Gary Sturgis
Encyclopedia
Gary Anthony Sturgis is as an American
actor
known for providing the voice of Ebon in the television series Static Shock
. In addition to voice overs, Sturgis appeared in two of Tyler Perry
's movies, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Daddy's Little Girls, as well as the 2007 movie Pride
, starring Terrence Howard
, and co-stars in the independent feature directed by Cedric the Entertainer
, Chicago Pulaski Jones
.
He also landed TV roles in his early career such as a recurring character by the name of Caz in the General Hospital
spin-off, Port Charles
, as well as smaller roles on The District
, NYPD Blue
, Malcolm and Eddie and Girlfriends
.
, Louisiana, and attended McDonogh Senior High School where he played piccolo and served as drum major for the band. After writing an essay for a class assignment expressing his love and desire for acting, a teacher invited him to a table read for a play, and Sturgis was cast as the understudy; later going on to play the lead role of A Raisin in The Sun. He soon landed roles in productions filmed in New Orleans such as Blaze
and The Big Easy.
In 1992, Sturgis married his college sweetheart, Jennifer Grimes, who he met at University of New Orleans
. The pair moved to Los Angeles where she landed a job as an assistant talent agent at a top-tier talent agency. Shortly thereafter, Sturgis was signed at the agency. They have two sons, Evan and Dane.
network, promoting such shows as The Parkers
, Moesha
, Half & Half
, Girlfriends
, The Hughleys
and many others. Simultaneously in 1997 and 1998, he was also the daily announcer for the late night talk show, VIBE
, starring Chris Spencer
and later, comedian Sinbad
. Sturgis never had a contract for either job stating that he would just "keep coming everyday until they tell me to stop." This lasted for the duration of the network and the talk show respectively.
Sturgis graced the cover of Hollywood Reporter in 2002 in celebration of his voice over efforts. In addition to promos for network TV, he also did several Hollywood movie trailers such as Bones, The Wood
, Crossroads
, Two Can Play That Game
, and The Others
.
He played several animated roles landing himself in cartoons, feature films and in video games. A partial list includes, Static Shock
, [Avatar The last Airbender]-As Gow a rebellious earth kingdom Group leader in the episode "Zuko Alone" Scooby Doo and The Cyber Chase, Batman Beyond
, Batman: The Brave and the Bold
, and The Fairly OddParents: Wishology
. Video game titles include Shout About Music, True Crime, Evil Dead, Spider-Man 2, and Red Faction.
In February 2009 he worked on Blokhedz
animated web series on Missiong.com and did the voice of Biskit, the leader of the biker gang Wild Dawgs.
on the shows Tyler Perry's House of Payne
and Meet the Browns
, both on TBS. This would mark his first professional writing job. His first credited episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne aired on December 16, 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
known for providing the voice of Ebon in the television series Static Shock
Static Shock
Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
. In addition to voice overs, Sturgis appeared in two of Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
's movies, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Daddy's Little Girls, as well as the 2007 movie Pride
Pride (2007 film)
Pride is a 2007 biopic drama feature film released by Lionsgate Entertainment on March 23, 2007. Loosely based upon the true story of Philadelphia swim coach James "Jim" Ellis, Pride stars Terrence Howard, Bernie Mac, and Kimberly Elise, and was directed by Sunu Gonera.Pride is a film that depicts...
, starring Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard
Terrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
, and co-stars in the independent feature directed by Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric Antonio Kyles , known professionally by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American actor, comedian and director...
, Chicago Pulaski Jones
Chicago Pulaski Jones
Dance Fu is a 2011 martial arts comedy film starring Kel Mitchell. The film was co-written and co-produced by Mitchell and directed by Cedric the Entertainer, which is his directorial debut. It was released straight to DVD on October 4, 2011. In the film, Kel plays two roles: a young dancer named...
.
He also landed TV roles in his early career such as a recurring character by the name of Caz in the General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
spin-off, Port Charles
Port Charles
Port Charles was a daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from June 2, 1997 to October 3, 2003. It is a spin-off of the serial General Hospital, which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York...
, as well as smaller roles on The District
The District
The District is a television police drama which aired on CBS from October 7, 2000 to May 1, 2004. The show followed the work and personal life of the chief of Washington, D.C.'s Police Department .-Premise:...
, NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
, Malcolm and Eddie and Girlfriends
Girlfriends
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
.
Personal life
Sturgis is the second oldest son of four born to Abraham and Sarah Sturgis. He grew up in the Ninth Ward of New OrleansNinth Ward of New Orleans
The Ninth Ward or 9th Ward is a distinctive region of New Orleans, Louisiana that is located in the easternmost downriver portion of the city. It is geographically the largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans....
, Louisiana, and attended McDonogh Senior High School where he played piccolo and served as drum major for the band. After writing an essay for a class assignment expressing his love and desire for acting, a teacher invited him to a table read for a play, and Sturgis was cast as the understudy; later going on to play the lead role of A Raisin in The Sun. He soon landed roles in productions filmed in New Orleans such as Blaze
Blaze (film)
Blaze is a 1989 film written and directed by Ron Shelton. Based on the 1974 memoir Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry by Blaze Starr and Huey Perry, the film stars Paul Newman as Earl Long and Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr, with Starr herself appearing in a cameo.-Plot:The movie tells...
and The Big Easy.
In 1992, Sturgis married his college sweetheart, Jennifer Grimes, who he met at University of New Orleans
University of New Orleans
The University of New Orleans, often referred to locally as UNO, is a medium-sized public urban university located on the New Orleans Lakefront within New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is a member of the LSU System and the Urban 13 association. Currently UNO is without a proper chancellor...
. The pair moved to Los Angeles where she landed a job as an assistant talent agent at a top-tier talent agency. Shortly thereafter, Sturgis was signed at the agency. They have two sons, Evan and Dane.
Voice career
In the mid 1990s, he began booking voice over jobs in commercials and trailers. He served as the voice of the Monday night (and later Tuesday night) lineup on the now defunct UPNUPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
network, promoting such shows as The Parkers
The Parkers
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
, Moesha
Moesha
Moesha is an American sitcom series that aired on the UPN network from January 23, 1996 to May 14, 2001. The series stars R&B singer Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, a high school student living with her family in the Leimert Park neighborhood of South Central Los Angeles.-Overview:The show...
, Half & Half
Half & Half
Half & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship...
, Girlfriends
Girlfriends
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
, The Hughleys
The Hughleys
The Hughleys is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from September 22, 1998 to April 28, 2000 and on the UPN network from September 11, 2000 to May 20, 2002. It starred comedian D. L...
and many others. Simultaneously in 1997 and 1998, he was also the daily announcer for the late night talk show, VIBE
VIBE
Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers...
, starring Chris Spencer
Chris Spencer (actor)
Chris Spencer is an Jamaican American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He was the first host of the syndicated late night talk show Vibe, based on the magazine of the same name. He has gone on to star in several film projects such as The Sixth Man, Significant Others, and Postal...
and later, comedian Sinbad
Sinbad (entertainer)
David Adkins better known by his professional name of Sinbad, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He became well known in the 1990s from being featured on his own HBO specials, appearing on several television series, and starring in the films Necessary Roughness, Houseguest, First Kid,...
. Sturgis never had a contract for either job stating that he would just "keep coming everyday until they tell me to stop." This lasted for the duration of the network and the talk show respectively.
Sturgis graced the cover of Hollywood Reporter in 2002 in celebration of his voice over efforts. In addition to promos for network TV, he also did several Hollywood movie trailers such as Bones, The Wood
The Wood
The Wood is a 1999 romantic comedy, written by Rick Famuyiwa and Todd Boyd. Famuyiwa also directed the film, which stars Omar Epps, Richard T. Jones, and Taye Diggs.-Plot:...
, Crossroads
Crossroads (2002 film)
Crossroads is a 2002 comedy-drama road film directed by Tamra Davis and starring American recording artist Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning...
, Two Can Play That Game
Two Can Play That Game
Two Can Play That Game is a 2001 romantic comedy film written and directed by Mark Brown. The film stars Vivica A. Fox, Morris Chestnut, and Anthony Anderson.-Plot:...
, and The Others
The Others (2001 film)
The Others is a 2001 psychological horror film by the Spanish-Chilean director Alejandro Amenábar, starring Nicole Kidman. It is inspired partly by the novella The Turn of the Screw....
.
He played several animated roles landing himself in cartoons, feature films and in video games. A partial list includes, Static Shock
Static Shock
Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
, [Avatar The last Airbender]-As Gow a rebellious earth kingdom Group leader in the episode "Zuko Alone" Scooby Doo and The Cyber Chase, Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
, Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
, and The Fairly OddParents: Wishology
The Fairly OddParents: Wishology
Wishology is a television film trilogy and the ninth movie special of the animated television series The Fairly OddParents. The first part of the trilogy, "The Big Beginning", originally aired on the cable network Nickelodeon in the United States on May 1, 2009; the second part, "The Exciting...
. Video game titles include Shout About Music, True Crime, Evil Dead, Spider-Man 2, and Red Faction.
In February 2009 he worked on Blokhedz
Blokhedz
Blokhedz is an independent comic book/graphic novel series created by the Madtwiinz, Mark and Mike Davis. Since the release of Issue #1 in 2004, the 4-book comic series has developed a small but dedicated underground fanbase...
animated web series on Missiong.com and did the voice of Biskit, the leader of the biker gang Wild Dawgs.
Writing
In October 2008, Sturgis began working as a staff writer for Tyler Perry StudiosTyler Perry Studios
Tyler Perry Studios is an American film production studio, founded by actor/filmmaker/playwright Tyler Perry in Atlanta, Georgia. The studio occupies two former airline-affiliated buildings and includes of sets and office space. Its opening was attended by Sidney Poitier, Will Smith, Cicely...
on the shows Tyler Perry's House of Payne
Tyler Perry's House of Payne
Tyler Perry's House of Payne is an American comedy-drama television series created and produced by playwright, director, and producer Tyler Perry. The show revolves around a multi-generational family living under one roof in Atlanta, Georgia led by patriarch Curtis Payne and his wife Ella...
and Meet the Browns
Meet the Browns (TV series)
Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns is an American sitcom created and produced by playwright, director, and producer Tyler Perry. The show revolves around a senior family living under one roof in Decatur, Georgia led by patriarch Mr. Brown and his daughter Cora Simmons. The show premiered on Wednesday,...
, both on TBS. This would mark his first professional writing job. His first credited episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne aired on December 16, 2008.
Voice acting career
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Static Shock Static Shock Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes.... |
Ebon | (voice) |
| 2009 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold Batman: The Brave and the Bold Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain... |
Bronze Tiger Bronze Tiger Bronze Tiger is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe. He is a martial artist who first appeared in Dragon's Fists, a novel by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry, starring Richard Dragon. His first DC Comics appearance was in Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter.-Early years:Ben Turner comes... |
(voice) |
| 2009 | Blokhedz Blokhedz Blokhedz is an independent comic book/graphic novel series created by the Madtwiinz, Mark and Mike Davis. Since the release of Issue #1 in 2004, the 4-book comic series has developed a small but dedicated underground fanbase... animated web series on Missiong.com |
Biskit | (voice) |
| 2009 | Wishology | Lead Eliminator | (voice) |