Gary Dourdan
Encyclopedia
Gary Robert Dourdan is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Warrick Brown
on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
.
, Pennsylvania, the son of Sandy, a teacher and fashion designer, and Robert Durdin, an entrepreneur and agent for jazz musicians. Dourdan is the second youngest of five children. When he was 6 years old, his older brother Darryl was murdered while on vacation in Haiti; the case remains unsolved. He moved with his family to Willingboro, New Jersey
when he was in his youth. At this time his interests included acting, music, and martial arts
. Later Dourdan moved to New York City
and worked as a doorman
at a rehearsal studio where he met some of Manhattan's
promising young artists.
cast him as Shazza Zulu on A Different World based on a tape of him in an avant-garde
play. Dourdan played the character Christie, the first mate, crack-shot, and second in command of the spaceship Betty, in the 1997 film, Alien Resurrection. He appears in the films Playing God
and Thursday. He starred in the Dick Wolf
production Swift Justice
and had a recurring roles on the Showtime series Soul Food until he nabbed the part of Warrick Brown
on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
. In 2007, he played the character Cameron, the boyfriend of Rowena Price (played by Halle Berry
), in the film Perfect Stranger, in 1996 Dourdan appeared in the episode "Never On Sunday" of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
, where he played an assistant.
series which aired on October 6, 2000. He played analyst Warrick Brown who, viewers find out, has a checkered past fraught with gambling problems. By working in Las Vegas
, the character is able to use his personal experiences from the street to help him throughout his career. Ultimately, he ends up battling his demons throughout the show instead of overcoming them.
In 2008 there was media speculation surrounding Dourdan's CSI contract negotiations with CBS
. The parties could not reach a resolution, and as a result his contract was not renewed. It was reported on April 14, 2008, that Dourdan was leaving the show. In the Season 8 finale, Dourdan's character was shot and left for dead at the episode's end. The Season 9 premiere revealed Dourdan's character dying in the arms of his colleague and friend Grissom.
in 1992; the couple divorced two years later. He has two children: a son, Lyric, and a daughter, Nyla. Lyric's mother is Cynthia Hadden and Nyla's mother is Jennifer Sutton, whom Dourdan dated from 1995 to 2000.
Dourdan has African-American, American Indian, Jewish, French, Irish and Scottish ancestry.
He collects classic cars and was featured on Season 1, Episode 3 of Street Customs
.
Dourdan was arrested on April 28, 2008 in Palm Springs
after a Palm Springs Police Department officer located "suspected cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, miscellaneous prescription drugs and paraphernalia" in his possession. He was subsequently booked at the Palm Springs jail on possession of narcotics and possession of dangerous drugs.
On June 13, 2011, Dourdan was arrested after he crashed his vehicle into two parked cars. He was charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. The charge of drug possession was dropped two months later.
On November 6, 2011, Dourdan was arrested at his home in Venice, CA, following an alleged altercation with his former girlfriend, Nicole Vail Cannizzaro. Her nose was broken during the argument. He was charged with felony battery. He pleaded not guilty. On December 1, 2011, the judge issued a 3 year restraining order against Dourdan and threatened him with jail time if is violated.
Warrick Brown
Warrick Brown is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Gary Dourdan. Warrick appeared in every episode until his death in season nine, with the exceptions of "After the Show" from season four, "Crow's Feet" and "Committed" from season five, and...
on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
.
Early years
Dourdan was born in PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania, the son of Sandy, a teacher and fashion designer, and Robert Durdin, an entrepreneur and agent for jazz musicians. Dourdan is the second youngest of five children. When he was 6 years old, his older brother Darryl was murdered while on vacation in Haiti; the case remains unsolved. He moved with his family to Willingboro, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
when he was in his youth. At this time his interests included acting, music, and martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
. Later Dourdan moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and worked as a doorman
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
at a rehearsal studio where he met some of Manhattan's
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
promising young artists.
Career
Dourdan played in several bands in New York City in the early 1990s and acted in regional theatre around the tristate area. He received his first break when Debbie AllenDebbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
cast him as Shazza Zulu on A Different World based on a tape of him in an avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
play. Dourdan played the character Christie, the first mate, crack-shot, and second in command of the spaceship Betty, in the 1997 film, Alien Resurrection. He appears in the films Playing God
Playing God (film)
Playing God is a 1997 film directed by Andy Wilson. It stars David Duchovny , Timothy Hutton, and Angelina Jolie.-Plot:...
and Thursday. He starred in the Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf
Richard Anthony "Dick" Wolf is an American producer, specializing in crime dramas such as Miami Vice and the Law & Order franchise. Throughout his career he has won several awards including an Emmy Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Early life:Wolf was born in New York City, the son...
production Swift Justice
Swift Justice
Swift Justice is an American television series which aired on UPN from March 13, 1996 to July 31, 1996.The series starred James McCaffrey as a former NYPD detective and Navy SEAL, who after getting kicked off the force, handles cases the police can't by becoming a private eye.-Cast:* James...
and had a recurring roles on the Showtime series Soul Food until he nabbed the part of Warrick Brown
Warrick Brown
Warrick Brown is a fictional character in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Gary Dourdan. Warrick appeared in every episode until his death in season nine, with the exceptions of "After the Show" from season four, "Crow's Feet" and "Committed" from season five, and...
on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. In 2007, he played the character Cameron, the boyfriend of Rowena Price (played by Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
), in the film Perfect Stranger, in 1996 Dourdan appeared in the episode "Never On Sunday" of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman was a live-action American television series based on the Superman comic books...
, where he played an assistant.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Dourdan's most popular role began as a cast member of the original CSICSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
series which aired on October 6, 2000. He played analyst Warrick Brown who, viewers find out, has a checkered past fraught with gambling problems. By working in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, the character is able to use his personal experiences from the street to help him throughout his career. Ultimately, he ends up battling his demons throughout the show instead of overcoming them.
In 2008 there was media speculation surrounding Dourdan's CSI contract negotiations with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. The parties could not reach a resolution, and as a result his contract was not renewed. It was reported on April 14, 2008, that Dourdan was leaving the show. In the Season 8 finale, Dourdan's character was shot and left for dead at the episode's end. The Season 9 premiere revealed Dourdan's character dying in the arms of his colleague and friend Grissom.
Music and music videos
- Dourdan played Janet JacksonJanet JacksonJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
's love interest in the video for her 1993 hit "Again". He had a cameo appearance in the music video "Move the Crowd" by Eric B. and Rakim. - Dourdan joined hip hop artist DMCDarryl McDaniels-Video game appearances:*The Warriors - Scopes*Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - Himself- External links :* * * * * http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/12/entertainment/la-et-people-speak12-2009dec12...
(of Run-DMC) onstage at the Live 8Live 8Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concert in BarrieBarrie, OntarioBarrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada. He sang alongside Macy GrayMacy GrayMacy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...
at the 2005 Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s. - Dourdan is an alternativeAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
musician and a record producer.
Other appearances
- TV Guide voted him the Sexiest CSI actor on TV in its 2008 "Sexiest" issue.
- He was the host of a BETBlack Entertainment TelevisionBlack Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
spoken wordSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
show entitled Lyric Cafe. - In 2008 he voiced the character Crispus Allen in three of the six short films for Batman: Gotham KnightBatman: Gotham Knightis a 2008 direct-to-DVD animated superhero anthology film of six animated short films set in-between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It depicts Batman battling against the mob of Gotham City, as well as other villains...
. The animated short films were released straight to DVD and chronicled the time in between the films Batman BeginsBatman BeginsBatman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
(2005) and The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight (film)The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
(2008). - He portrayed Ray Carter in the video games FlatOut 2FlatOut 2FlatOut 2 is a racing video game developed by Bugbear Entertainment and published by Empire Interactive and Vivendi Universal Games. It is the sequel to the 2004-2005 releaseFlatOut....
and FlatOut: Ultimate CarnageFlatOut: Ultimate CarnageHypers Maurice Branscombe commended the game for "looking and playing better than ever before". However, he criticized the game for its soundtracks and stated that "its load times are too long"....
. - He portrayed Chef McKenna in the 2011 film Jumping the BroomJumping the BroomJumping the Broom is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Salim Akil and produced by Tracey E. Edmonds, Elizabeth Hunter, T.D. Jakes, Glendon Palmer, and Curtis Wallace....
. - He portrayed Christie, the first mate and second in command of the Betty in Alien Resurrection.
Personal life
Dourdan married model Roshumba WilliamsRoshumba Williams
Roshumba Williams is an American model who first became known for her appearance in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in the early 1990s. She also works as an actress and reality TV show judge. As a teenager in 1987, she was discovered in Paris by fashion designer Yves St...
in 1992; the couple divorced two years later. He has two children: a son, Lyric, and a daughter, Nyla. Lyric's mother is Cynthia Hadden and Nyla's mother is Jennifer Sutton, whom Dourdan dated from 1995 to 2000.
Dourdan has African-American, American Indian, Jewish, French, Irish and Scottish ancestry.
He collects classic cars and was featured on Season 1, Episode 3 of Street Customs
Street customs
Street Customs is a reality series about West Coast Customs running on TLC and Discovery Channel. Season 3 is in production. Web site: . See also Street Customs Berlin...
.
Dourdan was arrested on April 28, 2008 in Palm Springs
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
after a Palm Springs Police Department officer located "suspected cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, miscellaneous prescription drugs and paraphernalia" in his possession. He was subsequently booked at the Palm Springs jail on possession of narcotics and possession of dangerous drugs.
On June 13, 2011, Dourdan was arrested after he crashed his vehicle into two parked cars. He was charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. The charge of drug possession was dropped two months later.
On November 6, 2011, Dourdan was arrested at his home in Venice, CA, following an alleged altercation with his former girlfriend, Nicole Vail Cannizzaro. Her nose was broken during the argument. He was charged with felony battery. He pleaded not guilty. On December 1, 2011, the judge issued a 3 year restraining order against Dourdan and threatened him with jail time if is violated.
External links
- Interview (archived) at africana.com