Robert Wisdom

For the 19th century politician in colonial Australia, see Robert Wisdom (politician).
Robert Wisdom
Wisdom in 2008
Born
Robert Ray Wisdom

(1953-09-14) September 14, 1953 (age 71)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
EducationSt. Albans School
Alma materColumbia University (BA)
OccupationActor
Years active1981–present

Robert Ray Wisdom (born September 14, 1953) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Howard "Bunny" Colvin in The Wire, Norman "Lechero" St. John in Prison Break, and Harold Conway in the 2021 Hulu film Vacation Friends.

Early life

Wisdom was born to Jamaican parents. He is a graduate of St. Albans School and Columbia University, where he was a star sprinter on the school's track team.[1][2][3]

Career

He appeared in four of the five seasons (primarily seasons three and four) of the HBO program The Wire as Howard "Bunny" Colvin.[4] Wisdom had initially auditioned for the role of Stringer Bell.[5] He has also starred in the 2004 films Barbershop 2: Back in Business and Ray, and the 2007 film Freedom Writers. He landed a regular role on season 3 of Prison Break playing the role of a Panamanian drug kingpin named Lechero.[6] He also had recurring roles in the television series Supernatural, Happy Town, and Burn Notice.[7] Wisdom was once a producer for NPR's All Things Considered.

From 2012 to 2013, Wisdom was a series regular in season one of the ABC drama series Nashville, as Coleman Carlisle.[8]

From 2022 to 2023, Wisdom starred in the HBO black-comedy series Barry, as Jim Moss,[9] for which he was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Clean Slate Mort
1996 Hellraiser: Bloodline Gambler Cenobite
That Thing You Do! Bobby Washington
Invader Colonel Jessie Pratt
No Easy Way Motel Manager
1997 Volcano O.E.M. Staffer #2
Face/Off Tito Biondi
Stir Detective Williams
Jamaica Beat Inspector Sterling
1998 Three Businessmen Leroy Jasper
Mighty Joe Young Kwell
1999 How to Get Laid at the End of the World Quonset Jones
2000 The Heist Slim Video
Dancing at the Blue Iguana Eddie
2001 Rocky Road Michael Jones
Storytelling Mr. Scott
Osmosis Jones Big Germ Voice
Hollywood Palms The Dutchman
D.C. Smalls Miles Short
2002 Coastlines Bob Johnson
2003 Masked and Anonymous Lucius
Duplex Officer Dan
2004 Barbershop 2: Back in Business Alderman Lalowe Brown
Killer Diller Moker
Haven Mr. Sterling
Ray Jack Lauderdale
The Forgotten Carl Dayton
Crazy like a Fox Roy Fowler
2005 Mozart and the Whale Blume
2006 The Hawk Is Dying Billy Bob
2007 Freedom Writers Dr. Carl Cohn
Sex and Death 101 Alpha
2008 Ball Don't Lie Officer Perkins
2009 The Collector Roy
2010 Sympathy for Delicious Prendell
Passion Play Malcolm
2011 Bright Irwin Short
Rampart Captain
2012 The Dark Knight Rises Army Captain Parker
Freelancers Terrence Burke
2014 The Loft Detective Cohagan
2016 Live Cargo Roy
2017 Unforgettable Detective Pope
2018 Beast of Burden Mallory
Revival! Jesus' Father Co-Worker
2019 Motherless Brooklyn Billy Rose
2021 Vacation Friends Harold Conway
A Journal for Jordan Sgt. T.J. Canedy
2024 Dreams in Nightmares[11] Virgil

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 The Bill Johnny Olina-Olu Episode: "Street Smart"
1993 Agatha Christie's Poirot Waiter Episode: "The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb"
1995 Sahara Sergeant Major Tambul Television film
1996 The Sentinel Lieutenant Williams Episode: "The Debt"
If These Walls Could Talk Policeman Television film
1997–1999 Poltergeist: The Legacy Daniel Euwara Recurring cast (season 2), guest (season 3-4)
Cracker Detective Danny Watlington Main cast
1998 Arli$$ - Episode: "His Name Is Arliss Michaels"
Dharma & Greg Prospero Episode: "It Takes a Village"
1999 Wasteland Professor James Episode: "Pilot"
2000 For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story Oscar Valdez Television film
2001 ER Dr. Hammond Episode: "Piece of Mind"
The District Mr. Broyles Episode: "To Serve and Protect"
2002 NYPD Blue Eric Green Episode: "Safari, So Good"
Live from Baghdad Bernard Shaw Television film
2003 The Agency Mr. Banga Episode: "Absolute Bastard"
Kingpin Rolando 2 episodes
Boomtown Daryl "Chronic" Norcott Episode: "Execution"
Judging Amy D.A. Matthews Episode: "Tricks of the Trade"
2003–2008 The Wire Howard "Bunny" Colvin Guest (season 2 & 5), main cast (season 3-4)
2004 Century City - Episode: "Only You"
2005 Inconceivable Earl Godcheaux Episode: "Balls in Your Court"
2007 Close to Home Reverend Scofield Episode: "Eminent Domain"
The Nine Clarence Jones Episode: "Man of the Year"
2007–2008 Prison Break Norman "Lechero" St. John Main cast (season 3)
2008–2009 Supernatural Uriel Recurring cast (season 4)
2009 NCIS Warden Gene Halsey Episode: "Caged"
Lie to Me Bonds Episode: "Pilot"
How I Met Your Mother McCracken Episode: "Murtaugh"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Father Theo Burdett Episode: "Hell"
2010 Happy Town Roger Hobbs Main cast
Hawthorne Calvin Jenkins Episode: "Afterglow"
2010–2011 Burn Notice Vaughn Anderson Recurring cast (season 4), guest (season 5)
2011 Nikita CIA Director Abbott Episode: "Pandora"
Prime Suspect Chuck Reingold Episode: "Shame"
2012 Comedy Bang! Bang! Cop Actor Episode: "Paul Rudd Wears a Red Lumberjack Flannel Shirt"
2012–2013 Nashville Coleman Carlisle Main cast (season 1), guest (season 2)
2013 Grey's Anatomy Mr. Hamilton Episode: "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"
2014 Legends Conrad Tomlin 2 episodes
2014–2015 Chicago P.D. Commander Ron Perry Recurring cast (season 1-2)
2015 12 Monkeys Jeremy Episode: "Pilot"
2015–2019 Ballers Dennis Jerret Recurring cast
2016–2017 Rosewood Gerald Kelly Guest: season 1, recurring cast: season 2
Flaked George Flack Recurring cast
2017 Seven Bucks Digital Studios Dennis Jerret Episode: "Get Pumped Up for "Ballers" Season 3 with the Rock"
2018–2020 The Alienist Cyrus Montrose Main cast
2019 Blue Bloods Inspector Andre Clifford Episode: "Blues"
The Fix Buck Neal Recurring cast
The Hot Zone Col. Vernon Tucker Recurring cast (season 1)
Watchmen Seymour Recurring cast
2020 Helstrom Caretaker Main cast
2021 The Big Leap Earl Reyes Recurring cast
2022 Black Bird Edmund Beaumont Recurring cast
2022–2023 Barry Jim Moss Recurring cast (season 3), main cast (season 4)
2023 Accused Mitch Becker Episode: "Scott's Story"
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Dak’Rah Episode: "Under the Cloak of War"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Luke Cage
2009 The Lord of the Rings: Conquest Uruk-Hai Officer #2
2012 Call of Duty: Black Ops II Jonas Savimbi
2014 Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Prime Minister

References

  1. ^ "Robert Wisdom Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  2. ^ Erickson, Amanda (April 2011). "Actor Robert Wisdom '76 Brings Depth to His Roles". Columbia College Today. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  3. ^ "30 Movie and TV Stars who Graduated from Columbia". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  4. ^ "Character profile - Major Howard "Bunny" Colvin". HBO. 2006. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  5. ^ Abrams, Jonathan (2018). All the Pieces Matter: The Inside Story of the Wire. New York: Crown. p. 123. ISBN 978-0-451-49814-4.
  6. ^ "Exclusive Interview: 'Prison Break' Star Robert Wisdom". Buddy TV. 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  7. ^ "Robert Wisdom Cast on Burn Notice". March 18, 2010.
  8. ^ Ausiello, Michael (September 16, 2013). "'Nashville' Season 2: Powers Boothe Leaving as a Series Regular". TVLine. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  9. ^ Glassman, Julia (2023-04-14). "Robert Wisdom Talks About Making Henry Winkler Cry in 'Barry'". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  10. ^ "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  11. ^ Erbland, Kate (June 25, 2024). "Indie Spirit-Nominated 'Test Pattern' Filmmaker Shatara Michelle Ford Has Completed Next Film". IndieWire. Retrieved August 1, 2024.