# James R. Black

James Richard Black (born April 3, 1962) is an American actor and former professional football player.

## Early life

Black was born in Lima, Ohio. He attended Dover High School in Dover, Ohio, where he was a star athlete. He graduated in 1980.

## College career

Black played college football for Akron. He was named the Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a senior in 1983 after leading the conference in rushing with 1,568 yards. In a November 5, 1983, game against Youngstown State, Black set the Akron school record for rushing yards in a game when he rushed 40 times for 246 yards. In his final college game, on November 19, he set conference and school records for most rushing attempts in a game with 52. He was named an Associated Press honorable mention Division I-AA All-American after the season, and finished his college career as Akron's all-time rushing leader with 3,054 yards.

## Professional career

Black signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent on May 5, 1984, after also receiving interest from the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, and New York Jets. He was waived before the start of the regular season during final roster cuts on August 20, 1984, but was re-signed on November 7, 1984. He played in two games for the Browns in 1984, becoming the first Akron football player to play in the NFL. He was waived by the Browns on November 24, 1984. He re-signed with the Browns after the season, but was waived during training camp on August 5, 1985.

## Acting career

Black may be best known for his leading role as Agent Michael Hailey on the UPN science fiction drama The Burning Zone. He has also had roles in numerous other television series and films. His television appearances include V.I.P., Fashion House, Anger Management, All of Us, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Strong Medicine, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Six Feet Under, Burn Notice and Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story
In motion pictures, he had the leading role of Victor Erickson in the 1998 direct-to-video film Cappuccino, the screenplay of which was based upon a story by author Eric Jerome Dickey. Black has also appeared in The Replacements, Out of Sight, Love and a Bullet, and Universal Soldier: The Return. He portrayed boxer Earnie Shavers in the HBO TV movie Don King: Only in America.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story | Special Ed Teacher | TV movie |
| 1991 | Hard Promises | Gameshow Husband | |
| 1991 | Zombie Cop | Doctor Death | |
| 1992 | Maximum Impact | Mr. Huntsacker | Video |
| 1992 | The Windy City | Marco | |
| 1992 | Galaxy of the Dinosaurs | Kronik | |
| 1992 | Chickboxer | Colt Jackson | |
| 1993 | Ozone | Eddie Boone | |
| 1994 | Witness to the Execution | Chaplain | TV movie |
| 1994 | The Chase | Finale Cop 2 | |
| 1995 | With Criminal Intent | FBI Agent Johnson | |
| 1995 | Scot-free | Edwards | |
| 1997 | Don King: Only in America | Ernie Shavers | TV movie |
| 1998 | Surface to Air | Captain Slocomb | |
| 1998 | Godzilla | Soldier | |
| 1998 | Out of Sight | Himey | |
| 1998 | Cappuccino | Victor Erickson | |
| 1998 | Soldier | Riley | |
| 1998 | The First 9 1/2 Weeks | Maurice Boudreau | |
| 1999 | Universal Soldier: The Return | Sergeant Morrow | |
| 1999 | Standing on Fishes | Henry | |
| 1999 | The Substitute 3: Winner Takes All | Rahmel | TV movie |
| 2000 | The Replacements | Ref #3 | |
| 2000 | Odessa | Leonard | Short |
| 2000 | Unshackled | Doc | |
| 2000 | Stop It, You're Killing Me | Eric Jameson | |
| 2001 | Horrorvision | Bradbury | Video |
| 2001 | The Vault | Bradbury | Video |
| 2002 | Love and a Bullet | Vaughn | |
| 2004 | In Your Eyes | Will | |
| 2004 | Mean Jadine | New Ron | Short |
| 2004 | Roscoe's House of Chicken n Waffles | Tooky | Video |
| 2005 | One More Round | Ronny "Super Ron" | |
| 2005 | Pinkerton | Detective Jack Garver | Short |
| 2006 | Restraining Order | Dexter | |
| 2006 | Saturday Night Life | The Admirer | Short |
| 2007 | Agenda | Four Shure | |
| 2007 | Spin | James | Short |
| 2008 | The Pitch | Peter | Short |
| 2008 | The Mortgage Guy | Captain Henry | Short |
| 2008 | 3 Days Gone | Teddy Shark | Video |
| 2009 | Afro Ninja | Black Lightning | Video |
| 2011 | Detention | Coach Cooper | |
| 2011 | King of the Underground | Mr. Hollywood | |
| 2011 | Repeat Offenders: Jamais Vu | Mason | |
| 2012 | The Perfect Fit | Party Friend | Short |
| 2012 | The Phoenix Rises | Bob Smith | |
| 2012 | Boosters | - | |
| 2014 | Crossroads | Capricorn Diego | |
| 2015 | Why She Cries | Chris Owens | |
| 2015 | Beautiful Thorn | Devon | Short |
| 2015 | Her First Black Guy | Winston | Short |
| 2015 | Welcome to the Family | Preston | TV movie |
| 2015 | Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story | Dorian | TV movie |
| 2015 | The Man in 3B | Ben | |
| 2016 | Black Tar Road | Jimmy | |
| 2016 | Virtual High | Andy | Short |
| 2016 | Better Criminal | Detective Albert Pierce | |
| 2016 | 90 Minutes of the Fever | - | |
| 2016 | Legends of the Hidden Temple | Tourist | TV movie |
| 2017 | The Preacher's Son | Deacon Emerson | |
| 2018 | The Choir Director | Deacon Emerson | |
| 2018 | Dr. Sugar | CJ | Short |
| 2019 | After We Leave | Carrington | |
| 2019 | The Thin Orange Line | Detective Hart | Short |
| 2020 | Three Days Gone: Based on the Life of Lucas Snow | Teddy Shark | Short |
| 2020 | My Brothers' Crossing | CJ Martin | |
| 2021 | Writing Around the Christmas Tree | Irving Leighton | TV movie |
| 2022 | Boosters LA | HNIC | |
| 2022 | Uncommon Negotiator | Chief Wells | Short |
| 2023 | Lethal Legacy | James | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1987 | Houston Knights | Suspect | Episode: "Mirrors" |
| 1995 | Walker, Texas Ranger | John Halbert | Episode: "Trust No One" |
| 1995 | Living Single | Orville | Episode: "Come Back Little Diva" |
| 1996 | Renegade | Orlando Missions | Episode: "Hound Downtown" |
| 1996 | Babylon 5 | Security Guard #1 | Episode: "Voices of Authority" |
| 1996 | Sisters | Orderly | Episode: "A Little Snag" |
| 1996 | Space: Above and Beyond | Security Operator | Episode: "The Angriest Angel" |
| 1996 | Silk Stalkings | Tony Stockton | Episode: "Body Electric" |
| 1996 | Pacific Blue | Johnny Lane | Episode: "No Man's Land" |
| 1996 | The Sentinel | Antoine Hollins | Episode: "The Debt" |
| 1996 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Helmsman | Episode: "Shattered Mirror" |
| 1996 | Women: Stories of Passion | Police Officer | Episode: "Gun Shy" |
| 1996 | Night Stand | Wrigley | Episode: "Affirmative Action Show" |
| 1996–97 | The Burning Zone | Agent Michael Hailey | Main Cast |
| 1997 | The Wayans Bros. | D.J. | Episode: "Prom Fright" |
| 1997 | Mike Hammer, Private Eye | Security Guard | Episode: "A Penny Saved" |
| 1998 | Nash Bridges | Tommy-Kareem | Episode: "Cuda Grace" |
| 1999 | Martial Law | David | Episode: "Painted Faces" |
| 1999 | For Your Love | Firefighter | Episode: "The Height of Passion" |
| 1999 | The Pretender | Sgt. Reed | Episode: "Survival" |
| 1999 | V.I.P. | Elwood Snow | Episode: "The Quick and the Dead" |
| 1999–2001 | The PJs | Tarnell (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2001 | Sheena | Shakoro | Episode: "Cult of One" |
| 2001 | JAG | Capt. Tripp | Episode: "Measure of Men" |
| 2001 | Will & Grace | Anthony Dukane | Episode: "Prison Blues" |
| 2001 | Hollywood 7 | Chairman Gordon | Recurring Cast |
| 2002 | One on One | Black Gold Member | Episode: "Me & My Shadow" |
| 2002 | Son of the Beach | Busta Hyman | Episode: "In the Line of Booty" |
| 2003 | Strong Medicine | Joey | Episode: "Intensive Care" & "Degeneration" |
| 2003 | 10-8: Officers on Duty | Xavier | Episode: "Mercy, Mercy Me" |
| 2003 | NCIS | Crewman | Episode: "Sub Rosa" |
| 2004 | Charmed | Swarm King | Episode: "Used Karma" |
| 2004 | CSI: Miami | DEA Agent Brody | Episode: "Invasion" |
| 2004 | Summerland | Dalton | Episode: "The Grass Is Greener Than You Think" |
| 2004 | Six Feet Under | Duane | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
| 2004 | Malcolm in the Middle | Sgt. Rick | Episode: "Reese Comes Home" |
| 2004 | The Young and the Restless | Cop #1 | Episode: "Episode #1.8026" & "#1.8027" |
| 2005 | Listen Up | Jevon | Episode: "Ebony and Irony" |
| 2005 | The Bad Girl's Guide | Warren | Episode: "The Guide to Baby Talk" |
| 2006 | The Closer | Detective Lawrence Xavier | Episode: "Blue Blood" |
| 2006 | Twenty Good Years | George | Episode: "The Elbow Incident" |
| 2006 | Fashion House | Rodney | Recurring Cast |
| 2007 | Lincoln Heights | David | Episode: "Obsession" |
| 2007 | CSI: NY | Luther Vandeross | Episode: "A Daze of Wine and Roaches" |
| 2007 | All of Us | Benjamin Thibodeaux | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
| 2008 | Bones | Chief Jack Cutler | Episode: "Player Under Pressure" |
| 2008 | Shark | Jerry Davis | Episode: "Leaving Las Vegas" |
| 2008 | Criminal Minds | Sacramento PD | Episode: "Catching Out" |
| 2008 | The Starter Wife | Felix Soel | Recurring Cast |
| 2009 | Burn Notice | Jean Pierre Duman | Episode: "Truth and Reconciliation" |
| 2009 | Trust Me | - | Episode: "Way Beyond the Call" |
| 2009 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Reverend Jordan | Episode: "Payne Speaking" |
| 2010 | Southland | Detective Roberts | Episode: "Maximum Deployment" |
| 2011 | Desperate Housewives | Alan | Episode: "And Lots of Security..." |
| 2011 | Cursed | Gerrard Washington | Main Cast |
| 2011–13 | Necessary Roughness | Kojo Liberty | Guest Cast: Season 1–2 |
| 2012 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Jackory | Episode: "Willows in the Wind" |
| 2012–14 | Anger Management | Cleo/Derek | Recurring Cast |
| 2013 | Castle | Darius Carson | Episode: "Under the Influence" |
| 2014 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Lee Stevens | Episode: "SEAL Hunter" |
| 2015 | Scorpion | Agent Miller | Episode: "Charades" |
| 2015 | Rizzoli & Isles | Ernie Priest | Episode: "A Bad Seed Grows" |
| 2016 | Lady Dynamite | Richard | Episode: "A Vaginismus Miracle" |
| 2017 | NCIS: New Orleans | Special Agent Perkins | Episode: "Hell on the High Water" |
| 2017 | Lethal Weapon | Benny Barns | Episode: "Unnecessary Roughness" |
| 2018 | Five Points | Coach Magee | Episode: "Everybody Knows" |
| 2018–22 | The Family Business | Rob | Main Cast: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 & 4, Guest: Season 3 |
| 2019–21 | All American | Reggie Cooper | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 & 4 |
| 2020 | Two Degrees | JB | Episode: "Dr. Abigail & Me" |
| 2020 | Sydney to the Max | Henry | Episode: "Slurping with the Enemy" |
| 2020 | Days of Our Lives | Luca | Recurring Cast |