Harold Sylvester (born February 10, 1949) is an American film and television actor. He is known for portraying Griff on the sitcom Married... with Children.
Early life and education Harold Sylvester was born on February 10, 1949, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a graduate of New Orleans' St. Augustine High School. Turning down Harvard, Sylvester attended Tulane University on a basketball scholarship and graduated in 1972 with a degree in theater and psychology. He was the first African American to receive an athletic scholarship from Tulane.
Career Sylvester is best known for his role on the TV series Married... with Children as Griff, the co-worker and friend of Al Bundy at the shoe store. Sylvester's other TV roles include the miniseries Wheels (1978), Barnaby Jones (season 8, episode 4, "A Desperate Pursuit"), the short-lived 1981 series Walking Tall, Today's F.B.I., Mary (1985), Shaky Ground, and A Different World as Dwayne Wayne's father, Woodson "Woodchuck" Wayne. The most recent TV show in which he starred was The Army Show. Sylvester had a recurring role on the TV series City of Angels. He has made guest appearances on shows, ranging from The Eddie Capra Mysteries to Hill Street Blues to Murder, She Wrote to NYPD Blue.
Sylvester's first Hollywood role was as Nathan, a lead character in Part 2, Sounder, the sequel to Sounder. His better-known film roles are in supporting roles in Fast Break (1979), An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Uncommon Valor (1983), Innerspace (1987), and Corrina, Corrina (1994). Sylvester was a contract player for Universal Studios.
Sylvester wrote the screenplay for the 1998 TV movie Passing Glory. This screenplay was based on some of his experiences playing basketball in high school, including a groundbreaking game of St. Augustine High School's all-black team against Jesuit High School's all-white team.
The Amistad Research Center of New Orleans, Louisiana, maintains a collection of Sylvester's papers that document his correspondence, film and television scripts, and materials reflecting his involvement with the Free Southern Theater and his Blue Bayou Productions Company.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1972 Night of the Strangler Jim Bunch 1976 Alex & the Gypsy First Goon 1976 Part 2, Sounder Nathan 1978 A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich Doctor 1978 The Eddie Capra Mysteries Bobby Jerome Episode: "Breakout to Murder"1979 Fast Break D.C. 1980 Inside Moves Alvin Martin 1982 An Officer and a Gentleman Lionel Perryman 1983 Uncommon Valor Major Curtis Johnson 1985 Vision Quest Tanneran 1985 Space Rage Max Bryson 1987 Innerspace Pete Blanchard 1989 Hit List Brian Armstrong 1992 In the Deep Woods George Dunaway TV movie1994 Corrina, Corrina Frank 1997 The Sixth Man James Tyler 1999 Trippin' Willie Reed 2002 What Wouldn't Jesus Do? God TV Short2003 Missing Brendan Stan Wade 2006 Nolaw Sampson 2011 Night Club Grim Interviewer 2014 A Place for Heroes Gary 2025 The Pitt Willie Alexander Episode: "2:00 P.M."
References 4. Demetria Fulton previewed Sylvester in Barnaby Jones; episode titled, “A Desperate Pursuit” (10/11/1979).
External links
Harold Sylvester Speech at Education Conference, 2004 on YouTube Sylvester's Blue Bayou Productions Co.