Roger E. Mosley

Roger E. Mosley
File:Roger E. Mosley 1980.jpg Mosley, 1980.
Born	Roger Earl Mosley (1938-12-18)December 18, 1938 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	Jordan High School
Occupation	Actor director writer
Years active	1971–2021
Known for	Playing Theodore "T.C." Calvin in Magnum, P.I.
Spouse(s)	Antoinette Laudermick
Children	3

Roger Earl Mosley (/ˈmoʊzli/; December 18, 1938 – August 7, 2022) was an American actor, director, and writer best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin in the CBS television series Magnum, P.I., which originally aired from 1980 until 1988.

Biography

Early life and education

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. For high school, Mosley attended Jordan High School.

Career

Mosley appeared as Monk in Terminal Island (1973). Other actors in the feature were Phyllis Davis, Don Marshall, Ena Hartman, and Tom Selleck, who would later star in the television series Magnum, P.I. which would also feature Mosley. In 1974, Mosley founded the Watts Repertory Company.

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. In an article in the November 1982 issue of Ebony magazine, Mosley said that this was his favorite role.

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. He appeared in season five of Las Vegas as the billionaire friend of Montecito owner A.J. Cooper (Tom Selleck).

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. 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."

Mosley also guest-starred on such shows as Night Court, 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 as the militant brother of the main character Goldie. 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, The Greatest (1977, as Sonny Liston), Semi-Tough (1977), Heart Condition (1990), and Pentathlon (1994). 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.

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.

Personal life

Mosley was married to Antoinette Laudermilk; they were together for nearly sixty years. He had three children.

Mosley became a certificated 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.

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.

On August 4, 2022, Mosley was involved in a car accident in Lynwood, California, becoming paralyzed from the shoulders down. He died three days later from his injuries at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at the age of 83.

Partial filmography

• The New Centurions (1972) as Truck Driver
• Hickey & Boggs (1972)
• Hit Man (1972) as Huey
• The Mack (1973) as Olinga Mickens
• Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973) as Holmes / Lee
• Terminal Island (1973) as Monk
• McQ (1974) as Rosey
• Darktown Strutters (1975) as Mellow
• The River Niger (1976) as Big Moe Hayes
• Stay Hungry (1976) as Newton
• Leadbelly (1976) as Huddie Ledbetter
• Drum (1976) as Slave
• The Greatest (1977) as Sonny Liston
• Big Time (1977) as J.J.
• Semi-Tough (1977) as Puddin Patterson Sr.
• Cruise Into Terror (1978) as Nathan
• The Jericho Mile (1979) as Cotton Crown
• Steel (1979) as Lionel
• Magnum, P.I. (1980–1988, TV series) as Theodore 'TC' Calvin
• Attica (1980) as Frank Green
• Pray TV (1980) as Willie Washington/Leroy Washington
• The White Lions (1981) as John Kani
• Heart Condition (1990) as Captain Wendt
• Unlawful Entry (1992) as Officer Roy Cole
• Pentathlon (1994) as John Creese
• A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) as Smitty
• Letters from a Killer (1998) as Horton
• Walker, Texas Ranger (2000) as Carter
• Hammerlock (2000) as Sgt. James Hammer
• Magnum P.I. (2019 & 2021, TV series) as John Booky

External links

• Roger E. Mosley Honored @ Crenshaw LIVE! 5/30/2018 (Video)#
• Interview with Roger E. Mosley, KUT's In Black America series, on the American Archive of Public Broadcasting, May 1, 1984
• Roger E. Mosley at the Internet Movie Database
• Roger E. Mosley at AllMovie
• Roger E. Mosley discography at Discogs