Brock Peters American actor Date of Birth: 02.07.1927 Country: USA

Biography of Brock Peters

Brock Peters was an American actor best known for his role as Tom Robinson in the 1962 film "To Kill a Mockingbird," based on the novel by Harper Lee. He also gained fame for his roles as Admiral Cartwright and Joseph Sisko in the cult series "Star Trek." Peters was born George Fisher on July 2, 1927, in New York City to Alma and Sonny Fisher. His father was a sailor, and Peters had African and Caribbean ancestry.

At the age of ten, Peters began participating in stage productions, marking the start of his show business career. He attended the prestigious Music and Arts High School in New York, which produced many famous musicians, composers, writers, actors, and artists, including Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Adrien Brody, and Omar Epps. To escape poverty in Harlem, Peters worked odd jobs before becoming an actor.

In 1949, Peters landed a role in George Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess," which led him to leave his physical education teaching position at a New York college and go on tour. His film debut came in 1954 when he played Sergeant Brown in the musical drama "Carmen Jones." However, it was his roles in "To Kill a Mockingbird" and the British drama "The L-Shaped Room," where he portrayed Johnny, that brought him true recognition. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway musical "Lost in the Stars."

Throughout the 1960s, Peters became a frequent guest star on television shows, including "JAG," "Samurai Jack," "The Pretender," "Murder, She Wrote," "Magnum, P.I.," and "The Bionic Woman." He also provided the backing vocals for Harry Belafonte's hits "Banana Boat (Day-O)" and "Mama Look At Bubu" in 1956 and 1957, respectively. Peters showcased his deep, distinctive voice as the voice actor for various animated characters, such as Druid in "DuckTales," Masai in "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest," General Newcastle in "Challenge of the GoBots," and Blot in "The Pirates of Dark Water." He also voiced Darth Vader in a radio adaptation of "Star Wars."

In the 1978 film "Abe Lincoln, Freedom Fighter," Peters portrayed Henry, a freed slave unjustly accused of robbery, defended by a young Abraham Lincoln. This role drew parallels to Tom Robinson in "To Kill a Mockingbird," who was also unable to commit the crime he was accused of due to a crippled arm. Peters reprised his role as Admiral Cartwright in the fourth and sixth installments of the "Star Trek" film series, as well as portraying Joseph Sisko in the television series "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

Peters was married to Dolores Daniels from 1961 to 1989, and they had a daughter named Lisa Jo. He passed away on August 23, 2005, at the age of 78, in Los Angeles, California, from pancreatic cancer.