Art Evans
Encyclopedia
Arthur James "Art" Evans (born March 27, 1942) is an American actor
who has made multiple film
and television program
appearances over the span of three decades.
Evans was born in Berkeley, California
. His acting career, spanning over 30 years, started with Frank Silvera
's Theater of Being in Los Angeles. He took a starring role in The Amen Corner
which transferred to Broadway in 1965. His first uncredited acting performance in film was Claudine
in 1974
. His first credited role was in Chico and the Man
as Bubba in the episode "Too Many Crooks" which aired in 1976.
He is probably best known for his role as Leslie Barnes in the action 1990s films Die Hard 2
in which he plays an air traffic control tower employee at Dulles International Airport that helps LAPD
detective John McClane
, played by Bruce Willis, stop terrorists from crashing planes. Evans has also appeared in Fright Night
and Fright Night II
as well as many appearances in a variety of television shows such as M*A*S*H, Hill Street Blues
and Family Matters on which he played a man claming to be Santa Clause.
In 1984, Evans co-starred in the all-star African-American drama "A Soldier's Story
" as the memorable brown-nosing character Wilkie. His talents for many instruments came in handy when playing Blind Lemon Jefferson
in the movie Leadbelly
.
Also starred in the music video for Stevie Wonder
's "Go Home
".
In 2010, Art Evans was seen in Anderson's Cross
playing the Grandfather of the lead character Nick Anderson.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who has made multiple film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
appearances over the span of three decades.
Evans was born in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. His acting career, spanning over 30 years, started with Frank Silvera
Frank Silvera
Frank Alvin Silvera was an American actor and theatrical director.-Career:Silvera was born in Kingston, Jamaica to a Spanish Jewish father and Jamaican mother. His family later emigrated to the United States, settling in Boston where Silvera attended English High School and Northeastern Law School...
's Theater of Being in Los Angeles. He took a starring role in The Amen Corner
The Amen Corner
The Amen Corner is a three-act play by James Baldwin. It was Baldwin's first attempt at theater following Go Tell It on the Mountain. It was first published in 1954, and inspired a short-lived 1983 Broadway musical adaptation with the slightly truncated title, Amen Corner.-Plot introduction:The...
which transferred to Broadway in 1965. His first uncredited acting performance in film was Claudine
Claudine (film)
Claudine is a 1974 American film produced by Third World Films and released to theatres by 20th Century Fox. Starring James Earl Jones, Diahann Carroll, and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Claudine was written by Lester Pine and Tina Pine, and directed by John Berry...
in 1974
1974 in film
The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
. His first credited role was in Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man is an American sitcom which ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974 to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown , the cantankerous owner of a run down garage in an East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, an upbeat, optimistic Chicano...
as Bubba in the episode "Too Many Crooks" which aired in 1976.
He is probably best known for his role as Leslie Barnes in the action 1990s films Die Hard 2
Die Hard 2
Die Hard 2 is a 1990 action film and the second in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by Renny Harlin, and stars Bruce Willis as John McClane...
in which he plays an air traffic control tower employee at Dulles International Airport that helps LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
detective John McClane
John McClane
John McClane is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Die Hard film series, portrayed by Bruce Willis.-Development and description:...
, played by Bruce Willis, stop terrorists from crashing planes. Evans has also appeared in Fright Night
Fright Night
# "Fright Night" – 3:45# "You Can't Hide from the Beast Inside" – 4:14# "Good Man in a Bad Time" – 3:41# "Rock Myself to Sleep" – 2:57# "Let's Talk" – 2:52# "Armies of the Night" – 4:34...
and Fright Night II
Fright Night II
Fright Night Part II is the 1988 sequel to Fright Night. William Ragsdale and Roddy McDowall both reprised their roles from the first movie. The sequel was directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. Composer Brad Fiedel also returned with another distinct synthesizer score...
as well as many appearances in a variety of television shows such as M*A*S*H, Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
and Family Matters on which he played a man claming to be Santa Clause.
In 1984, Evans co-starred in the all-star African-American drama "A Soldier's Story
A Soldier's Story
A Soldier's Story is a 1984 drama film directed by Norman Jewison, based upon Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize-winning Off Broadway production A Soldier's Play. A black officer is sent to investigate the murder of a black sergeant in Louisiana near the end of World War II...
" as the memorable brown-nosing character Wilkie. His talents for many instruments came in handy when playing Blind Lemon Jefferson
Blind Lemon Jefferson
"Blind" Lemon Jefferson was an American blues singer and guitarist from Texas. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s, and has been titled "Father of the Texas Blues"....
in the movie Leadbelly
Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an iconic American folk and blues musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
.
Also starred in the music video for Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "Go Home
Go Home
"Go Home" is a 1986 hit single released by American and Motown musician Stevie Wonder released on the Tamla label. The song showcased the narrator's plea to a young woman to go home, though the girl tries to get the narrator to stay with her. In the U.S., the song became another #1 adult...
".
In 2010, Art Evans was seen in Anderson's Cross
Anderson's Cross
Anderson's Cross is a 2010 feature film, focusing on three best friends whose evolving relationships cause tension in their senior year of high school. It was written and directed by Jerome Elston Scott, one of its co-stars....
playing the Grandfather of the lead character Nick Anderson.