Michael Warren

Smart, talented African-American actor 'Michael Warren' (qv) could have followed in the star shoes of 'Sidney Poitier' (qv) but 'Denzel Washington' (qv) beat him to it. Best remembered for his Emmy-nominated role as police officer Bobby Hill in the 'Steven Bochco' (qv) crime series _Hill Street Blues (1981)_ (qv), Mike's respected turn on this quality show should have led to much bigger things.Lloyd 'Michael Warren' (qv) was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1946, the youngest of three children. Excelling in sports at South Bend Central High School, he earned a scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he majored in television, radio and film. Mike later became an All-American basketball star at UCLA under the legendary John Wooden, and served as the team's captain for two years. His Bruins teammates would include Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor), Lynn Shackleford, and Lucius Allen. His strong leadership and prowess on the court as a guard helped propel UCLA to two NCAA national championships during the years 1966-1968.Following an unbilled role as a basketball referee in the film _Halls of Anger (1970)_ (qv), Mike received his first big acting break by chance when a job as a technical consultant for the basketball sequences in director 'Jack Nicholson' (qv)'s film _Drive, He Said (1971)_ (qv) led to an on-camera featured role in the film. Developing an ad agency in Los Angeles to counterbalance the unsteadiness of a fledgling acting career, he landed some commercial work here and there before earning his first regular role on the short-lived TV series _Sierra (1974)_ (qv). He proceeded to take his earnest young mug to such "blaxploitation" films as _Cleopatra Jones (1973)_ (qv) and to daytime programming with a 1976 stint on _Days of Our Lives (1965)_ (qv). After more episodic work and a failed series pilot, not to mention a supporting role in the basketball-themed comedy _Fast Break (1979)_ (qv), Mike hit the TV jackpot with the award-winning, critically-acclaimed _Hill Street Blues (1981)_ (qv).Possessing the same kind of street savvy and cerebral handsomeness as Denzel, Mike seemed a shoo-in for film stardom. Instead, his career moved rather slow and erratically after the end of his hit series in 1987. He did co-star with 'Cicely Tyson' (qv) in the holiday season greeter _The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)_ (qv), and with 'D.B. Sweeney' (qv) portraying a basketball coach in _Heaven Is a Playground (1991)_ (qv), but, outside of this, nothing of great significance followed. Other series work came and went, the best of the bunch being a recurring role on the series _Soul Food (2000)_ (qv).Broaching the millennium, Michael was featured in the films _A Passion to Kill (1994)_ (qv), _The Hunted (1995)_ (qv), _Trippin' (1999)_ (qv), _Mother and Child (2009)_ (qv) and _Anderson's Cross (2010)_ (qv) and _American Skin (2019)_ (qv), but primarily found work on TV. He was a co-star on the hospital series _City of Angels (2000)_ (qv), was given recurring roles on _Soul Food (2000)_ (qv) and _Lincoln Heights (2006)_ (qv) and _Single Ladies (2011)_ (qv), and appeared in guest spots on "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," "JAG," "The District," "Night Stalker," "Girlfriends," "Criminal Minds," and "Sadie and Emmie."Nevertheless, Mike continues to work, has a stable home life and presently lives in Los Angeles with his second wife, Jenny, and their two children. He also has two children from his first marriage.::Gary Brumburgh / [email protected]