Richard T. Jones
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
On acting in a college production of "A Raisin in the Sun": "On opening night, I walked on the stage, and I remember kind of blacking out for two hours. When I woke up, it was over, and there was this big applause and everybody was saying, 'You're wonderful.' Right then, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life." --Richard T Jones in Detour Magazine, November 1997.
Morgan Freeman, he swears, "made me forget my lines because he was so good. I thought, Why am I even in this movie? No one will even see me, beause his presence is so demanding." --Jones commenting on working in "Kiss the Girls", quoted in Detour Magazine, November 1997.
Biography
An astonishingly prolific character actor and occasional lead in features and television, Richard T. Jones essayed countless men of authority, as well as a few conflicted figures, in projects ranging from "Judging Amy" (CBS, 1999-2005) and "The Wood" (1999) to "Hawaii 5-0" (CBS, 2010- ), "American Horror Story: Hotel" (FX, 2015-16) and "CHiPs" (2017). Born Richard Timothy Jones on January 16, 1972, he was the youngest of two sons by Clarence Jones, a former right fielder and first basemen for the Cleveland Indians. Richard was born in Kobe, Japan, while his father was playing there for the Kintetsu Buffaloes, but returned to the United States after the senior Jones rejoined the Indians as a batting instructor. Richard's initial career interest was in the legal field, but after appearing in a production of "A Raisin in the Sun" while attending Tuskegee University, he decided to become an actor. His feature film career began in 1993, when he played Ike Turner, Jr. in the biopic "What's Love Got To Do With It," which he followed with steady work in character and supporting turns in features and on television. Though he appeared in numerous films, including "Event Horizon" (1997) and "Kiss the Girls" (1998), television soon became his most consistent showcase: Jones enjoyed a season-long run as a jealous traffic cop on Steven Bochco's short-lived but critically praised police drama "Brooklyn South" (CBS, 1997-1998) before playing court services Bruce van Exel, who offered counsel and later, romantic interest to Amy Brenneman's family court judge in "Judging Amy." The exposure afforded by the popular series led to more substantive feature roles, including a slew of turns as reluctant Romeos in such urban-minded features as "The Wood" (1999), "Book of Love" (2002) and a rare lead in "G"(2002), a drama based on The Great Gatsby set in the hip-hop industry. Jones was also a regular presence in mainstream features, playing supporting roles in "Moonlight Mile" (2003) and Michael Mann's "Collateral" (2004). When "Judging Amy" ran its course, Jones segued to "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (Fox, 2008-09), playing an FBI agent on the trail of Lena Headey's reluctant science fiction heroine. He also continued his prolific run of appearances in features and other television series, including such hits as Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married?" as the shallow husband of Jill Scott, the Steven Spielberg-produced "Super 8" (2011) and "Godzilla" (2014). Jones also began a lengthy run in the recurring role of Hawaii governor Sam Denning on "Hawaii 5-0" while also appearing regularly as an ill-fated cop on "American Horror Story: Hotel," a DEA agent on "Narcos" (Netflix, 2015- ), Timothy Olyphant's best friend on "The Santa Clarita Diet" (Netflix, 2017- ) and yet another police officer on "Criminal Minds" (CBS, 2005- ). Despite this schedule, Jones also found time to play a helicopter patrol officer in Dax Shepard's big-screen spoof of "CHiPs," as well as several additional independent features and TV pilots.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1993
Made feature debut as Ike Turner Jr. in the biopic, "What's Love Got to Do with It"
1997
Cast opposite Morgan Freeman in "Kiss the Girls"
1997
Made series regular debut as Officer Clement Jones on the CBS police drama, "Brooklyn South"
1998
Played Lisa Nicole Carson's first love, Matt Griffin, on the series "Ally McBeal" (FOX)
1999
Co-starred with Omar Epps and Taye Diggs in "The Wood"
1999
Played Court Services Officer Bruce Van Exel in the CBS series, "Judging Amy"
2002
Featured in the film "Moonlight Mile"
2002
Cast as Sergeant Cole in the thriller "Phone Booth"
2004
Appeared in the thriller "Twisted," with Ashley Judd and Samuel L. Jackson
2004
Cast as a traffic cop in Michael Mann's "Collateral"
2007
Had a recurring role on "Girlfriends" (CW)
2007
Co-starred in Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married?"
2008
Featured in the political thriller, "Vantage Point"
2008
Cast as FBI Agent James Ellison in the FOX series, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"
2010
Re-teamed with Perry for the sequel "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too?"
2011
Scored recurring role as Hawaii governor Sam Denning on "Hawaii 5-0"
2015
Began recurring role as a police detective in "American Horror Story: Hotel"
2017
Co-starred in Dax Shepard comedy "CHiPS"
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
On acting in a college production of "A Raisin in the Sun": "On opening night, I walked on the stage, and I remember kind of blacking out for two hours. When I woke up, it was over, and there was this big applause and everybody was saying, 'You're wonderful.' Right then, I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life." --Richard T Jones in Detour Magazine, November 1997.
Morgan Freeman, he swears, "made me forget my lines because he was so good. I thought, Why am I even in this movie? No one will even see me, beause his presence is so demanding." --Jones commenting on working in "Kiss the Girls", quoted in Detour Magazine, November 1997.
