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Howard Ellsworth Rollins Jr. was an American stage, film and television actor. Howard Rollins was best known for his role as Andrew Young in 1978's King, George Haley in the 1979 miniseries Roots: The Next Generations, Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the 1981 film Ragtime, Captain Davenport in the 1984 film A Soldier's Story, and as Virgil Tibbs on the TV crime drama In the Heat of the Night. In the fall of 1996, Rollins was diagnosed with AIDS. Six weeks later, he died at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York at the age of 46, from complications from AIDS-related lymphoma. As was typical at the time, his publicist issued a statement claiming he suffered from lymphatic cancer, but it was later revealed by his family that Rollins had been diagnosed with AIDS. He was interred at Woodlawn Cemetery in his native Baltimore.
Born
Tuesday, 17 October 1950
Died
Sunday, 08 December 1996
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
O.J.: Made in America | Coalhouse Walker Jr. | 2016 |
The 69th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Memorial Tribute | 1997 |
Drunks | Joseph | 1997 |
Remember WENN | George Smith | 1996 |
New York Undercover | Reverend Hundley | 1994 |
The Legacy of Malthus | Self (Population Institute, 1993) | 1994 |
On the Block | Clay Beasley | 1990 |
The Arsenio Hall Show | Himself (as Howard Rollins) | 1989 |
In the Heat of the Night | Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs / Virgil Tibbs / Attorney Virgil Tibbs | 1988 |
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam | (voice) (as Howard Rollins Jr.) | 1987 |
Actor Filmography
Title | Character | Year |
---|
O.J.: Made in America | Coalhouse Walker Jr. | 2016 |
The 69th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Memorial Tribute | 1997 |
Drunks | Joseph | 1997 |
Remember WENN | George Smith | 1996 |
New York Undercover | Reverend Hundley | 1994 |
The Legacy of Malthus | Self (Population Institute, 1993) | 1994 |
On the Block | Clay Beasley | 1990 |
The Arsenio Hall Show | Himself (as Howard Rollins) | 1989 |
In the Heat of the Night | Chief of Detectives Virgil Tibbs / Virgil Tibbs / Attorney Virgil Tibbs | 1988 |
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam | (voice) (as Howard Rollins Jr.) | 1987 |
The Children of Times Square | Otis Travis | 1986 |
Wildside | Bannister Sparks | 1985 |
A Soldier's Story | Captain Davenport | 1984 |
The House of Dies Drear | Walter Small | 1984 |
The House of God | Chuck Johnston | 1984 |
The 54th Annual Academy Awards | Self - Nominee & Presenter | 1982 |
An Evening at the Improv | Self - Host | 1982 |
American Playhouse | Medgar Evers | 1982 |
Ragtime | Coalhouse Walker Jr. | 1981 |
Conspiracy Exposed | Carson | 1981 |
Fridays | Self - Guest Host | 1980 |
My Old Man | Doctor | 1979 |
Roots: The Next Generations | George Haley | 1979 |
King | Andrew Young | 1978 |
Year | Type | Category | Won |
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1982 | Oscar | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Nominated |
1982 | Golden Globe | Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture | Nominated |
1982 | Golden Globe | New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture | Nominated |