Clifton Davis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton Davis
Davis in 1998
Born	Clifton Duncan Davis (1945-10-04) October 4, 1945 (age 79) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer songwriter minister author
Years active	1971–present
Known for	That's My Mama, Amen
Spouse(s)	Ann Taylor ​ (m. 1981⁠–⁠1991)​ Monica Durant ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	2

Clifton Duncan Davis (born October 4, 1945) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, minister, and author. He is known for his roles in TV shows like That's My Mama and Amen. He also wrote the famous song "Never Can Say Goodbye" for The Jackson 5.

Clifton Davis has performed in many Broadway musicals, including Hello, Dolly!, Aladdin, and Wicked. He was even nominated for a Tony Award for his role in Two Gentlemen of Verona. Beyond acting and singing, he is also a minister and an author. He shared his experiences growing up in a chapter of the book Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul.

Early Life and Education

Clifton Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Thelma van Putten Langhorn, was a nurse. His father, Toussaint L'Ouverture Davis, was a Seventh-day Adventist minister. Clifton grew up in Mastic, New York.

He attended Pine Forge Academy, which is a boarding school for Black students run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Later, he earned a degree in Theology from Oakwood University. He also received a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University.

A Look at His Career

Clifton Davis has had a long and varied career. He started as a songwriter before becoming a well-known actor.

Songwriting Success

One of his biggest achievements as a songwriter was writing "Never Can Say Goodbye". This song became a huge hit for The Jackson 5 in 1971, reaching number two on the music charts.

Broadway and Stage Roles

Davis made his first appearance on Broadway in the mid-1960s in Hello, Dolly!. He later took on roles in other plays like Jimmy Shine. In 1971, he created the role of Valentine in the musical Two Gentlemen of Verona, which earned him a Tony Award nomination in 1972.

More recently, he returned to Broadway in 2014 to play the Sultan in the stage version of Disney's Aladdin. In 2022, he joined the cast of Wicked, playing the character Dr. Dillamond. He had previously played this role in the show's touring companies.

Television and Film Appearances

In the 1970s, Clifton Davis starred as barber Clifton Curtis in the TV show That's My Mama. He also co-hosted a musical variety show with singer Melba Moore. He appeared on game shows like Match Game and Pyramid many times.

From 1986 to 1991, Davis co-starred with Sherman Hemsley in the popular sitcom Amen. In this show, he played Reverend Doctor Ruben Gregory. He also released a gospel music album called Say Amen in 1991.

Clifton Davis has also appeared in several movies. These include Scott Joplin (1977) and Any Given Sunday (1999), where he played the mayor of Miami. More recently, he was cast as Vernon Dupree in the new CBS soap opera Beyond the Gates, which premiered in February 2025. From 2015 to 2019, he was also a regular on the TV series Madam Secretary.

Ministry and Community Work

Beyond his entertainment career, Clifton Davis is also a dedicated minister. From 1987 to 1989, he was an Associate Pastor at the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church in California. He has also co-founded and co-pastored the Welcome Christian Center in Huntington Beach, California.

Davis is a licensed minister at St. Luke Baptist Church in New York City. He has led an interdenominational ministry for over 30 years, working with people from different Christian backgrounds. He is also very involved with Youthville, USA, an organization that helps children. He has served as their National Spokesperson and Advisory Board Chairman.

Clifton Davis often hosts events like "The Most Soulful Sound," an annual gospel choir competition. He is also a frequent guest and host on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. Since late 2005, he has been the executive director for Welcome America, a non-profit group that organizes the largest Fourth of July celebration in the United States.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Images for kids

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  Clifton Davis in a club