He moved to Dayton, Ohio, with his family when he was 7. He was working as an MC at at club there during the 1950s when he entered the US Air Force. After his discharge, he continued to pursue his show business career. In films, he portrayed Bitterman in Arthur (1981) and its sequel Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988).Other films include The Wiz (1978), Ragtime (1981), Amityville II: The Possession (1982), Police Academy (1984), The Fisher King (1991), and Stealing Home (1988). Televison roles included a recurring role as Dean Harris on A Different World (1987) and The Cosby Show (1984) along with appearing in numerous shows such as The Jeffersons (1975), Benson (1979), and "Equalizer, The" (1985)_. Show less «