Booker T. Bradshaw (May 21, 1940[1]– April 1, 2003) was an American record producer, film and TV actor, and Motown executive.

Booker Talmadge Bradshaw
Born(1940-05-21)May 21, 1940
DiedApril 1, 2003(2003-04-01) (aged 62)
Occupation(s)Record producer, actor
Children1

Early life

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Born in Richmond, Virginia, Bradshaw worked for his father, Booker T. Bradshaw Sr.,[2] president of Virginia Mutual Life Insurance Company; a former member of the Richmond School Board and a trustee of Virginia Union and Virginia State.[3] Bradshaw, disillusioned and working at his father's life insurance company, went on to study at Harvard to earn a degree in English. There he honed his acting skills, and met folk singer/musician Joan Baez. In 1961, while a junior at Harvard, he applied his singing talents on The Original Amateur Hour television show with Ted Mack as a singer of folk songs, becoming a three-time winner, and participated in the national finals at Madison Square Garden. He graduated from Harvard in 1962 and had learned to speak three languages. Bradshaw then went on to play at Carnegie Hall, and in the early sixties he was given a full scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England.[4]

Career

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Bradshaw joined Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan and became their International Manager. He was in charge of The Supremes and The Temptations on their European tours. He ventured back to acting with John Ferald, school principal of The Royal Academy at the time, doing repertory work at Oakland University outside of Detroit.

Among his many television and movie roles, he was cast as Dr. M'Benga in two episodes of the original Star Trek series. He also acted in The Mod Squad, Bracken's World, and The F.B.I. TV series and the 1973 blaxploitation film Coffy. He was also an accomplished writer and wrote material for TV shows such as Planet of the Apes, Get Christie Love! and Columbo.

Personal life

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Bradshaw had at least one child, daughter Alaiyo Bradshaw.

Bradshaw died from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, on April 1, 2003, a month before his 63rd birthday.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1969 Some Kind of a Nut Sam Uncredited
1970 Skullduggery Smoot
The Strawberry Statement Lucas
1973 Coffy Howard Brunswick

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1966 The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Prince Nicholas Episode: "The Jewels of Topango Affair"
1966, 1968 Tarzan Dr. B'Dula, Dr Kenneth Kiley 2 episodes
1968 Here's Lucy First Couple Man Episode: "Lucy, the Conclusion Jumper"
Star Trek: The Original Series Dr. M'Benga 2 episodes
The Mod Squad Doc Lightener Episode: "Bad Man on Campus"
1969 Star Trek: The Original Series Dr. M'Benga S3:E17, "That Which Survives"
Julia Matt Dixon Episode: "Home of the Braves"
Bracken's World Floyd Emmons Episode: "It's the Power Structure, Baby"
The F.B.I. Special Agent Harry Dane 2 episodes
1969, 1972 Insight Stu, Wilson, Mr. Ghani 3 episodes
1970 The Name of the Game Assagai Nakebe Episode: "The Skim Game"
1972 The Mod Squad George Cannon Episode: "A Gift for Jenny"
1973 The Wide World of Mystery Baxter Norris Episode: "Murder and the Computer"
1977 I Am the Greatest: The Adventures of Muhammad Ali Various roles Series regular, voice role
Five Weeks in a Balloon TV movie, voice role
1981 Goldie Gold and Action Jack Sam Grit Series regular, voice role
1983 Alvin and the Chipmunks Various roles Series regular, voice role
1986 Lazer Tag Academy Draxon Drear Series regular, voice role
1987 Alice Through the Looking Glass The Centaur TV movie, voice role

References

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  1. ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0103468%7C [user-generated source]
  2. ^ AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE DICTIONARY OF VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
  3. ^ Taylor, Michael Eric (1994). The African-American community of Richmond, Virginia: 1950-1956 (PDF) (Master’s). University of Richmond (Paper 1081). p. 158. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Washington Afro-American - Google News Archive Search".
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