Joe Seneca (January 14, 1919 – August 15, 1996) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He is known for his roles as Willie Brown in Crossroads (1986), Dr. Meadows in The Blob (1988), and Dr. Hanes in The Cosby Show, among others.

Life and career Seneca was born Joel McGhee Jr. in Cleveland, Ohio.

Music Before his acting career, he belonged to the R&B singing group The Three Riffs, which was active from the late 1940s to the mid 1970s, and performed at upscale supper clubs in New York City."The Three Riffs ", VocalGroupHarmony.com. Retrieved 25 October 2016.

He was also a songwriter and had big hits with "Talk to Me", sung by Little Willie John, and "Break It to Me Gently," which was a smash hit by Brenda Lee in 1962 and by Juice Newton in 1982.

Theatre In the early 1970s, Seneca transitioned into acting, beginning in regional theatre at the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut. He debuted on Broadway in Of Mice and Men with James Earl Jones (1974). In 1981, he performed in The Little Foxes with Elizabeth Taylor. In 1982, he had a role in Rhinestone, an off-Broadway musical. Seneca could play piano, but in the 1984 Broadway production of August Wilson's play, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, he was asked to portray the old blues trombonist, Cutler. He learned the trombone specifically for the part.

Film Seneca's theatrical film career includes The Verdict (1982), in which he played Dr. Thompson, a small-town women's hospital physician brought in by attorney Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) to support his belief that two famous doctors' incompetence left his client alive but in a coma. Arguably his most well-known role is blues-man Willie Brown in Crossroads (1986). He also played Dr. Meddows in The Blob (1988), the evil head of a government team who created, and was sent to contain, the title creature. That same year, Seneca appeared in Spike Lee's School Daze as Mission College President McPherson.

Television On television he appeared in more than twenty series, including The Cosby Show as Hillman President, Dr. Zachariah J. Hanes. He also played Alvin Newcastle, a man suffering from Alzheimer's disease, on The Golden Girls in the 1987 episode "Old Friends".The Golden Girls Season 3 episode 52; air date September 19, 1987. That same year, He appeared in Michael Jackson's music video "The Way You Make Me Feel." On The Equalizer he played Fossil Williams, a mission worker looking after the spiritual and physical well-being of the down-and-out homeless of Skid row in The Bowery neighborhood of New York City in the episode, "17 Zebra". He played Eddie Haynes on Matlock in "The Blues Singer" (1989). Seneca played "Blind Otis Lemon" (based on Muddy Waters), a homeless blues legend who gets one last chance to sing and play in a club the night before an operation that may leave him deaf in the Doogie Howser, M.D. episode "Doogie Sings the Blues" (1990). He later played murder witness Lionel Jackson in the Law & Order episode "Profile" (1993).

He also appeared in several television films, including Wilma (1977), The House of Dies Drear (1984), A Gathering of Old Men (1987), and The Vernon Johns Story (1994). Seneca's final screen role was portraying Whitechaple in the British television film The Longest Memory (1997) which he completed just two weeks prior to his death.

Death He died at his home on Roosevelt Island, New York City from coronary arrest after an asthma attack August 15, 1996, at the age of 77. He was married to his wife, Betty Seneca, until his death.

Filmography Film

+ Year Title Role Notes1974 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Police Sergeant 1979 The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh Mr. Sweets 1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Partygoer #6 1982 The Verdict Dr. Thompson 1984 The Evil That Men Do Santiago 1985 Heart of the Garden 1985 Silverado Ezra 1986 Crossroads Willie Brown 1987 Big Shots Ferryman 1987 Moments Without Proper Names Directed by Gordon Parks1988 School Daze President McPherson 1988 The Blob Dr. Meddows 1990 Mo' Better Blues Big Stop's Friend 1991 Mississippi Masala Williben Williams 1992 Malcolm X Toomer 1993 The Saint of Fort Washington Spits 1996 A Time to Kill Reverend Isaiah Street

Television

+ Year Title Role Notes 1977 Wilma Ed Rudolph Television film 1981 Another Page Mr. John 15 episodes 1984 The House of Dies Drear Pluto Television film 1987 A Gathering of Old Men Clatoo Television film 1987 The Cosby Show Dr. Zachariah J. Hanes Episode: "Hillman" 1987 The Golden Girls Alvin Newcastle Episode: "Old Friends" 1988 227 Wailing Eddie Tompkins Episode: "Blues" 1989 The Equalizer Fossil Williams Episode: "17 Zebra" 1989 Matlock Eddie Hayns Episode: "The Blues Singer" 1989 In the Heat of the Night Rev. John Carter Episode: "Anniversary" 1990 China Beach Ernie Episode: "Skylark" 1990 Doogie Howser, M.D. Blind Otis Lemon Episode: "Doogie Sings the Blues" 1993 Law & Order Lionel Jackson Episode: "Profile" 1994 The Vernon Johns Story Deacon Wilkes Television film 1997 The Longest Memory Whitechapel Television film (final screen role)

References

External links