old Men as Clatoo
- Moments without Proper Names as Self
1986
- Matlock as Eddie Haynes
- Crossroads as Willie Brown
- Throb
- Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story as Reverend
1985
- The Golden Girls as Alvin Newcastle
- The Equalizer as Fossil
- Amazing Stories as Ben Dumfy
- Spenser: For Hire
- 227
- Silverado as Ezra
- Heart of the Garden
1984
- The Cosby Show as Dr. Zachariah J. Hanes
- Solomon Northup's Odyssey as Noah
- The Evil That Men Do as Santiago
- Terrible Joe Moran as Pittsburgh Billy
- The House of Dies Drear as Pluto
1982
- The Verdict as Dr. Thompson
1981
1979
- Kramer vs. Kramer as Partygoer
- The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh as Mr. Sweets
- The Tenth Month as Doorman
1977
- Wilma as Ed Rudolph
1974
- The Taking of Pelham One Two Three as Police Sergeant