Not too long ago, Laurence Fishburne played “Dr. Raymond Langston” in CBS’ CSI series, but first he was Dr. Joshua “Josh” Hall (#1) on “One Life to Live” on ABC TV from ’73 to ’76; he did a television movie, then began a career in film. He took on a role with Pee Wee’s Playhouse as “Cowboy Curtis” from 86 to 90; and most recently was “Jack Crawford” in the small screen version of “Hannibal,” that was based on the character made famous in the Oscar award winning film, “The Silence of the Lambs.”
Acting on stage since 10, Fishburne first appeared on “One Life to Live” at 13 as a “street kid.” Soon adopted by loving black parents, he was among the first of black families featured in a soap opera. At age 53, 41 FUNKY years after his first appearance in a broadcast medium — Fishburne is acting in the house where it all began, at ABC TV in the FUNKY new series “Black-ish.” The show also stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson, as the parents of four, featuring Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Marsai Martin and Miles Brown. Anderson is “Andre” the Ad-Exec, and Ross is “Rainbow” the Doctor, raising a family with some help from Fishburne who plays “Dre’s Dad.” Jenifer Lewis will guest star in a recurring role as Anderson’s overbearing mother “Ruby.” Lewis told TV Line “She smothers pork chops with gravy, Dre with love, and would like to flat out smother [Dre’s wife] Rainbow, who feels the same way about her.” It’s a funny show, incorporating social issues and aspects of ethnic differences, as they exists within the fabric of the American family. Side note… ABC’s new show “Cristela,” starring and written by comic Cristela Alonzo, is also well done.
Fishburne is one of America’s longest working actors in Hollywood. He’s taken on the role of Producer, Writer and Director. Over 40 years in entertainment, he’s been awarded for his work in film and television as well as on stage — that deserves celebration. He truly has accomplished Lifetime Achievement status at this juncture. No one would argue, his record speaks for itself. As “Black-ish” is off to a great start, Laurence is already on to the next. Currently shooting “Standoff,” opposite Thomas Jane and “Superman VS. Batman: Dawn of Justice,” he’s also got the movie “Miles and Me” on deck. “Miles and Me” also stars Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry, who haven’t worked together since “Boomerang.” The actor’s last major screen presence was in the Action-Comedy “Ride Along,” with Ice Cube and Kevin Hart as the crime boss “Omar.” Fishburne can currently be seen in the films “Rudderless,” which is William H. Macy’s feature film debut as Director, and “The Signal,” which are both in limited release. 
If we include his projects yet to be released, Laurence Fishburne has 99 acting credits on his resume, as an actor (according to http://www.imdb.com/?ref_=nv_home). The writer and director credits are for his film “Once in the Life,’ which was adapted from his play “Riff Raff.” “Riff Raff” starred Dwight Errington Myers, better known as “Heavy D,” that set off his foray into acting. The film also starred Fishburne, along with the late Gregory Hines and Eamonn Walker.
Some Funkalicious blog favorites among his films include: “Cornbread, Earl & Me” (when he was credited as Laurence Fishburne III), “Apocalypse Now” (when he became Larry Fishburne), “What’s Love Got to Do with It” (when he began being billed as Laurence Fishburne) “Deep Cover,” “The Matrix,” “Mystic River,” “Boyz n the Hood,” “School Daze,” “Osmosis Jones,” “Bobby,” “King of New York,” “Death Wish 2,” “The Color Purple” and “Akeelah and the Bee.” I got to see him in August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running” on Broadway in 1992, for which he was honored as, “Best Featured Actor in a Play” among other accolades. I established a rapport with him when he worked with Spike Lee, and got to interview him when he was promoting the film “Biker Boyz.” The awards he’s gotten include Tony’s and Emmy’s, as well as recognition from the NAACP; Drama Desk; Black Movie Awards; and the Producers Guild of America. So this is an early hats off to the legendary Laurence Fishburne, as he embarks on 50 years in the business of FUNKY creative work, coming full circle as an actor in television, film, and on stage.
for looking Forward to the FUNKY Future of Fishburne
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