Roger E. Mosley

Roger Earl Mosley (/ˈmoʊzli/;[1] born December 18, 1938) is a retired American actor, director and writer best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin in the television series Magnum, P.I.[2]

Roger E. Mosley
Mosley in 1980
Born
Roger Earl Mosley

(1938-12-18) December 18, 1938
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1972–2010; 2019
Partner(s)Toni Laudermick (1976–present)
Children3

Biography

Mosley was born in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in the Imperial Courts public housing with his mother Eloise Harris in Watts. In 1974, he founded the Watts Repertory Company.[3]

Mosley is a licensed private helicopter pilot in real life, but when on the set of Magnum P.I. he was not allowed to do his own stunts; a pilot wearing a body stocking with false muscles would be used instead.[4] In 2013 at the HAI Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, a ceremony for the restored MD 500D helicopter was held. Both Mosley and fellow Magnum P.I. co-star Larry Manetti autographed the nose of the helicopter.[5] Mosley played a cameo role in new Magnum P.I. series in 2018.

Career

Mosley appeared as Monk in Terminal Island (1973). Other actors in the feature were Phyllis Davis, Don Marshall, Ena Hartman and Tom Selleck,[6] who would later star in the television series Magnum, P.I..[7] Mosley's most prominent film role was his 1976 starring turn as the title character in Leadbelly, directed by Gordon Parks.[8] In an article in the November, 1982 issue of Ebony magazine, it was revealed that this was his favorite role.[9]

He appeared in Magnum, P.I. as Tom Selleck's friend and helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin, who operates his own tourist charter, Island Hoppers [10], from 1980-1988. He appeared in season five of Las Vegas as the billionaire friend of Montecito owner A.J. Cooper (Tom Selleck). Mosley came out of retirement and appeared on the Magnum, P.I. reboot episode "A Kiss Before Dying" as Booky, T.C.'s barber, on March 11, 2019.[11][12] Stephen Hill, who played T.C. in the new series, said, "It is truly an honor for us to welcome an original cast member of Magnum, P.I.; one who embodied the role of T.C. with such thoughtful and dignified talent."[11]

He has guest-starred on such shows as Night Court,[13] Kung Fu, Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, The Rockford Files, Baretta, and Sanford and Son; he also played a role in Roots: The Next Generations. Mosley made a memorable appearance in the 1973 film The Mack[14] as the militant brother of the main character Goldie.[15] He appeared in other blaxploitation films including Hit Man (1972), Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973), Darktown Strutters (1975), and The River Niger (1976). His other film credits include McQ (1974) with John Wayne,[16] The Greatest (1977, as Sonny Liston), Semi-Tough (1977), Heart Condition (1990) and Pentathlon (1994).[17] He also starred in the television series Hangin' With Mr. Cooper (1992-1993) as Coach Ricketts in a recurring role with comedian/actor Mark Curry, and in the film A Thin Line Between Love & Hate (1996) with Martin Lawrence, Lynn Whitfield, and Bobby Brown.[18] He also appeared as a celebrity guest on The $25,000 Pyramid for a week's worth of shows in July 1983, July 1984, in June 1985.

Partial filmography
gollark: Exciti ng!
gollark: Other fun avenue for storytelling: adopted arcana annoying everyone with magic obsession.
gollark: Unnatural.
gollark: Manually going through every hatchery: BORING.
gollark: I need to somehow automate hatchery submission.

References
  1. "Magnum P.I. Chopper comes homes to the North Shore at Turtle Bay Resort". Turtle Bay Resort. June 7, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  2. http://www.tomselleck.de Roger E. Mosley Biographie
  3. Loki Radoslav Pon Press, 1 Apr 2012 - Performing Arts Roger E. Mosley Pon Press, 2012 ISBN 9786137817421
  4. https://articles.latimes.com Helicopters Keep His Life in a Whirl : 'It's Like Flying a Plane, Except You . . . Go Sideways' by Lynn Simross June 07, 1985
  5. Police Helicopter Pilot Helicopter Aviation & Beyond Magnum PI Helicopter Flies Again In Hawaii
  6. New York Times Movies Terminal Island (1973)
  7. New York Times Movies & TV Tom Selleck
  8. Bastrop Visitor Center Leadbelly 1976, starring Roger E. Mosley and Paul Benjamin, directed by Gordon Parks.
  9. Ebony Magazine November 1982 Page 85 Roger Mosley Continued
  10. Huffington Post TV 'Magnum P.I.' Cast: Where Are They Now? by Kim Potts
  11. Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 21, 2019). "Magnum P.I. Welcomes Vet of Original Series: 'The Torch Has Been Passed'". TVLine. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  12. "Watch Magnum P.I. Season 1 Episode 18: A Kiss Before Dying". CBS. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  13. TV Guide Episode Detail: Puppy Love - Night Court
  14. http://www.tomselleck.de Roger E. Mosley - Biographie
  15. cinephilia The Mack USA 1973
  16. John Wayne: Actor, Artist, Hero By Richard D. McGhee Filmography Page 365
  17. Jet Magazine Page 62 Movies to see
  18. Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema by Torriano S. Berry, Venise T. Berry Page 335 Thin Line Between Love And Hate
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