Keith David

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16 Feb 2024

Keith David

Keith David Williams, born on June 4, 1956, is an American actor renowned for his distinctive deep voice and commanding presence across various mediums, including film, stage, television, and interactive media.
Throughout his career, David has accumulated over 300 roles, showcasing his versatility and talent. He has appeared in a wide range of films, including classics such as "The Thing" (1982), "Platoon" (1986), "They Live" (1988), "Dead Presidents" (1995), "Armageddon" (1998), "There's Something About Mary" (1998), "Requiem for a Dream" (2000), "Pitch Black" (2000), "Barbershop" (2002), "Crash" (2004), "The Chronicles of Riddick" (2004), "Cloud Atlas" (2012), "The Nice Guys" (2016), and "Nope" (2022).
David's television credits are equally impressive. He portrayed Elroy Patashnik in the sixth season of the NBC series "Community" (2015) and starred as Bishop James Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama "Greenleaf" (2016–2020).

In addition to his on-screen work, David has an Emmy-winning voice-over career. He has lent his voice to various projects, including narrating Ken Burns films like "The War" (2007) and "Muhammad Ali" (2021). Notable voice roles in film include Dr. Facilier in "The Princess and the Frog" (2009) and the Cat in "Coraline" (2009). On television, he voiced iconic characters such as Goliath on "Gargoyles" (1994–1997), Al Simmons / Spawn on "Todd McFarlane's Spawn" (1997–1999), The Flame King on "Adventure Time" (2012–2017), and King Andrias on "Amphibia" (2020–2022).
David has also made significant contributions to the world of video games, voicing characters like the Arbiter Thel 'Vadamee in the "Halo" franchise (2004–2015), Julius Little and himself in the "Saints Row" series (2006–2017), Admiral Anderson in the "Mass Effect" series (2007–2013), and Sergeant Foley in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" (2009).
With his powerful voice and remarkable acting skills, Keith David has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry across multiple platforms.

Keith David was born on June 4, 1956, in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, and spent his formative years in Corona, Queens, also in New York City. His mother, Dolores (née Dickenson), held a managerial position at New York Telephone, while his father, Lester Williams, worked as a director of payroll operations.
His journey into acting began after portraying the Cowardly Lion in a school production of "The Wizard of Oz." This experience sparked his interest in pursuing acting as a career. He further honed his skills by attending Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts. Subsequently, David pursued formal training at the Juilliard School's Drama Division from 1975 to 1979, graduating as part of Group 8 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1979.

In 1980–81, Keith David embarked on a nationwide tour with John Houseman's The Acting Company, showcasing his talents in productions of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot." Soon after, he made his mark on the big screen as Childs, starring opposite Kurt Russell in John Carpenter's cult classic "The Thing," marking the beginning of his extensive film career.
During the 1980s, David also made notable appearances on television, including a recurring role as Keith the Southwood Carpenter in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." He showcased his versatility by playing Keith, the game coin collector, in an episode where Fred Rogers and a young child learn to play the arcade game "Donkey Kong."

His filmography continued to expand with roles in acclaimed movies such as "Platoon," "They Live," "Men at Work," "Marked for Death," and "Stars and Bars." He portrayed Kirby in the 1995 film "Dead Presidents" and appeared in Spike Lee's "Clockers." Throughout the years, David graced the screen in a variety of genres, from action thrillers like "Pitch Black" to comedies like "Barbershop" and "There's Something About Mary."
In addition to his film work, David has made numerous television appearances, including a regular role as Lieutenant Williams on the short-lived series "The Job." He also appeared in independent films, earning critical acclaim for his role as Big Tim in "Requiem for a Dream."
David's television credits continued to grow, with roles in series such as "The Cape," "Hawaii Five-0," and "Community," where he portrayed Elroy Patashnik in the sixth season. In 2015, he landed a leading role alongside Lynn Whitfield in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series "Greenleaf," further solidifying his status as a versatile and respected actor in both film and television.

Keith David has built an impressive career as a voice actor, lending his distinctive voice to a wide range of characters across various media platforms. Some of his notable voice roles include:

Flame King in "Adventure Time"
King Andrias in "Amphibia"
Goliath in "Gargoyles"
Spawn in the animated series "Spawn"
Lemuel Kane in "Archer"
Narrator and Okkoto in the English dub of "Princess Mononoke"
Mama in the English dub of "3x3 Eyes"
Decker in the role-playing video game "Fallout"
Vhailor in "Planescape: Torment"
Arbiter in the video game "Halo 2," "Halo 3," "Halo: The Master Chief Collection," and "Halo 5: Guardians"
Captain David Anderson in the "Mass Effect" series
Julius Little and himself in the "Saints Row" series
Despero in the "Justice League" episode "Hearts and Minds"
Narrator for several documentaries by Ken Burns, including "Jazz," "The War," "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson," "Jackie Robinson," and "Muhammad Ali"
Narrator for various documentaries on PBS, the History Channel, and National Geographic, including "Ancient Refuge in the Holy Land," "Crusades: Crescent & the Cross," and "Inside Mecca"
Police detective Alex Cross in audiobook versions of novels by James Patterson
Bebe Proud Clone in "The Proud Family Movie"
Atlas in "Teen Titans"
Tublat in "The Legend of Tarzan"
Barricade in "Transformers: The Game"
Apollo the Sun God in "Hercules"
Council Member in "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within"
Black Cat in "Coraline"
Sergeant Foley in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2"
Dr. Facilier in "The Princess and the Frog"
The Big Man in "The Spectacular Spider-Man" episode "Survival of the Fittest"

David's commanding voice and versatile acting skills have made him a sought-after talent in the world of voice acting, contributing to the success of numerous projects across various genres.