Richard Brooks
Richard Lee Brooks (born December 9, 1962) is an American actor, singer, and director. He played the eccentric bounty hunter Jubal Early in the space-western Firefly and assistant district attorney Paul Robinette in the NBC drama series Law & Order from 1990 to 1993, later appearing as a defense attorney on that same show. In 2013, he began starring as Patrick Patterson in the BET drama series, Being Mary Jane.
Also recorded as Richard L. Brooks · Richard Brooks (actor) · Richard Lee Brooks · Richard Brooks Jr
Richard Brooks
- Name
- Richard Brooks
- Birth Name
- Richard Lee Brooks
- Born
- 9 December 1962
- Birthplace
- Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Full name
- Richard Lee Brooks.
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Circle in the Square Theatre School · Interlochen Center for the Arts
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Richard Lee Brooks (born December 9, 1962) is an American actor, singer, and director. He played the eccentric bounty hunter Jubal Early in the space-western Firefly and assistant district attorney Paul Robinette in the NBC drama series Law & Order from 1990 to 1993, later appearing as a defense attorney on that same show. In 2013, he began starring as Patrick Patterson in the BET drama series, Being Mary Jane.
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Note VALÉORINE
Richard Brooks (born 1962) is an actor, film director and singer, of American nationality. The actor was born Richard Lee Brooks in Cleveland. Richard Brooks was educated at Circle in the Square Theatre School and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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Authority files
gnd · 129187321 · gnd · 1157923593 · wikidata · Q953841 · wikipedia · Richard Brooks (actor)
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Richard Brooks • Birth Name — Richard Lee Brooks • Born — 9 December 1962 • Birthplace — Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. • Occupation — * Actor • singer • director • Years Active — 1983–present
Early life
Early life
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio he later moved to New York City and was a student of the Circle in the Square Professional Theater School.
Career
Career
While in New York, Brooks performed in the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference production of August Wilson's Fences, which gained him a positive reputation. A subsequent move to Los Angeles found the actor landing television roles in Hill Street Blues and The Russians Are Coming, along with made-for-TV features such as Badge of the Assassin (1985) and Resting Place (1986). With Teen Wolf (1985), The Hidden (1987), Off Limits (1988), Shakedown (1988), and Shocker (1989), Brooks began his work in the world of feature films. Brooks appeared as OD in the award-winning film 84C MoPic (1989), directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan. Throughout the 1990s, most of his popularity came from his widespread exposure in his role as Paul Robinette on Law & Order. His roles alternated between feature films, television, and the stage. After appearing in The Substitute and playing the villain in The Crow: City of Angels (both 1996), Brooks opted to try his hand at directing, and the result was Johnny B Good (1998). It is about a young, urban black man who makes a positive change after suffering amnesia. Brooks returned to television for the short-lived series G vs E in 1999. In 2001, he made a guest appearance in NYPD Blue. Brooks' performance on Joss Whedon's Firefly as bounty hunter Jubal Early in the existentialist series finale "Objects in Space" gained him many fans. He also appeared as Hasdrabul Skaras in "Slayer", the fifth episode of the series Brimstone and as Detective Ehrle in the short-lived Fox series Drive, alongside Nathan Fillion, with whom Brooks had worked on Firefly. Brooks founded his own production company, Flat Top Entertainment LLC. At the dawn of the millennium, Brooks released his first solo R&B album, Smooth Love, on Flat Top Records. In March 2011, Brooks played the role of Harmond Wilkes in Radio Golf, written by August Wilson, at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York. He played Frederick Douglass in the 2013 PBS series The Abolitionists. Brooks starred as Patrick in the BET original series Being Mary Jane. It premiered July 2, 2013. He starred as Lead Marshal Pollack in Person of Interest, season 3, "The Devil's Share". He played Warden Gregory Wolfe in season 4 of The Flash, and Dwight Wise in Seasons 5 and 6 of the show Bosch. Brooks played Augustus Barringer on the UMC network comedy The Rich and the Ruthless (2017–2021). He has a recurring role as LAFD Chief Simpson in 9-1-1.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1983 — Hill Street Blues — Tyrone Crane — Episode: "The Russians Are Coming" • 1984 — With Intent to Kill — Eddie Cox — TV movie • 1985 — Badge of the Assassin — Anthony "Tony" Bottom — TV movie • 1986 — Resting Place — Booker T. Douglas — TV movie • 1987 — A Special Friendship — Matt Bowser — TV movie • 1988 — Spenser: For Hire — Robert — Episode: "The Siege" • 1989 — Terror on Highway 91 — - — TV movie • Tour of Duty — Private First Class Marsten — Episode: "True Grit" • Almost Grown — Curtis — Episode: "Jersey Blues" • The Neon Empire — Tampa — TV movie • 1990–1993, 1996, 2005, 2006 — Law & Order — Paul Robinette — Main Cast (seasons 1–3); 3 episodes (seasons 6, 16, 17) • 1992 — Memphis — Eben Kinship — TV movie • 1994 — ER — Mr. Freeman — Episode: "Chicago Heat" • Chicago Hope — Henry Lavelle — Episode: "Shutt Down" • Diagnosis: Murder — Mercury "The Heat" Jones — Episode: "Standing Eight Count" • 1995 — Renegade — Barry — Episode: "Repo Raines" • 1996 — Code Name: Wolverine — Special Agent John Baines — TV movie • 1997 — Nash Bridges — Max Moore — Episode: "Found Money" • Renegade — Agent Marcus Donner — Episode: "Top Ten with a Bullet" • 1998 — The Wedding — Lincoln Odis — TV movie • Brimstone — Hasdrabul Skaras — Episode: "Slayer" • NYPD Blue — Everette McRae — Episode: "Hammer Time" • 1999 — WWE Raw — Henry McNeil — Episode: "Rebellion Results" • Judging Amy — Mr. Plymouth — Episode: "Presumed Innocent" • 1999–2000 — G vs E — Henry McNeil — Main cast • 2001 — NYPD Blue — Captain Eric Knowlton — Episode: "Franco, My Dear, I Don't Give a Damn" • Dead Last — Tyrell Nitro "TNT" Thompson — Episode: "The Problem with Corruption" • 2002 — Firefly — Jubal Early — Episode: "Objects in Space" • 2003 — Skin — - — Episode: "Pilot" • NCIS — Lieutenant Colonel Walsh — Episode: "Marine Down" • 2006 — Close to Home — Phil Raab — Episode: "Community" • Spy Games: The Black Wolf Hunt — - — TV movie • 2007 — Drive — Detective Ehrle — Recurring role • 2009 — Lie to Me — Mark Boulware — Episode: "Life is Priceless" • 2011 — Childrens Hospital — Robert — Episode: "Father's Day" • Charlie's Angels — Richard Umbaque — Episode: "Royal Angels" • 2013 — American Experience — Frederick Douglass — Episode: "The Abolitionists: Part 1-3" • Person of Interest — Lead Marshal Pollack — Episode: "The Devil's Share" • 2013–2019 — Being Mary Jane — Patrick Patterson — Main cast • 2015 — Elementary — Detective Demps — Episode: "For All You Know" • 2016 — Unsung Hollywood — Himself — Episode: "Sheryl Lee Ralph" • The Good Wife — Ace Barnstone — Episode: "Targets" • You Can't Hurry Love — Pastor Avery — TV movie • 2017 — Chicago Justice — Defense Attorney Paul Robinette — Episode: "Uncertainty Principle" • 2017–2018 — The Flash — Warden Gregory Wolfe — Recurring role (season 4) • 2017–2021 — The Rich and the Ruthless — Augustus Barringer — Main cast • 2018–2019 — Jacqueline and Jilly — Magnus Mitchell — Main cast • 2019 — The Blacklist — Mitchell Young — Episode: "Olivia Olson (No. 115)" • All Rise — Assistant Chief Jack Healy — Episodes: "Pilot" & "A View from the Bus" • 2019–2020 — Bosch — Dwight Wise — Recurring role (seasons 5–6) • 2019–2021, 2023 — Good Trouble — Joseph — Recurring role (seasons 2–3), 1 episode (season 5) • 2020 — The Haves and the Have Nots — Al — Recurring role (season 7), 1 episode (season 8) • 2021 — Chicago P.D. — Lieutenant Mike Carey — Episode: "Tender Age" • Shameless Hall of Shame — Big Liam — Episode: "Frank: Ghosts of Gallagher Past" • 2022–2024 — Abbott Elementary — Gerald — 3 episodes • 2024–2025 — 9-1-1 — Chief Simpson — Recurring role (seasons 7–9) • 2025 — Reasonable Doubt — Eddie Nicholas — Recurring role (season 3)
Identity
Identity
Richard Brooks is recorded as film director, actor and singer.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 2013–2024
The full dated record · 11 entries
2013
The EuroQol group after 25 years / Richard Brooks. is dated [2013] and held by Wellcome Collection.
2014
Richard Brooks 9 14 14 AM King Saul (2014) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
2014
Richard Brooks 9 14 14 AM King Saul digitised by Internet Archive.
2014
Richard Brooks 11 16 14 What Are You Living For (2014) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
2014
Richard Brooks 11 16 14 What Are You Living For digitised by Internet Archive.
2015
Richard Brooks 9 27 15 (2015) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
2015
Richard Brooks AM 3 15 2015 digitised by Internet Archive.
2015
Richard Brooks 08 09 2015 Filled With The Holy Spirit (2015) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
2015
Richard Brooks 08 09 2015 Filled With The Holy Spirit digitised by Internet Archive.
2024
Tough As Nails The Life And Films Of Richard Brooks (2024) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
2024
Tough As Nails The Life And Films Of Richard Brooks digitised by Internet Archive.
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1985 — Teen Wolf — Lemonade • 1986 — Good to Go — Chemist • 1987 — The Hidden — Sanchez • 1988 — Saxo — Joe • Off Limits — Preacher • Shakedown — Michael Jones • 1989 — 84C MoPic — OD • Shocker — Rhino • 1990 — To Sleep with Anger — Babe Brother • 1995 — Chameleon — Tom Wilson • 1996 — Black Rose of Harlem — Yancey • The Substitute — Wellman • The Crow: City of Angels — Judah Earl • 1998 — Johnny B Good — - • The Adventures of Ragtime — Agent Dooley • Acid Rain — - • 1999 — In Too Deep — Wesley • 2004 — Lexie — Ricardo French — Direct-to-video • 2009 — Dough Boys — Detective Nichols • 2010 — Who Da Man? — Dante — Short film • 2011 — In My Pocket — Dr. Barry • 2013 — Officer Down — McAlister's Lawyer • 2015 — The Sin Seer — Jake Ballard • 2020 — Noah's Arc: The 'Rona Chronicles — Wade's Dad — Short film • Troubled Waters — Floyd Cash • Steele Justice — Alex
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Richard Brooks (actor)”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q953841: Richard Brooks
Unverified · Wikidata
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 2018 — Daytime Emmy Awards — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series — The Rich and the Ruthless
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Richard Brooks - About This Person. The New York Times. 2007.
- 2.Robbins, Caryn. 'Law & Order's' Richard Brooks to Star in Geva Theater's Radio Golf, 3/22 - 4/17. BroadwayWorld. 2011-02-23.
- 3.Lomax, Janet. Former Law and Order star takes the stage at Geva in Radio Golf. WHEC.com. 2011-03-24.
- 4.Graceling-Moore, Rose. The Flash Adds Law & Order Alum In Recurring Role. Screen Rant. 3 November 2017.
- 5.Frederick, Brittany. Bosch season 6 features Chicago Med and Chicago Justice alums. onechicagocenter.com. One Chicago Center. April 21, 2020.
- 6.Stanhope, Kate. 'Law & Order' Star to Reprise Role on 'Chicago Justice'. The Hollywood Reporter. January 10, 2017.
- 7.Petski, Denise. 'Reasonable Doubt': Morris Chestnut Returns For Season 3 As Recurring; 6 More Join Cast. Deadline Hollywood. May 8, 2025.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
A further 2 witnesses are held back from this article because the person or object named in them is not yet resolved to this record. They are kept, not discarded, and return once the identity is established.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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