Roger E. Mosley played Theodore “TC” Calvin, a helicopter pilot and friend. Tom SelleckHis role in all eight seasons of the original Magnum, PI, died on Sunday. He is 83 years old.
Mosley died a few days ago at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from injuries sustained in a car accident in Lynnwood, California, his daughter C-A said. The Hollywood Reporter.
On the big screen, Mosley was memorable as blues and country singer Huddy Ledbetter (“The Midnight Special”). Leadbelly (1976), directed by Gordon Parks. In his review, Roger Ebert wrote Mosley performed with “tremendous force” and called it “one of the best biographies of a musician I’ve ever seen”.
Mosley also stands out in blaxploitation films, playing Goldie’s angry brother outside of prison (Max Julian) in the classic The Mac (1973) and acted Hit man (1972), Sweet Jesus, Master (1973) and Darktown Strutters (1975)
And inside Big (1977), Mosley—a sturdy 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds in his prime—portrayed Sonny Liston and struck him down. Muhammad Ali.
The likable actor appeared in 158 of CBS’ 162 episodes. Magnum, PIDonald Bellisario and created Glenn A. Larson. TC was a friend of Selleck’s Thomas Magnum during their days in Vietnam; His character owned a helicopter charter company called Island Hoppers on Oahu, which was useful in the series, which aired from December 1980 to May 1988.
According to Mosley, Gerald McCraney was set to star in TC after the producers realized they needed a person of color in the main cast. Selleck thought of Moseley from the 1973 film Prison they made together Terminal Islandand recommended him for that part.
The Los Angeles native was busy making movies at the time and didn’t want to work on a TV show, but his agent talked him into at least doing it. Magnum Pilot.
As Mosley I remembered And so, his agent told him: ” ‘This guy is played by Tom Selleck. Tom Selleck has made about five pilot shows…none of which sold. So what do you do, Roger: Sign up for the show, go to Hawaii, and they’ll treat you well for the 20 days it takes to shoot. [pilot], you will get a lot of money and then you will come home. A show with Tom Selleck will always fail and you’ll be fine.
“Well, 8 1/2 years later…”
Mosley was a licensed private helicopter pilot in real life (producers found out after he was hired, he said) but wasn’t allowed to fly in the series.
Initially, the writers had TC as the owner of a helicopter business, but Mosley refused to “be the only black person in Hawaii and go broke.” “And they reversed. They decided Tom would be broke and I’d be fine financially — except I’d always bail him out.
Mosley made his character a Gramming State University graduate, a lover of books and poetry, and a guy who doesn’t party.
“They are [the Magnum writers] “Keep writing about smoking and drinking, but I won’t,” he said in a 1982 interview. Ebony. “I never binge, smoke or drink on the show or in real life. I don’t want black kids to see that.
Born Roger Earl Moseley on December 18, 1938, he was brought up by his mother Eloise at the Imperial Courts scheme in Watts. He was a wrestler in high school and a neighborhood swimming coach.
Recalculated in 1976 People storyRaymond St at the Mafundi Institute, a community arts school in Mosley Watts. While studying acting under Jacques, a director from Universal came to lecture the students on self-sacrifice and said, “I know actors who have to eat ketchup sandwiches.”
Mosley stood up and yelled: “You have the audacity to ask our art to eat a ketchup sandwich. I know people who eat ketchup sandwiches to survive. We need someone to give us a break.
The director invited Mosley to come to the studio the following week.
Mosley made his first screen appearance in a 1971 episode of CBS. CannonLater he played small roles New Centurions (1972) and Hickey & Boggs (1972)
Later worked with John Wayne Inside McQ (1974); with James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson and Louis Gossett Jr River Niger (1976); and, as football player Putin Patterson Sr., in Semi-hard (1977), acted Burt Reynolds.
mail-MagnumShe starred opposite Nell Carter in the CBS sitcom You take the childrenCoach Ricketts at ABC Hanging with Mr. Cooper and as Milt Johnson on Showtimes To be rudely awakened. Also appeared in movies Cardiac status (1990), Illegal entry (1992), Pentathlon (1994) and A fine line between love and hate (1996)
Survivors include his wife Antoinette (“Tony”) – they were together for almost 60 years – son Brandon; grandson Austin; and Rahsan, among his many nieces and nephews
Ch-a wrote On Facebook: “We could never mourn such a wonderful man. He hates to cry on his name. It is time to celebrate the legacy he has left for all of us. I love you dad. You loved me too. My heart is heavy but I am strong. I take care mom, your love for almost 60 years. You raised me well and she is in good hands. Rest in peace.”
“Friend of animals everywhere. Coffee maven. Professional food trailblazer. Twitter buff.”