Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, a talented individual, was born in the vibrant city of New York, where he is one of nine children born to Hilton and Clothilda Jacobs. His family and friends affectionately refer to him as Larry, and he spent his formative years attending public schools in New York City, thereby gaining firsthand knowledge of what it's like to be a student in a big-city high school, much like the one depicted on the popular television show "Welcome Back, Kotter."
After completing his high school education, Larry worked at a variety of unglamorous jobs, including being a delivery boy, a florist, a messenger boy, and a stock boy in a department store. However, his first "real important job" was as a freelance artist and packagedesigner, which gave him a taste of the artistic world and made up for all the menial jobs he had performed while waiting to find his true calling.
During his time as an artist, Larry developed an interest in acting and began studying at Al Fann's Theatrical School and then with the Negro Ensemble Company, two esteemed all-black acting companies that produce experimental plays in New York City and train promising young black actors in the performing arts. Through these companies, Larry had the opportunity to act in various plays, including "Cora's Second Cousin," "The Dean," "What the Wine Sellers Buy," "Mask in Black," and "The Exterminator." Although none of these productions catapulted him to fame, they did bring him to the attention of film casting directors.
Larry's big breakthrough in show business came with the film Cooley High (1975),which led to him being cast in the role of Boom Boom Washington on the popular television show "Welcome Back, Kotter" (1975). He also had significant roles in major made-for-television features, including "The Sojourner" and the highly acclaimed "Roots" (1977).
In addition to his acting talents, Larry is also a skilled musician, able to sing, play the piano, and write music.
