# Lawrence Hilton Jacobs

Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, also credited as Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (born September 4, 1953), is an American actor and singer. Best known for playing Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington in Welcome Back Kotter (1975–1979), he has also appeared in a number of films and television shows, including Claudine (1974), Cooley High (1975), Roots (1977), Bangers and Mash (1983), Alien Nation (1989–1990), The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992), and 31 (2016).

## Life and career

Jacobs was born in New York City, New York, the fifth of nine children of parents Hilton Jacobs (died 2000) and Clothilda Jacobs (died 2008). He began his acting career in the summer of 1969 and graduated from the High School of Art and Design in 1971. He attended Wilkes University for a short time before his acting career took off. Afterward, he studied acting with the Negro Ensemble Company and the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble.
In 1975, he won the role of Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington on the ABC hit comedy series, Welcome Back, Kotter. Jacobs also starred in cult classic Cooley High in 1975 played as Richard "Cochise" Morris, and two years later had a role in the block-buster ABC mini-series Roots. Jacobs starred in a few commercials over the years, including an early 1970s commercial for The United Negro College Fund. Later in his career, he appeared in the 1989-1990 science fiction TV series Alien Nation as Sgt. Dobbs, an LAPD detective. He portrayed Panda Thomas (#1) in Rob Zombie's slasher film 31.
Jacobs portrayed Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, the father of the Jackson family, in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. He also appeared in a commercial for Salon Selectives.
Jacobs sang on Rick James' 1981 album, Street Songs.
As a homage to him, the housing project in Eddie Murphy's television program The PJs is named the Hilton-Jacobs Projects.
He has two daughters.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1974 | Claudine | Charles | |
| 1974 | Death Wish | Mugger in Park #2 | |
| 1974 | The Gambler | Street Basketball Boy | |
| 1975 | Cooley High | Richard "Cochise" Morris | |
| 1978 | Youngblood | Rommel | |
| 1978 | The Comedy Company | Russell Dodd | Television film |
| 1980 | For the Love of It | Al | Television film |
| 1985 | The Annihilators | Floyd | |
| 1988 | Paramedics | Blade Runner | |
| 1989 | L.A. Heat | Det. Jon Chance | |
| 1989 | Angels of the City | Det. Jon Chance | Video |
| 1989 | L.A. Vice | Det. Jon Chance | |
| 1989 | East L.A. Warriors | Chesare | |
| 1990 | Kill Crazy | Rubin | Video |
| 1990 | Chance | Det. Jon Chance | |
| 1991 | Quietfire | Jessie Palmer | Video |
| 1992 | Tuesday Never Comes | Druilet | |
| 1993 | Indecent Behavior | Lou Parsons | |
| 1997 | Tidal Wave: No Escape | Marlan Clark | Television film |
| 1999 | Mr. Right Now! | - | Video |
| 2001 | Southlander | Motherchild | |
| 2002 | Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool | - | |
| 2002 | The Streetsweeper | Jackie | |
| 2003 | Killer Drag Queens on Dope | Mr. Fly | |
| 2004 | 30 Miles | Anthony | |
| 2005 | Don't Give Me the Finger | Ross | Short |
| 2007 | Sublime | Mandingo | Video |
| 2008 | Otis | Male Nurse | |
| 2009 | Young American Gangstas | Elmer Reese | |
| 2011 | Nocturnal Agony | Theodore | |
| 2013 | Playin' for Love | Coach Preston Reid | |
| 2014 | Airplane vs. Volcano | Jim Kirkland | Video |
| 2015 | Mercy for Angels | Chief | |
| 2015 | Tamales and Gumbo | Mr. Walker | |
| 2015 | The Christmas Gift | Wesley Hardin Johnson Sr. | Television film |
| 2016 | 31 | Panda Thomas | |
| 2016 | Dead Man Rising | Warden Dallas | |
| 2017 | A Chance in the World | Mr. Robinson | |
| 2017 | Sins of the Father | Kenny | Short |
| 2018 | Welcome to Where You've Always Been | Homeless Man | Short |
| 2018 | Compton's Finest | Hostage Negotiator | |
| 2020 | She's the One | Playboy | |
| 2020 | Shooting Heroin | Edward | |
| 2020 | The Perfect Mate | Rev. Adams | |
| 2021 | Escape from Death Block 13 | Agent Langley | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1975–79 | Welcome Back, Kotter | Freddie 'Boom-Boom' Washington | Main Cast |
| 1976 | Mr. T and Tina | Freddie 'Boom-Boom' Washington | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1976 | Baretta | Dave Rich | Episode: "Can't Win for Losin'" |
| 1977 | Roots | Noah | Episode: "Part V" |
| 1979 | Paris | Thomas Sims | Episode: "Dear John" |
| 1980 | Barnaby Jones | Wes Carter | Episode: "The Price of Anger" |
| 1981 | Darkroom | Young Man / Pimp | Episode: "Needlepoint" |
| 1981 | Lewis & Clark | Dave Rich | Episode: "The Uptight End" |
| 1984 | On the boulevard | Joe, an L.A. street musician | Main character. Short film in memory of producer/director Horace Jenkins |
| 1985 | Rituals | Lucky Washington | Regular Cast |
| 1986 | New Love, American Style | - | Episode: "Love and Video Dating/Love at the Bus Stop" |
| 1986 | Simon & Simon | Gordon Tate | Episode: "The Blue Chip Stomp" |
| 1986 | The Redd Foxx Show | Warren | Episode: "The Good Samaritan" |
| 1986 | Fame | Lamar | Episode: "The Inheritance" |
| 1987 | Hill Street Blues | Crumley | Episode: "The Cookie Crumbles" |
| 1989–90 | Alien Nation | Sergeant Dobbs | Main Cast |
| 1992 | The Jacksons: An American Dream | Joe Jackson | TV Mini Series |
| 1994 | Renegade | Rocky Dussault | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Charlie Grace | Detective Gossett | Episode: "Take Me to the Pilot" |
| 1995 | Pointman | Joe Neal | Episode: "Take the Points" |
| 1995 | Martin | Kevin Jones | Episode: "Swing Thing" |
| 1995 | Diagnosis: Murder | Sgt. Baker | Episode: "All American Murder" |
| 1996 | The Parent 'Hood | Greg Harvey | Episode: "Torn Between Two Brothers" |
| 1996 | Roseanne | Louis | Episode: "Roseambo" |
| 1996 | Homeboys in Outer Space | Staff | Episode: "Super Bad Foxy Lady Killer or Ty and Morris Get the Shaft" |
| 1997 | Weird Science | Mr. Black | Episode: "Boys on the Hide" |
| 1997 | Mr. Rhodes | Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington | Episode: "The Welcome Back Show" |
| 1997 | Tracey Takes On... | James | Episode: "Race Relations" |
| 1997 | Moesha | Sgt. Baker | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The Wayans Bros. | Richie | Episode: "Help a Brother Out" |
| 1998 | L.A. Doctors | Robert Edwards | Episode: "A Prayer for the Lying" |
| 2000 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Milton | Episode: "Rollin' in the Dough" |
| 2002 | Static Shock | Driver | Voice, episode: "Sunspots" |
| 2002–03 | Gilmore Girls | Principal Merton | 2 episodes |
| 2004 | Girlfriends | Leonard James | Episode: "New York Bound" |
| 2004 | That's So Raven | Mr. Carter | Episode: "There Goes the Bride" |
| 2009 | Players at the Poker Palace | Donny | Recurring cast |
| 2011 | Chuck | President of Zamibia | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Tooth" |
| 2011–13 | Let's Stay Together | Charles Sr. | Recurring cast: Season 1, guest: Season 3 |
| 2014 | Family Time | Carl | Episode: "The Will" |
| 2018 | Rel | Mitchell | Episode: "Re-Enter the Dragons" |
| 2019– | A House Divided | Cameran Sanders, Sr. | Main cast |
| 2022–23 | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Chuck | Voice, 2 episodes |

## Music credits

* Lawrence Hilton Jacobs S/T (1978)
* All the Way...Love (1979)
* Let Me Do It (1981) (producer); performed by Halo; sought-after record among collectors.