Renny Roker is a promoter and actor. As a promoter, he has been involved in both music and sport. He also ran various record labels with his brother Wally Roker in the 1970s. As an actor his career which really started in the 1960s has carried on through to the 2010s.
Renny Roker | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 6, 1942 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, record label executive |
| Years active | 1960s to present |
Background
editRoker was born on September 6, 1942, in New York City, New York.[1] He has lived in places as diverse as South Carolina, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. He had acting aspirations from the age of ten. He went to college in Puerto Rico and majored in drama and speech. While he was in his teens he won a D.J. contest and that enabled him to work in that field through his junior and senior college years.[2]
He was heavily involved in the promotional side of BMX racing and left it in the early 1980s but returned to it around 2010.[3] He is also related to Al Roker, and actress Roxie Roker.[4]
In 2015, his book Positivity was published.[5]
Film and television career
editHis earliest role was at the age of around fifteen. He landed a small recurring part in Recuerdos de Maria, a Puerto Rican soap opera where he played one of Maria's neighbors.[6]
He played the part of Detective Galey in the 1999 film Kidnapped in Paradise which was directed by Rob Hedden.[7]
Filmography
edit| Title | Role | Director | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skidoo | Prison guard | Otto Preminger | 1968 | |
| Terror in the Sky | Phone operator | Bernard L. Kowalski | 1971 | Made for television |
| Melinda | Dennis Smith | Hugh A. Robertson | 1972 | [8] |
| The Ballad of Billie Blue | Al | Ken Osborne | 1972 | [9] |
| The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat | Robert Taylor | 1974 | Voice | |
| Tough | Phil | Horace Jackson | 1974 | Also assistant to the producer |
| Sky Heist | Lee H. Katzin | 1975 | ||
| Joey | Chris Townes | Horace Jasckson | 1975 | |
| Brothers | Lewis | Arthur Barron | 1977 | |
| And Baby Makes Six | Mailman | Waris Hussein | 1979 | Made for television |
| Honky Tonk Freeway | Sheriff | John Schlesinger | 1981 | |
| Mysterious Two | Williams | Gary Sherman | 1982 | Made for television |
| The Versace Murder | Barnie Rogers | Menahem Golan | 1998 | |
| Kidnapped in Paradise | Lieutenant Galey | Rob Hedden | 1999 | Made for television |
| Technopolis | Nathan | Andre Dixon | 2015 | Short[10] |
Music career
editHe ran Roker Records with his brother Wally. The label released singles from 1969 to 1971. It released singles by The Four Monitors, Irma Thomas, Swamp Dogg, The Whispers and Gloria Lynne.[11] Around March 1970, he and his brother formed Canyon Records. It was reported in the December 5, 1970, issue of Billboard that due to the name conflicting with a similar company in Denver, they were changing it. At that time under their Roker Record Group, they operated the RRG, Roker, Soulclock and Stardom record labels.[12]
In 1972, Roker and Swamp Dogg were set to appear on TV show Target, which was broadcast on WPVI-TV in Philadelphia. Their two appearances were connected to the release of the single "Sam Stone" which tells of the plight of a Vietnam Vet who returns home with a heavy drug habit. The single was released through Cream Records which Roker was connected with.[13][14]
In the late 1970s he was president of R&B Productions, which was based in Los Angeles.[15] Also in the late 1970s, he organized the First Funk Fest in Soldier Field, Chicago, an event that was attended by 70,000.[16]
Sport
editRoker co-founded Teens on the Green, an organization that originally started out addressing the issue of minority youngsters who were dropping out of the game. Also providing them access to the more prestigious golf venues.[17] Some of the teens who have gone through the program have gone to play in other countries, in college and according to Roker, some have played in the LPGA.[18]
Owner/founder of Jag BMX bicycles, event promoter of the first-ever Jag World Championships in Indianapolis, IN, and the actor responsible for getting BMX featured in an episode of C*H*i*P*S. He also started his own BMX team Jag BMX. Renny was inducted into the BMX Hall of Fame in 2023.
References
edit- ^ GigMasters, Inc. - Renny Roker
- ^ The Indianapolis Recorder, Saturday July 9, 1977 - Page 11 Actor's Life Diversified
- ^ BMXNews.com, September 11, 2010 - Interview: Renny Roker Talks About Jag Race
- ^ Daytona Times, March 3, 2016 - An update on actress with local ties - Jeroline D. McCarthy
- ^ Patch Media, Jul 14, 2015 - Entertainment, TV/Film and Sports Trailblazer Renny Roker Releases New Book "POSITIVITY By Ivan Thomas
- ^ The Indianapolis Recorder, Saturday July 9, 1977 - Page 11 Actor's Life Diversified
- ^ Turner Classic Movies - Kidnapped in Paradise(1999)
- ^ IMDb - Renny Roker, Filmography
- ^ Turner Classic Movies - The Ballad of Billie Blue(1972)
- ^ IMDb - Renny Roker, Filmography
- ^ 45Cat - Roker - Label Discography
- ^ Billboard, December 5, 1970 - Page 73 Rokers Switch Label's Name
- ^ Billboard, September 9, 1972 - Page 16 Swamp Dog's 'Stone' 45 Spurs Anti-Drug Drive
- ^ Billboard, May 27, 1972 - Page 40 Soul, Soul Sauce, BITS AND PIECES
- ^ Billboard, November 17, 1979 - Horizons 12 BLACK MUSIC: Time to Translate Creative to Corporate Power? By DAVE DEXTER JR.
- ^ Billboard, September 30, 1978 - Page 43 Radio Station Must Go All-Out In Concert Tie-Ins ... Or Else
- ^ CNN.com Transcripts, Aired August 12, 2002 - CNN LIVE TODAY, Interview with Renny Roker (Interviewed by Leon Harris)
- ^ Palm Coast Observer, 11 Sep. 2016 - High grades, low scores: Green for Teens wants to assist students with their education and golf skills — for free by: Jeff Dawsey