Legendary Black Male TV Stars of the 1960s and '70s: An Historic Look Back in Review

Clarence Williams III was only one of many talented African-American actors who made their mark on TV in the 1960s and 1970s.Photo bynme.com

The African-American male actor found his way into the mainstream world of television programming in the 1960s.

That particular decade was littered with trials and tribulations. The Vietnam War was afoot. The Civil Rights Movement advocated against prejudice of all kinds. The negative of effects of too much "sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" were beginning to take their toll.

As they have since the beginning of time, people began turning to entertainment to escape the traumatic developments of the day.

In the process, a new breed of actor was surfacing on the television landscape: the African-American actor, both male and female performers.

The multi-talents of African-American actress/singers such as Diahann Carroll and Nichelle Nichols were in splendid form on weekly shows like the sci-fi entry Star Trek (NBC, 1966-1969), and the sitcom Julia (NBC, 1968-1971), respectively.

However, Black male actors were finally being cast in mainstream TV leading, leading and supporting roles.

It Was An Exciting Time For Black Male Actors

In the 1960s, that transpired with those including Clarence Williams III (The Mod Squad), Ivon Dixon (Hogan's Heroes), who later became a directior, Greg Morris (Mission: Impossible), Lloyd Haynes (Room 222), Don Marshall (Land of the Giants), and more.

On into the 1970s, charismatic and talented Black actors continued to be showcased on TV such as Sherman Hemsley (The Jeffersons), and John Amos (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), who later starred with Jimmie Walker and Ralph Carter (Good Times).

Cleavon Little made a guest appearance on All in the Family, which led to a regular gig on Temperature's Rising, and subsequent movie-stardom with Blazing Saddles.

Mike Evans (who created Good Times) also initially found fame on All in the Family, and then continued his performance as Lionel Jefferson on The Jeffersons spin-off. After he left that sitcom, Damon Evans (no relation) stepped into the part.

Sanford & Son Changed the Sitcom Game

The groundbreaking sitcom Sanford & Son provided a platform for acclaimed African-American actors like Redd Foxx, Demon Wilson, and Hal Williams.

Barney Miller showcased the sophisticated line deliveries of the great Ron Glass in that pioneering detective sitcom.

George Stanford Brown was cast in another weekly crime series, The Rookies, episodes of which he also directed. Like Ivon Dixon of Hogan's Heroes, Brown became a respected TV helmer, as did actor-turned-director Bill Duke.

Audiences first met the eclectic Ted Lange on the short-lived but beloved sitcom, That's My Mama. Lange would then go on to find super success on The Love Boat.

Meanwhile, That's My Mama star Clifton James took the lead with elegance, and then later starred with Sherman Hemsley in Amen.

What Was Happening Still Continues In Reruns

The stars of What's Happening!! and later What's Happening Now!! also made their indelible mark on the "Tube" of the 1970s. Those being Ernest Lee Thomas, Haywood Nelson, and Fred Berry (who played "Rerun").

The dynamic list of impressive African-American TV male actors of the 1960s and 1970s goes on and on, including those like Richard Roundtree (who briefly starred in a TV adaptation of his popular Shaft feature films), Robert Hooks, Harrison Page, Hari Rhodes, Percy Rodrigues, and so many more remarkable performers.

Certainly, too, the multi-hyphenate contributions of those such as Richard Pryor, Sammy Davis, Jr. cannot go unmentioned. Ditto that for Tim Reid, Robert Guillaume, Roscoe Lee Browne, Fred Williamson, Ben Vereen, Lou Gossett, Jr., Terry Carter, Don Mitchell, Moragn Freeman, Jr. (who got his start on TV's The Electric Company), and Saturday Night Live legend Garrett Morris, among others.

Early television and in subsequence contemporary television would never have been the same without them.