Bill Nunn

For other people named Bill Nunn, see Bill Nunn (disambiguation).
Bill Nunn
Nunn in Introducing August Wilson (2013)
Born
William Goldwyn Nunn III

(1953-10-20)October 20, 1953
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedSeptember 24, 2016(2016-09-24) (aged 62)
Hill District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1974–2016
SpouseDonna Nunn
Children2

William Goldwyn Nunn III (October 20, 1953 – September 24, 2016) was an American actor known for his roles as Dougy in James Bond III's movie Def by Temptation, Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, Robbie Robertson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man film trilogy and as Terrence "Pip" Phillips on The Job (2001–02).

Early life

Bill Nunn III was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Frances Nunn and William G. Nunn, Jr., a journalist and editor at the Pittsburgh Courier and a National Football League scout.[1][2] His paternal grandfather was the first African American football player at George Westinghouse High School.[3] While ball boys for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Bill Nunn and current Steelers president Art Rooney II stole "Mean" Joe Greene's car during training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.[4] "Joe Greene showed up in a beautiful green Lincoln Continental, and me and Bill Nunn, Jr. were ball boys. Somehow Bill got the keys one night and we decided to take it for a ride. We only told Joe that story about 10 years ago. We figured that enough time had passed that we could disclose our little joy ride."[4]

Nunn was a 1970 graduate of Schenley High School and a 1976 graduate of Morehouse College.[5] He attended college with Spike Lee and appeared in several of Lee's early feature films.[1]

Career

Nunn made his credited film debut in the 1988 Spike Lee film School Daze,[6] and is best known for his roles as Radio Raheem in Lee's Do the Right Thing,[7] and as Nino Brown's bodyguard Duh Duh Duh Man in New Jack City.[8] Some of his other film credits include Lee's Mo' Better Blues and He Got Game, as well as Regarding Henry, Sister Act, Canadian Bacon, The Last Seduction, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead, Runaway Jury, Spider-Man trilogy (as Joseph "Robbie" Robertson), Firehouse Dog, the television series The Job, Randy and The Mob, and the 2016 televised adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun.[9]

Nunn also performed on stage, including August Wilson's Fences, a Pittsburgh-based play in which Nunn performed with Anthony Mackie, who played Nunn's character's son.[1] He was also very involved in community outreach, and he formed his own Pittsburgh-area outreach project in 2008.[1]

Death

Nunn died on September 24, 2016, at his home[10] in Pittsburgh's Hill District; he was 62 years old.[11] His widow, Donna, confirmed that he had leukemia.[10][1]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes Ref
1981 Sharky's Machine Kitten's Bouncer Uncredited
1988 School Daze Grady
1989 Do the Right Thing Radio Raheem
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court School Teacher
Glory Uncredited
1990 Def by Temptation Dougy
Cadillac Man Grave Digger
Mo' Better Blues Bottom Hammer (Bass)
1991 New Jack City "Duh Duh Man"
Regarding Henry Bradley, Physical Therapist
White Lie Chief Adams
1992 Sister Act Lieutenant Eddie Souther
1993 Loaded Weapon 1 Police Photographer
Blood Brothers William Crawford
1994 The Last Seduction Harlan
Save Me Detective Vincent
1995 Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh Reverend Ellis
Canadian Bacon Kabral
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead "Easy Wind"
True Crime Detective Jerry Guinn
Money Train Crash Train Motorman
1996 Bulletproof DEA Agent Finch
Extreme Measures Detective Bob Burke
1997 Quicksilver Highway Len
Kiss the Girls Detective John Sampson
Mad City Cliff Williams Uncredited
1998 He Got Game Uncle Bubba
Ambushed Watts Fatboy
1999 The Legend of 1900 Danny Boodman
The Tic Code Kingston
Foolish Jimmy Beck
The Hungry Bachelors Club Moses Grady
2000 Lockdown Charles
2002 Spider-Man Joe "Robbie" Robertson
People I Know Reverend Lyle Blunt
2003 Runaway Jury Lonnie Shaver
2004 Spider-Man 2 Joe "Robbie" Robertson
2006 Out There Desmond
Idlewild G.W.
2007 Firehouse Dog Joe Musto
Spider-Man 3 Joe "Robbie" Robertson
Randy and the Mob Wardlowe Gone
2008 Little Bear and the Master The Warden
2009 Help Me, Help You Detective
2012 Won't Back Down Principal Holland

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Vietnam War Story MP #1 Episode: "The Pass"
1993 Bakersfield P.D. Troy Davies Episode: "The Ex-Partner"
1994 Traps Cloud 2 episodes
1995 Chicago Hope Tony Maxwell Episode: "A Coupla Stiffs"
Fallen Angels Fearless Jones Episode: "Fearless"
The Affair Sergeant Rivers TV movie
New York Undercover Lieutenant Carver Episode: "Internal Affairs"
1996 Touched by an Angel Frank Champness Episode: "Lost and Found"
Mr. and Mrs. Loving Leonard TV movie
1997 Millennium Lt. McCormick Episode: "Maranatha"
Ellen Foster Mr. Douglas TV movie
1998 Early Edition Detective Barns Episode: "A Minor Miracle"
Always Outnumbered Howard M'Shalla TV movie
1999 Passing Glory Howard Porter
2001–2002 The Job Terrence "Pip" Phillips
2001 The Substitute 4: Failure Is Not An Option Luther TV movie
2003 The District Grant Singer Episode: "Free Byrd"
2007 October Road Leslie Etwood Pilot
2008 A Raisin in the Sun "Bobo" TV movie
2014-2015 Sirens "Cash" Final appearance

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2004 A Raisin in the Sun Bobo Royal Theatre, New York
2009 Fences Gabriel Huntington Theatre Company

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Goldstein, Andrew; Lord, Rich; Eberson, Sharon (September 25, 2016). "Actor Bill Nunn dies". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  2. ^ Varley, Teresa (February 27, 2007). "Long-time scout Bill Nunn is a man who made a difference". steelers.com. Pittsburgh Steelers. Archived from the original on March 5, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  3. ^ Finder, Chuck (2006-07-24). "Q&A". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2007-04-01.
  4. ^ a b Prisuta, Mike (2015-07-26). "2015 Training Camp is underway". Archived from the original on 2016-02-24.
  5. ^ "Morehouse Celebrates 143 Years". Morehouse College. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  6. ^ Penrice, Ronda Racha (13 February 2018). "Spike Lee to appear at 30th anniversary 'School Daze' screening at Fox". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Media Group. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  7. ^ Laws, Zach; Beachum, Chris (10 August 2018). "Spike Lee movies: 15 greatest films, ranked worst to best, include 'Do the Right Thing,' 'Malcolm X,' 'BlacKkKlansman'". Gold Derby. Penske Business Media, LLC. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  8. ^ "'Do the Right Thing,' 'New Jack City' actor Bill Nunn dies at 62". Al.com. Advance Local Media LLC. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  9. ^ Mcshane, Larry. "Bill Nunn, Radio Raheem in 'Do the Right Thing,' dies at 63". Daily News. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Gajanan, Mahita (September 25, 2016). "Celebrities Mourn the Death of Do the Right Thing Actor Bill Nunn". Time. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  11. ^ Stack, Liam (September 24, 2016). "Bill Nunn, Who Played Radio Raheem in 'Do the Right Thing,' Dies at 63". The New York Times (Nunn was 62 years, 11 months old, so the headline is incorrect). Retrieved September 25, 2016.
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