Carl W. Crudup obit

Carl W. Crudup, Actor in ‘The First Breeze of Summer’ and ‘J.D.’s Revenge,’ Dies at 79

His credits also included ‘The Rockford Files,’ ‘Shameless,’ ‘ER,’ ‘Better Things’ and ‘A Man on the Inside.‘ 

He was not on the list.

Carl W. Crudup, who appeared on Broadway in The First Breeze of Summer and on the screen in J.D.’s Revenge, The Rockford Files, Better Things and A Man on the Inside during his five-decade career as an actor, has died. He was 79.

Crudup died Jan. 10 of prostate cancer on his ranch in Littlerock, California, where he “found peace and joy [and] lived as both actor and farmer,” his family noted.

“The ranch was Carl’s sanctuary, a place of nature, animals and quiet reflection. His goats were treasured like children, and he embodied the heart of the original Dr. Dolittle, gentle, compassionate and endlessly patient.”

Crudup made his film debut as a basketball player in Karel Reisz’s The Gambler (1974), starring James Caan.

He worked primarily on television, showing up on everything from Harry O, The Six Million Dollar Man, The White Shadow, T.J. Hooker and ER to Criminal Minds, Agent Carter, Shameless, Kidding and This Fool.

One of five kids, Crudup was born on Nov. 14, 1946. His parents, Pauline and Daniel, took the family in 1952 from the Mississippi Delta to Pittsburg, California, and he graduated from Pittsburg High School in 1965.

After service with the U.S. Army in Europe, he studied acting in New York at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts through 1972.

He made to Broadway in 1975 opposite Moses Gunn in an acclaimed Negro Ensemble Company production of The First Breeze of Summer, written by Leslie Lee and directed by Douglas Turner Ward. The play, which revolves around a grandmother and a visit to her family, was shown in 1976 on an episode of PBS’ Great Performances.

Crudup then worked for director Arthur Marks in two films released in 1976: the cult horror classic J.D.’s Revenge, starring Glynn Turman and Louis Gossett Jr., and The Monkey Hustle, starring Yaphet Kotto.

His résumé also included work on Mundo Real, Baretta, The Blue Knight, Beauty and the Beast, Vegas, Empty Rooms (2012), Halfway to Hell (2013), The Remarkable Life of John Weld (2018) and Horror Noire (2021).

Survivors include his daughters, Jamilah and Akilah.

Crudup “exemplified a truly genuine persona to whatever size of the role he was asked to play,” Rel Dowdell, Director of Film Studies at Hampton University, said in a statement. “Like many unsung African American talents of that era, he used his formal training to always bring charisma and distinction to elevate and bring dignity to the collective work done on any screen.”

Actor

The Cycle

Lou Bishop

Post-production

 

Meaning of Violence

Hobab Billy (as Carl Crudup)

Completed

 

Ted Danson in A Man on the Inside (2024)

A Man on the Inside

7.6

TV Series

George Baddears (as Carl Crudup)

2024

2 episodes

 

Hold Up (2024)

Hold Up

Short

Wise Bill

2024

 

This Fool (2022)

This Fool

7.6

TV Series

John (as Carl Crudup)

2022–2023

3 episodes

 

Love in a Day (2022)

Love in a Day

Ron Mcbride

2022

 

Pamela Adlon in Better Things (2016)

Better Things

7.9

TV Series

Dr. Liddy Cables (as Carl Crudup)

2022

2 episodes

 

Brandon Mychal Smith, Tony Todd, Rachel True, Erica Ash, Lenora Crichlow, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Tone Bell, and Adrian Bond in Horror Noire (2021)

Horror Noire

5.2

Mr. Meeks

2021

 

Kevin Heffernan, Gabriel Hogan, Steve Lemme, Eugene Cordero, Christopher Avila, Marcus Henderson, and Hassie Harrison in Tacoma FD (2019)

Tacoma FD

8.1

TV Series

Elderly Man (as Carl Crudup)

2021

1 episode

 

Jim Carrey in Kidding (2018)

Kidding

8.0

TV Series

Pop (as Carl Crudup)

2020

1 episode

 

Dinner With Grandma (2020)

Dinner With Grandma

Short

Paul

2020

 

Fleur Geffrier in Agoria feat. STS: Call of the Wild (2019)

Agoria feat. STS: Call of the Wild

8.2

Music Video

Sal Walker

2019

 

William H. Macy, Steve Howey, Cameron Monaghan, Shanola Hampton, Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, and Emma Kenney in Shameless (2011)

Shameless

8.5

TV Series

Professor (as Carl Crudup)

2019

1 episode

 

Nick Tag and Claire Adams in The Remarkable Life of John Weld (2018)

The Remarkable Life of John Weld

7.4

Brown

2018

 

Hayley Atwell in Agent Carter (2015)

Agent Carter

7.8

TV Series

Frank (as Carl Crudup)

2016

1 episode

 

Easy as Pie

Short

Father (as Carl Crudup)

2014

 

Criminal Minds (2005)

Criminal Minds

8.1

TV Series

Willie (as Carl Crudup)

2014

1 episode

 

Halfway to Hell (2013)

Halfway to Hell

5.7

Mailman (as Carl Crudup)

2013

 

No Scratches

Short

Charlie

2013

 

The Breakdown

TV Movie

Walt (as Carl Crudup)

2013

 

Empty Rooms (2012)

Empty Rooms

4.2

Joe Washington - Homeless Man (as Carl Crudup)

2012

 

A Supreme Larceny (2011)

A Supreme Larceny

Video

Justice Clarence Thomas

2011

 

Ed Hardy Boyz 2: The Case of When That Hot Filipina Girl Lost Her Tramp Stamp at Mini-Golf

5.7

Short

Doctor (as Carl Crudup)

2011

 

Artwork By The Robot Eye

Change

7.3

Short

Thomas (as Carl Crudup)

2011

 

Greek (2007)

Greek

7.6

TV Series

Janitor (as Carl Crudup)

2011

1 episode

 

A Blind Man

Short

Francis

2010

 

Albert! or, My Life in the Ocean (2010)

Albert! or, My Life in the Ocean

7.6

Short

Simon (as Carl Crudup)

2010

 

Endgame (2009)

Endgame

Short

Grover

2009

 

From the Ashes

Short

Daedalus (as Carl Crudup)

2009

 

Mean Mr. Greene

Short

Joseph Greene (as Carl Crudup)

2009

 

The Runner (2009)

The Runner

9.0

Short

Moondog

2009

 

Kwame (2008)

Kwame

8.1

Short

Yaw Opoku (as Carl Crudup)

2008

 

Odessa

Short

Charles (as Carl Crudup)

2008

 

Shy (2008)

Shy

Short

Joseph (as Carl Crudup)

2008

 

Prime of Life (2008)

Prime of Life

Short

Jacob Warner (as Carl Crudup)

2008

 

MissFortune

Short

Boss (as Carl Crudup)

2008

 

The Travellers

8.0

Short

Dog

2007

 

Craw Lake (2007)

Craw Lake

5.2

Short

Old man

2007

 

A Technicolor Dream

Short

Al (as Carl Crudup)

2007

 

Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)

ER

7.9

TV Series

Bentley (as Carl Crudup)

2007

1 episode

 

Aiysha Sinclair, Carmen Gloria Pérez, Elizabeth J. Martin, Jennifer Qualls, and Staci Ashley in Soldiers Don't Cry (2004)

Soldiers Don't Cry

(as Carl Crudup)

2004

 

Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman in Beauty and the Beast (1987)

Beauty and the Beast

7.0

TV Series

Rivera (as Carl Crudup)

1989

1 episode

 

T.J. Hooker (1982)

T.J. Hooker

6.1

TV Series

Travis

1982

1 episode

 

Tony Curtis, Robert Urich, Phyllis Davis, and Judy Landers in Vega$ (1978)

Vega$

6.9

TV Series

Tug (as Carl Crudup)

1980

1 episode

 

The White Shadow (1978)

The White Shadow

8.0

TV Series

Cletus Rice (as Carl Crudup)

1980

1 episode

 

Noah Beery Jr. and James Garner in The Rockford Files (1974)

The Rockford Files

8.2

TV Series

Eddie McBrair (as Carl Crudup)

1977

1 episode

 

The Monkey Hu$tle (1976)

The Monkey Hu$tle

5.2

Joe (as Carl Crudup)

1976

 

Robert Blake in Baretta (1975)

Baretta

6.8

TV Series

Moonlight (as Carl Crudup)

1976

1 episode

 

J.D.'s Revenge (1976)

J.D.'s Revenge

6.0

Tony (as Carl Crudup)

1976

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

Smiley (as Carl Crudup)

1976

1 episode

 

Great Performances (1971)

Great Performances

8.0

TV Series

Sam Greene

1976

1 episode

 

George Kennedy in The Blue Knight (1975)

The Blue Knight

6.9

TV Series

Sandy Willard (as Carl Crudup)

1975

1 episode

 

David Janssen in Harry O (1973)

Harry O

7.6

TV Series

Catcher (as Carl Crudup)

1975

1 episode

 

Mundo Real (1974)

Mundo Real

TV Series

Lu Jackson

1974

6 episodes

 

James Caan in The Gambler (1974)

The Gambler

7.1

Spencer

1974

 

Self

A Thousand Miles and Counting (2021)

A Thousand Miles and Counting

Short

Self (as Carl Crudup)

2021