Person Biography:
Paul Winfield was a renowned American actor, born in 1939 in Dallas, Texas. He began his acting career at a young age, earning distinction with several performance awards at Manual Arts High School. He then went on to study at the University of Portland, Stanford University, and Los Angeles City College, eventually leaving UCLA just six credits short of his Bachelor's degree.
Winfield's early breakthrough came in 1964 with a role in LeRoi Jones' one-act play "The Dutchman and the Toilet." He continued to focus on the legitimate stage, joining the Stanford Repertory Theatre and later the Inner City Cultural Center Theatre in Los Angeles.
In the late 1960s, Winfield redirected his attention to television and film, appearing in over 40 series and films, including a role on the landmark black sitcom "Julia" starring Diahann Carroll. His notable film roles included "The Lost Man" (1969),"R.P.M." (1970),"Brother John" (1971),and "Sounder" (1972),for which he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Winfield appeared in numerous quality television roles and films, earning solid distinction in projects such as "Backstairs at the White House" (1979),"Roots: The Next Generations" (1979),"The Sophisticated Gents" (1981),and "The Women of Brewster Place" (1989).
Although he never achieved the same level of stardom as Sidney Poitier, Winfield continued to appear in strong roles in films such as "Conrack" (1974),"Huckleberry Finn" (1974),"A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich" (1977),and "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982).
In his later years, Winfield appeared in television shows such as "Breathing Lessons" (1994) and "Picket Fences" (1992),for which he won an Emmy award. He also narrated the A&E crime series "City Confidential" (1998) and appeared in a television adaptation of "Sounder" (2003).
Paul Winfield passed away in 2004 at the age of 64 due to complications from diabetes and obesity.
