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== Early life ==
== Early life ==
Born in 1940 in [[Helena, Alabama]],<ref name=book>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=UltVDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT56&lpg=PT56&dq=ji-tu+cumbuka+1940&source=bl&ots=3asile_AlL&sig=BxD8hXZ_nhgD00LPLMhdl3Ck5TE&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJ7NONuvLUAhVI2IMKHT58AwIQ6AEIYzAM#v=onepage&q=ji-tu%20cumbuka%201940&f=false |title=Ji-Tu Cumbuka: A Giant to Remember |accessdate=5 July 2017 |publisher=books.google}}</ref> to a Baptist minister who believed acting was "the devil's work", he left home and moved to New York. After several difficult years, he enlisted in the Army, where he played football and ran track. He made All-Army in both sports. He was offered many college scholarships, but chose to attend [[Texas Southern University]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}
Born in 1940 in [[Helena, Alabama]],<ref name=book>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=UltVDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT56&lpg=PT56&dq=ji-tu+cumbuka+1940&source=bl&ots=3asile_AlL&sig=BxD8hXZ_nhgD00LPLMhdl3Ck5TE&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJ7NONuvLUAhVI2IMKHT58AwIQ6AEIYzAM#v=onepage&q=ji-tu%20cumbuka%201940&f=false |title=Ji-Tu Cumbuka: A Giant to Remember |accessdate=5 July 2017 |publisher=books.google}}</ref> to a Baptist minister.


After Texas Southern, he moved to California to pursue his acting career, and later continued his education at [[Columbia College, Columbia University|Columbia College]] in New York City, earning a bachelor of arts in theatre and a master's degree in cinematography. After three years of attending acting classes and acting in community plays and workshops, he landed a role in the 1968 movie ''[[Uptight (film)|Uptight]]'' directed by [[Jules Dassin]].<ref>[http://www.vh1.com/movies/person/9273/personmain.jhtml Ji-Tu Cumbaka bio], VH1.com; accessed April 8, 2015.</ref>
After Texas Southern, he moved to California to pursue his acting career, and went to [[Columbia College, Columbia University|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 (film)|Uptight]]'' directed by [[Jules Dassin]].<ref>[http://www.vh1.com/movies/person/9273/personmain.jhtml Ji-Tu Cumbaka bio], VH1.com; accessed April 8, 2015.</ref>


== Acting career ==
== Acting career ==

Revision as of 17:42, 7 June 2020

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]

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

Born in 1940 in Helena, Alabama,[5] to a Baptist minister.

After 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

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[8], Sanford and Son, Hunter, and In the Heat of the Night. He was a regular cast member of the short-lived spy series A Man Called Sloane.[9]

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.[9] 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).

Death

Cumbuka died at the age of 77 on July 4, 2017, after a six-month battle with cancer.[2][10]

Filmography

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 The Jericho Mile 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
1990 Caged in Paradiso Josh
1993 Midnight Edition Reginald Brown

References

  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. Google Books.
  4. ^ "A Giant to Remember". Agianttoremeber.com.
  5. ^ "Ji-Tu Cumbuka: A Giant to Remember". books.google. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  6. ^ Ji-Tu Cumbaka bio, VH1.com; accessed April 8, 2015.
  7. ^ "Ji-Tu Cumbuka". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  8. ^ "Ji-Tu Cumbuka". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  9. ^ a b Ji-Tu Cumbuka at IMDb
  10. ^ 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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