Rocky Carroll
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Since his film and TV career kicked off in the 1990s, Rocky Carroll has demonstrated his range and talent in a variety of roles and has proven equally adept scene-stealing supporting turns in sitcoms and lending quiet authority to hour-long dramas.
The Ohio native was a promising black American stage actor, when he first gained national prominence as the smooth-talking, carefree younger brother of Charles S. Dutton's titular character in "Roc" (Fox, 1991-94). Having moved to NYC after working for a season at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Carroll honed his craft performing Shakespeare for high school students before being cast in his acclaimed breakthrough role in August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "The Piano Lesson," which also featured Dutton. Originating the part of Lymon at the Yale Rep in 1987, he was tapped to recreate it when the show moved to Broadway in 1989. Carroll picked up a Tony Award nomination for his efforts and landed his first feature role in "Born on the Fourth of July" (1989). When "Roc" was created for Dutton, the actor encouraged its producers to consider his co-stars from the play for other roles. Both Carroll and Carl Gordon were hired for the Fox sitcom and this abundance of stage-trained talent inspired the producers to film "Roc" live beginning with the 1992 season.
When "Roc" went off the air in 1994, Carroll attempted to parlay his success into a film career but his roles in "The Chase" (1994), "Crimson Tide" (1995) and "The Great White Hype" (1996) didn't really register with critics or audiences. The latter, though, introduced him to Peter Berg and Carroll was soon joining Berg on the small screen portraying emergency room surgeon Dr. Keith Wilkes in the CBS medical drama "Chicago Hope." Staying for that series for four seasons, Carroll demonstrated his dramatic chops and earned a new group of fans.
Switching gears for his next small screen venture, Carroll was cast as a pompous TV host who considers a new weatherman (Jim Gaffigan) a threat to his popularity in "Welcome to New York," a short-lived CBS sitcom that aired in 2000-2001. Although he earned praise for his comedic work, the performer chose a serious drama as a follow-up. In "The Agency" (CBS, 2001-03), Carroll was cast as the leader of a counter-terrorism team of CIA operatives.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1987
Originated the role of Lymon in the Yale Repertory Theatre production of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson"
1989
Made feature debut in Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July"
1989
Made TV-movie debut in "Money, Power, Murder" (aka "Dead Air")
1989
Played Lymon in the Broadway production of "The Piano Lesson"; received Tony nomination
1990
First TV series appearance on "Law & Order" (NBC)
1991
Cast as Joey Emerson, the younger brother of the protagonist in the Fox sitcom "Roc"
1996
Joined regular cast of the CBS medical drama "Chicago Hope"; portrayed surgeon Dr. Keith Wilkes until the show's cancellation in 2000
1999
Had featured role as a drug dealing tough in "Best Laid Plans"
2000
Appeared in the feature comedy "The Ladies Man"
2001
Directed and played leading role of Boy Willie in Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" produced at Cincinnati's The Children's Theatre
2001
Portrayed the leader of a team of CIA operatives in the CBS fall drama "The Agency"
Companions
