Reginald VelJohnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reginald VelJohnson
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VelJohnson in 2021
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Reginald Johnson
August 16, 1952 New York City, U.S.
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| Education | Benjamin N. Cardozo High School |
| Alma mater | New York University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Known for | Carl Winslow – Family Matters Al Powell – Die Hard |
Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald Johnson; August 16, 1952) is an American actor. He is famous for playing police officers in movies and on TV. His most well-known roles are Carl Winslow on the TV show Family Matters and Sergeant Al Powell in the Die Hard movies.
Contents
About Reginald VelJohnson
Early Life and Education
Reginald VelJohnson was born Reginald Johnson in Queens, a part of New York City. His mother, Eva, was a nurse's aide, and his father, Dan, worked at a hospital. When Reginald was 13, his father left the family. His mother later married John Reilly.
Reginald went to Benjamin N. Cardozo High School. After high school, he studied theater at New York University. He earned a special degree called a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). While at college, he worked with a theater group led by Joseph Papp. Famous actors like Morgan Freeman and CCH Pounder were also part of this group.
Early in his acting career, he changed his name from Reginald Johnson to Reginald VelJohnson. He said he wanted a name that people would easily remember.
Acting Career Highlights
Reginald VelJohnson is often cast as a police officer because he plays them so well. Before his big roles, he had small parts in popular movies. He appeared briefly in Ghostbusters (1984) as a corrections officer. He also played a limo driver in Crocodile Dundee (1986). In Turner & Hooch (1989), he acted alongside Tom Hanks as Detective David Sutton.
Breakthrough Roles
VelJohnson's career took off with his role as Sergeant Al Powell in the 1988 action movie Die Hard. He was chosen for the part after another actor couldn't do it. He moved from New York to California to film the movie, and he liked California so much that he decided to live there permanently. He played Sergeant Powell again in the sequel, Die Hard 2 (1990). He even voiced the character in the 2002 video game Die Hard: Vendetta.
In 1989, VelJohnson got another major role as Carl Winslow in the TV show Family Matters. He played a police officer and the dad of the Winslow family. Jo Marie Payton played his wife, Harriette. The show was a spin-off from another popular show called Perfect Strangers. Reginald VelJohnson starred in Family Matters until it ended in 1998.
Recent Work
Since Family Matters ended, VelJohnson has mostly done voice acting and guest appearances on TV shows. He has appeared in many shows, including Monk, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
In 2021, he voiced Principal Winslow in the animated show Invincible. The high school in the show is named after him, and the character is named after his role as Carl Winslow. He also voices other small characters in the series. He also returned to play Mayor David Sutton in the TV series based on Turner & Hooch.
More recently, in 2023, VelJohnson started appearing in commercials for Progressive insurance. He plays a character called "TV Dad," which is a fun nod to his Carl Winslow role. In 2024, he competed on Dancing with the Stars, finishing in 10th place.
Personal Life
Reginald VelJohnson has homes in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Los Angeles. He has never married and does not have any children.
Images for kids
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VelJohnson in 2021
See also
In Spanish: Reginald VelJohnson para niños
