Bill Nunn
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Nunn received the Artist in Residence Award from the Georgia Council for the Arts and has served as Artist in Residence at Atlanta's Spelman College.
He has performed frequently at Atlanta's prestigious Alliance Theater in "Fences", "T-Bone'n Weasel" and "Home", among other productions.
Biography
The son of a prominent sports journalist, Bill Nunn grew up in Philadelphia, eventually working as a ball boy for the Pittsburgh Steelers with future team President Art Rooney II. During one adventurous evening, the two of them took defensive tackle "Mean" Joe Greene's car for a joyride, only telling him about the mischievous incident years later. Nunn eventually enrolled at Morehouse College where he aimed to study political science. But once he discovered his love of acting, Nunn's path was set. He graduated in 1976, soon setting off on a career in front of the camera. He made his first uncredited appearance in the Burt Reynolds action movie "Sharky's Machine" (1981), soon moving on to a role in former Morehouse classmate Spike Lee's "School Daze" (1988). He would work with Lee again on "Do The Right Thing" (1989) as the pivotal character Radio Raheem before his memorable appearance in Mario Van Peebles' "New Jack City" (1991) playing the stuttering enforcer known as Duh Duh Duh Man. More famous roles would come with "Blood Brothers" (1993), "Money Train" (1995), "He Got Game" (1998), and all three of Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" (2002) movies. Nunn also appeared on Broadway, playing Walter Lee Younger in an acclaimed 2004 production of "A Raisin in the Sun." Nunn's final on-screen role was the part of Cash on the police comedy series "Sirens" (USA, 2014-15). Nunn died in September 2016. He was 66 years old.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Life Events
1988
Feature debut in fellow Morehouse alum Spike Lee's "School Daze"
1989
Reteamed with Lee for arguably his most memorable role, the menacing Radio Raheem, in "Do the Right Thing"
1989
TV debut, CBS-movie "The Littlest Victims"
1990
Third film with Lee, "Mo' Better Blues"
1991
Played Duh Duh Duh Man in Mario Van Peebles' "New Jack City"
1991
Received critical acclaim for his performance as Bradley Jordan, the physical therapist, opposite Harrison Ford in Mike Nichols' "Regarding Henry"
1991
Portrayed Southern police chief in Bill Condon's "White Lie", a USA World Premiere Movie
1992
Played Whoopi Goldberg's "protector" in "Sister Act"
1994
Had regular role as Jack Cloud in short-lived CBS series "Traps"
1994
Supplied the moral center for USA Network TV-movie "Silent Witness: What the Child Saw" with his sensitive portrayal of William Crawford
1995
Acted in Condon's "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh"
1995
Made guest appearances on episodes of "Chicago Hope" (CBS) and "New York Undercover" (Fox)
1995
Portrayed Easy Wind in Gary Fleder's feature directing debut, "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead"
1996
Appeared as detective in Michael Apted's "Extreme Measures"
1997
Reunited with Fleder for "Kiss the Girls"
1998
Acted in Apted's HBO-movie "Always Outnumbered"
1998
Fourth film with Spike Lee, "He Got Game"
1998
Filmed unsold ABC pilot, "The Game", starring Luke Perry, who also executive produced, along with "Magic" Johnson and the creators John Tinker and Bill D'Elia
1999
Portrayed a crooked cop in "Payback"
1999
Played Tim Roth's adoptive father in "The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean", first English-language film by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore
2001
Co-starred with Denis Leary in the ABC comedy-drama "The Job"
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Nunn received the Artist in Residence Award from the Georgia Council for the Arts and has served as Artist in Residence at Atlanta's Spelman College.
He has performed frequently at Atlanta's prestigious Alliance Theater in "Fences", "T-Bone'n Weasel" and "Home", among other productions.
