Reginald Veljohnson

Photo of Reginald Veljohnson

Biography

A hefty, genial African-American character actor in features and a put-upon sitcom lead, Reginald VelJohnson is perhaps best known to film audiences as the friendly, Twinkie-chomping cop pal to Bruce Willis in "Die Hard" (1988). VelJohnson fleetingly recreated this role in a cameo for "Die Hard 2" (1990). TV audiences know him as Carl Winslow, another good-natured if long-suffering police officer, on the hit ABC sitcom, "Family Matters" …
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Job Title

Actor

Born

August 16, 1952

Career Milestones

2005

Starred in the comedy "Suits on the Loose" helmed by Rodney Henson

1999

Appeared in the annual holiday stage musical "A Christmas Carol" in NYC

1989

Played Carl Winslow on the ABC sitcom, "Family Matters"

Recurring TV role in "Perfect Strangers" led to own series "Family Matters"

1981

Film acting debut, "Wolfen"

Appeared on and off-Broadway in such shows as "Hamlet," "The Merry Wives of Windsor," "Mondongo"

Invited to join Joseph Papp's Black/Hispanic Shakespeare Company with Morgan Freeman, Gloria Foster, C C H Pounder, Miriam Colon and Jaime Sanchez

Added his middle name, Vel, to his original surname in the early 1970s because there were other actors named Reginald or Reggie Johnson