Joe Seneca

Joe Seneca (January 14, 1919 – August 15, 1996)[1] was an American actor, singer, and songwriter.

Joe Seneca
Seneca during filming of 1986's Crossroads
Born
Joel McGhee Jr.

(1919-01-14)January 14, 1919
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedAugust 15, 1996(1996-08-15) (aged 77)
New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationActor, singer, songwriter
Years active1940s–1996

Life and career

Seneca was born Joel McGhee, Jr. in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to his acting career, he belonged to the R&B singing group The Three Riffs, which was active from the late 1940s and performed at upscale supper clubs in New York City.[2] He was also a songwriter and had big hits with "Talk to Me" which was sung by Little Willie John, and "Break It to Me Gently," which was a smash hit twice, once by Brenda Lee in 1962 and once by Juice Newton in 1982.

In the 1982 film, The Verdict, Seneca plays the supporting role of Dr. Thompson, a small-town women's hospital physician brought in by attorney Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) to support his belief that two famous doctors' incompetence left his client alive but in a coma. Seneca's performance, while subdued, brings a gritty realism to the court proceedings and was one of his more important film roles. Arguably his most well-known roles are that of bluesman Willie Brown in Crossroads (1986) and Dr. Meddows in The Blob (1988), the evil head of a government team sent to contain the title creature.

Seneca also made multiple appearances on The Cosby Show as Hillman President Dr. Zachariah J. Hanes. He also played Alvin Newcastle, a man suffering from Alzheimer's disease, on an episode of The Golden Girls entitled "Old Friends".[3] Seneca appeared in Spike Lee's School Daze as Mission College President McPherson.

Seneca played Eddie Haynes, on Matlock, in the May 9, 1989 episode "The Blues Singer." He later played a blind murder witness in the October 13, 1993 Law & Order episode "Profile."

Seneca appeared in Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" music video in the late 1980s.

He died from asthma at the age of 77.[4]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1974The Taking of Pelham One Two ThreePolice Sergeant
1979The Fish That Saved PittsburghMr. Sweets
1979Kramer vs. KramerPartygoer #6
1982The VerdictDr. Thompson
1984The Evil That Men DoSantiago
1985Heart of the Garden
1985SilveradoEzra
1986CrossroadsWillie Brown
1987Big ShotsFerryman
1987Moments Without Proper Names
1988School DazePresident McPherson
1988The BlobDr. Meddows
1990Mo' Better BluesBig Stop's Friend
1991Mississippi MasalaWilliben Williams
1992Malcolm XToomer
1993The Saint of Fort WashingtonSpits
1996A Time to KillReverend Isaiah Street

References
  1. Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 255. ISBN 978-0313344237.
  2. "The Three Riffs ", Vocal Group Harmony. Retrieved 25 October 2016
  3. The Golden Girls Season 3 episode 52; air date September 19, 1987
  4. Crocker, Catherine (August 17, 1996). "Obituaries | Joe Seneca, Singer, Composer, Actor". The Seattle Times. Associated Press.


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