Taurean Blacque (born Herbert Middleton Jr.; May 10, 1940 – July 21, 2022)[1] was an American television and stage actor, best known for his role as Detective Neal Washington on the series Hill Street Blues. He stated that he chose the name "Taurean" because his astrological sign was Taurus.[3] He was at one time a national spokesman for adoptive services.[4] Blacque was a Christian, and his faith influenced his desire to be involved with adoption.[5]
In 1981 he joined the cast of the police drama Hill Street Blues, staying with the show throughout its run, which ended in 1987. While appearing on that show, he was nominated in 1982 for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, but lost to fellow Hill Street actor Michael Conrad, in a year in which all the nominees in the category came from the same series.[8] His theatrical career continued during his run on the show, winning him an NAACPImage Award for Best Actor (Local) in 1985 for his role in Amen Corner.[9] In 1986 his stage roles included the male lead in the musical Don't Get God Started during its initial six-week summer run in Beverly Hills.[10]
After Hill Street ended, Blacque moved to Atlanta, Georgia, to provide a better home for his children. In Atlanta, he focused on theatrical work while making occasional guest appearances on television. Blacque's notable stage performances included Stepping Into Tomorrow with Yolanda King in 1987[11] and a 1988 revival of Ceremonies in Dark Old Men.[12] His television work included a pilot, Off-Duty, for CBS, in which Blacque once again played a police officer; the show was not picked up by the network.[13] Blacque also had a small voice role in Disney's animated film Oliver & Company as the voice of Roscoe.[14]
In 1989, he portrayed Henry Marshall on NBC's Generations. His film work in this period included a lead role in the 1989 science-fiction film DeepStar Six.
As adoptive parent
Blacque initially was asked to serve as spokesman for the County of Los Angeles Adoption Services office although he had no adoptive children at the time. Upon looking into the possibility of adoption, he claimed he was told that he was ineligible to adopt, as an unmarried man. He pressed on, however, eventually adopting ten children, in addition to his two sons from a marriage which ended in divorce in 1966. He apparently never remarried.[citation needed]
In 1989, he was asked by President George H. W. Bush to serve as a national spokesman for adoption.[4]
Death
His death, at age 82, in Atlanta, Georgia, following "a brief illness", was first announced on Facebook on July 21, 2022. He was survived by his 12 children, 18 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.[1]
^Harry Harris. "Reid's into music on and off the screen," The Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), May 24, 1981, TV Seek section, page 4.
^UPI. "'Hill Street', 'Fame' dominate Emmy nominations," The Miami Herald (FL), August 6, 1982, Comics/TV section, page 4B.
^Lorenzo Benet. "'Soldier's Story' wins top NAACP film award," Daily News of Los Angeles (CA), December 10, 1985, L.A. Life section, page 15.
^Leonard W. Boasberg. "Rebirth of a musical: The playwright tells how 'Don't Get God Started' got started – the play opens tomorrow," The Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), June 16, 1987, Features Daily Magazine, page E1.
^"'Stepping Into Tomorrow' to benefit Black Actors Theatre," The Orange County Register, September 1, 1987, Accent section, page E8.
^Tom Jacobs. "'Ceremonies' still vivid, absorbing," Daily News of Los Angeles (CA), February 9, 1988, L.A. Life section, page L19.
^Joan Hanauer, United Press International, Wire services. "The blues and their brews," The Record (New Jersey) – August 16, 1988, page D14.
^Jim Gordon. "Take the gang to see 'Oliver & Company'," Post-Tribune (IN), November 18, 1988, Lifestyles/Weekend section, page 12.
