Early life and education
edit
Born on December 18, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, and raised by his mother, Eloise, Mosley grew up in the
Imperial Courts
public housing in the
Watts
neighborhood.
[2]
For high school, Mosley attended
Jordan High School
.
[3]
Mosley appeared as Monk in
Terminal Island
(1973). Other actors in the feature were
Phyllis Davis
,
Don Marshall
, Ena Hartman, and
Tom Selleck
,
[4]
who would later star in the television series
Magnum, P.I.
which would also feature Mosley.
[5]
In 1974, Mosley founded the Watts Repertory Company.
[6]
Mosley's most prominent film role was his 1976 starring turn as the title character in
Leadbelly
, a biography of the musician directed by
Gordon Parks
.
[7]
In an article in the November 1982 issue of
Ebony
magazine, Mosley said that this was his favorite role.
[8]
Mosley appeared in
Magnum, P.I.
from 1980 to 1988. He had a role as Tom Selleck's friend, helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin, who operates his own tourist charter,
Island Hoppers
.
[9]
He appeared in season five of
Las Vegas
as the billionaire friend of Montecito owner A.J. Cooper (Tom Selleck).
[10]
Mosley came out of retirement to appear on the
Magnum, P.I.
reboot episode "A Kiss Before Dying" as Booky, T.C.'s barber, on March 11, 2019.
[11]
[12]
Stephen Hill
, who played T.C. in the new series, said, "It is truly an honor for us to welcome an original cast member of
Magnum, P.I.
; one who embodied the role of T.C. with such thoughtful and dignified talent."
[11]
Mosley also guest-starred on such shows as
Night Court
,
[13]
Kung Fu
,
Starsky & Hutch
,
Kojak
,
The Rockford Files
,
Baretta
, and
Sanford and Son
. He also played a role in
Roots: The Next Generations
. Mosley made a memorable appearance in the 1973 film
The Mack
[14]
as the militant brother of the main character Goldie.
[15]
He appeared in other
blaxploitation
films of the period, including
Hit Man
(1972);
Sweet Jesus, Preacherman
(1973);
Darktown Strutters
(1975); and
The River Niger
(1976).
Mosley's other film credits include
McQ
(1974) with
John Wayne
,
[16]
The Greatest
(1977, as
Sonny Liston
),
Semi-Tough
(1977),
Heart Condition
(1990), and
Pentathlon
(1994).
[17]
He also starred in the television series
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
(1992?1993) as Coach Ricketts in a recurring role with comedian/actor
Mark Curry
, and in the film
A Thin Line Between Love and Hate
(1996) with
Martin Lawrence
,
Lynn Whitfield
, and
Bobby Brown
.
[18]
He also appeared as a celebrity guest on
The $25,000 Pyramid
for a week's worth of shows in July 1983, July 1984, and June 1985.
[19]
Mosley was married to Antoinette Laudermilk; they were together for nearly sixty years.
[2]
Mosley became a certified private helicopter pilot. When making
Magnum, P.I.
, he was not allowed to do his own stunts. A pilot wearing a body stocking with false muscles was used instead.
[20]
Mosley did not smoke, use drugs or drink alcohol, and insisted that his
Magnum, P.I.
character also did not.
[21]
At the 2013 HAI Heli-Expo in
Las Vegas
, a ceremony for the restored
MD 500D
helicopter was held. Both Mosley and fellow
Magnum, P.I.
co-star
Larry Manetti
autographed the nose of the helicopter.
[22]