Anthony Sherwood (born 1949) is a Canadian actor, filmmaker and activist. He has been active in film, television, and theatre productions since his film debut in 1979. On television he is known for his role as Jason Locke on season four of Airwolf (1987), and as Dillon Beck on Street Legal (1989–94). The latter role earned him a Gemini Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series.
Sherwood is the founder of a namesake production company, specializing in productions emphasizing issues of social justice and African-Canadian history and culture. From 1992 until 2001, he was the national co-chairman of the March 21 Campaign for the federal government of Canada.
In 2022, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Early life A Black Nova Scotian, Sherwood was born in the Africville neighborhood of Halifax in 1949. Sherwood's grandmother, Alice Kane (née Alice White), was a musician and music teacher, his mother was an amateur singer, and his first cousin once-removed was Canadian opera singer, Portia White, Canada's first African Canadian opera singer.
Sherwood's family moved to Montreal, where he grew up in the neighborhood of Little Burgundy, which has a strong Black Canadian tradition. Sherwood commenced an eight-year career as a R&B singer before switching focus to acting.
Career Acting He has acted in both Canadian and American feature films and television series and received several awards for his work in the entertainment industry.
Sherwood began his acting career on stage and started in musical theatre in Montreal starting in 1975. He starred in such stage musicals as Ain't Misbehavin', Cabaret, and The Music Man. He began acting in several Canadian and American feature films starting in 1979.
In 1986, he joined the cast of the American television series, Airwolf, playing the role of Jason Locke during the fourth and final season. In 1989, Sherwood played the role of Dillon Beck in the CBC Television series, Street Legal. He portrayed this role on Street Legal from 1989 to 1994 and was nominated in 1992 for a Gemini Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.
He has guest-starred in a variety of television shows including: Beauty & The Beast, Single Ladies, Lost Girl, The Art of More, The Listener, Aaron Stone, Being Erica, Due South, Outer Limits, Soul Food, Earth: Final Conflict, PSI Factor, 1-800 Missing, Danger Bay, Adventure Inc., Diamonds, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Night Heat, The Best Years, The New Ghostwriter Mysteries, and Counterstrike.
Sherwood has appeared in feature films, including; Race (2015), Star Spangled Banners (2013), Honey (2003), Hostile Takeover (1988), Deadbolt (1992), Undue Influence, Switching Channels, Eddie & the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives, Closer and Closer, Crimes of Fashion, Terror Train, Too Close to Home, Free of Eden, Ultimate Deception, Both Sides of The Law, Mail To The Chief, Threshold, Physical Evidence and Guilty as Sin (1993).
In 2009, Sherwood returned to the stage performing in the role of Marty in the musical Dreamgirls at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. In 2015, he performed the title role in Othello for Ale House Theatre.
Writing, producing and directing
In 1991, Sherwood formed his production company, Anthony Sherwood Productions, that specialized in productions emphasizing issues of social justice and African-Canadian history and culture.
His film company produced the feature documentary Honour Before Glory (2001), which he wrote, produced and directed. The film won second prize at the 2002 Hollywood Black Film Festival in Los Angeles and a 2002 Gemini Award.
Sherwood created and produced the documentary film Music - A Family Tradition for the CBC, which won a Gemini Award in 1997 and was nominated for an International Emmy Award.
He also produced and directed a documentary film entitled Nowhere to Run, which looks at the global crisis of landmines. His film Mozambique – A Land of Hope looks at the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa and was broadcast on the Signature Series on OMNI Television and was featured at the World AIDS Conference in Toronto in August 2006. His documentary film 100 Years of Faith is about the oldest black church in the province of Quebec. In 2009, he produced and directed the documentary film Knocking On Heaven's Door, which looked at the gang violence in Kingston, Jamaica.
From 1993 to 2000, Sherwood was the host and narrator of the documentary television series Forbidden Places for the Discovery Channel. On this television series, he performed numerous duties including writer, director, narrator and host. From 2002 to 2005, he was the host of the television talk-show In The Black for OMNI Television, the first talk-show on Canadian television featuring exclusive interviews with prominent African-Canadians.
In February 2010, Sherwood wrote, directed and produced an educational play on great African-Canadian hero William Hall. In 2012, Sherwood wrote and directed the stage play TITANIC: The Untold Story, which was produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The play had its world premiere at the Alderney Landing Theatre in Nova Scotia. In July 2016, Sherwood wrote, directed and co-produced the play, "The Colour of Courage" which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the formation of Canada's all-black military unit in WWI.
In March 2015, Sherwood released his first novel, Music In The Dark, which is published by Pottersfield Press.
Social activism
From 1992 to 2001, Sherwood was national co-chairman of the March 21 Campaign for the federal government of Canada. March 21 is the International Day For the Elimination of Racism. Sherwood has received international recognition and awards for his efforts in raising awareness to the importance of racial equality.
On July 9, 2022, Anthony Sherwood served as Master of Ceremonies for the Government of Canada's official apology to the Black soldiers of No. 2 Construction Battalion and their descendants. The apology was delivered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Awards and honours
1998: Martin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award 1998: Brampton Arts Acclaim Award 2000: Urban Alliance on Race Relations Award 2002: African-Canadian Achievement Award 2006: North American Black Historical Museum & Cultural Centre Award 2006: Planet Africa Award 2008: Harry Jerome Award 2022: Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
Filmography
Film
1979: City on Fire – Sam 1980: Agency – Lou Cardoza 1980: Death Ship – Seaman No. 2 1980: Terror Train – Jackson 1981: Dirty Tricks – Soundman 1981: Scanners – Scanner in Attic 1982: Killing 'em Softly 1983: Utilities – Social Services Man #1 1985: Eternal Evil – Jensen 1986: The Vindicator – Detective 1986: The Morning Man 1987: Wild Thing – Will 1988: Switching Channels – Carvalho 1988: Hostile Takeover – Garlas 1989: Physical Evidence – Lou 1989: Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! – Hilton Overstreet 1993: Guilty as Sin – Agent Ken Powell 2003: Honey – Mr. Daniels 2017: Christmas Inheritance – Uncle Zeke 2018: The Holiday Calendar – Santa from 'Christmas Inheritance'
Television
+ Year Title Role Notes 1984 The Guardian Mr. Chambers TV movie 1986 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Reno 1 episode 1986 Spearfield's Daughter Phil Rainer Miniseries 1987 First Offender TV movie 1987 Airwolf Jason Locke Season 4 1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Det. Simon 1 episode 1988 T and T Boone 1 episode 1987–1988 Shades of Love: Midnight Magic Peter Shank TV movie 1988 Spies, Lies & Naked Thighs Dobson TV movie 1987–1988 Night Heat Fleming / Kilman 3 episodes 1988 9B Joe Wevers 1 episode 1989 Danger Bay Dr. Richard Granger 1 episode 1990 Counterstrike Jackson Episode: "Dead in the Air" 1990 Counterstrike Robert Episode: "Regal Connection" 1991 Beyond Reality Elliot 1 episode 1992 Deadbolt Detective Toren TV movie 1993 Secret Service Hamilton 1 episode 1989–1994 Street Legal Dillon Beck Regular role 1995 Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron TV Announcer - Florida TV movie 1996 Closer and Closer FBI Agent Luther Clay TV movie 1996 Due South Frank Greco 1 episode 1996 Undue Influence Charles Franklin TV movie 1996 F/X: The Series Agent Cairns 1 episode 1996 Jack Reed: Death and Vengeance TV movie 1997 Too Close to Home Cop Gillespie TV movie 1997 The New Ghostwriter Mysteries Mr. Canin 1 episode 1998 Black Harbour Brady Fraserl 1 episode 1998 Free of Eden Frank TV movie 1998 PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Dr. Eric Thomas 1 episode 1998 Earth: Final Conflict Lincoln Auger 1 episode 1999 Ultimate Deception Granger TV movie 1999 The Outer Limits Hank Dell 1 episode 2000 Mail to the Chief Moderator #3 TV movie 2001 Soul Food Carl Thomas 1 episode 2002 Adventure Inc. Governor Morton 1 episode 2003 Threshold Dr. Thaddeus Owens TV movie 2003 1-800-Missing Gregory Dayton 1 episode 2004 The L Word Roger 1 episode 2004 Crimes of Fashion Senior FBI Agent TV movie 2009 The Best Years 1 episode 2010 Aaron Stone President 1 episode 2011 Being Erica Gus 1 episode 2013 The Listener Martin Reynolds 1 episode 2013 Star Spangled Banners Dr. Lloyd TV movie (aka Banner 4th of July) 2015 Single Ladies Admiral Aguilera 1 episode 2015 Beauty & the Beast Detective O'Hara 1 episode 2015 Lost Girl Light Fae Elder #1 2 episodes 2015 The Art of More Darnell Griffin 1 episode 2016 The Girlfriend Experience Garrett Stern 2 episodes 2017 Conviction Judge Trumble 1 episode 2017 Taken Marcus Flynn 1 episode 2018 Crawford Lieutenant Grady 4 episodes 2020 Christmas Unwrapped Martin Jones TV movie 2021 The Clue to Love Dennis Mitchell TV movie 2023 Accused Emmett Stone 1 episode 2024 Plan B Robert Coleman TV miniseries 2024 A Season to Remember Willie Gibson TV movie
References
External links
Anthony Sherwood Productions