Howard E. Rollins Jr. was an American actor who is best known for his roles in “Ragtime,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “A Soldier’s Story.” Born on October 17, 1950, in Baltimore, Maryland, he made significant contributions to film and television during his career.
Personal and Family Life
Howard Ellsworth Rollins Jr. was born to Howard E. Rollins Sr., a steelworker, and Ruth R. Rollins, a domestic worker. He grew up as the youngest of four children and showed an early interest in acting. After graduating from Towson State College, where he studied theater, Rollins moved to New York City in 1974 to pursue his acting aspirations.
Career
Rollins gained critical acclaim for his performances, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in “Ragtime” (1981) and an Emmy nomination for “Another World.” He is particularly celebrated for portraying Virgil Tibbs in the popular series “In the Heat of the Night,” which aired from 1988. Besides acting, he struggled with substance abuse issues throughout his life.
Death and Legacy
Howard E. Rollins Jr. was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 1996. He passed away on December 8, 1996, in New York City, at the age of 46, due to complications from the disease. Despite his challenges, Rollins left a lasting impact on the acting community and is remembered for his talent and persistence.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Ragtime | 1981-11-20 | Coalhouse Walker Jr. |
| A Soldier’s Story | 1984-09-14 | Captain Davenport |
| My Old Man | 1979-12-07 | Doctor |
| Drunks | 1997-03-14 | Joseph |
| The Children of Times Square | 1986-03-03 | Otis Travis |
| The Member of the Wedding | 1982-12-20 | Honey Brown |
| For Us, the Living: The Story of Medgar Evers | 1983-03-22 | Medgar Evers |
| The House of Dies Drear | 1984-06-01 | Walter Small |
| Thornwell | 1981-01-28 | Carson |
| A Doctor’s Story | 1984-04-23 | Dr. Zack Williams |
| With Murder in Mind | 1992-05-12 | Samuel Carver |
| Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI | 1986-10-21 | T.C. Russell |
| He’s Fired, She’s Hired | 1984-12-18 | Raoul |
| The Trial of the Moke | 1978-05-03 | James Smith |
| The House of God | 1984-01-01 | Chuck Johnston |
| The Legacy of Malthus | 1994-01-01 | Self (Population Institute, 1993) (archive footage) |
| The Neighborhood | 1982-04-25 | Allen Campbell |
| Remembering Ragtime | 2004-11-16 | Coalhouse Walker Jr. (archive footage) |
| The Boy King | 1986-01-01 | Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. |
| On the Block | 1990-01-01 | Clay Beasley |
| Harambee! | 1996-12-01 | Chimbuko |
| Another World | 1964-05-04 | |
| In the Heat of the Night | 1988-03-06 | Virgil Tibbs |
| New York Undercover | 1994-09-08 | Reverend Hundley |
| Fridays | 1980-04-11 | |
| Wildside | 1985-03-21 | |
| King | 1978-02-12 | Andrew Young |
| Roots: The Next Generations | 1979-02-18 | George Haley |