‘Homicide’ Actor Andre Braugher Dies Aged 61

The versatile performer had worked on stage and screen and was known for a number of famous roles as authority figures, including several police officers.

Andre Braugher discusses 'She Said.'

Preview:

Actor Andre Braugher has died following a brief illness.
He’s probably best known for TV work on ‘Homicide’ and ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’.
Former co-stars such as Terry Crews have paid tribute.

Andre Braugher, a deep-voiced, endlessly talented actor who forged a career playing a variety of authority figures and drew a deep love from those who worked with him, has died.

Braugher was 61 and died following a brief illness. His was an impressive, full career even though he passed shockingly young for a man so seemingly vital.

Andre Braugher: Early life and career

Yaphet Kotto as Lieutenant Al Giardello, Melissa Leo as Detective/Sergeant Kay Howard, Clark Johnson as Detective Meldrick Lewis, Reed Diamond as Detective Mike Kellerman, Andre Braugher as Detective Frank Pembleton, Kyle Secor as Detective Tim Bayliss, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch, Michelle Forbes as Dr. Julianna Cox, and Max Perlich as J.H. Brodie in NBC's 'Homicide: Life on the Street.'

(L to R) Yaphet Kotto as Lieutenant Al Giardello, Melissa Leo as Detective/Sergeant Kay Howard, Clark Johnson as Detective Meldrick Lewis, Reed Diamond as Detective Mike Kellerman, Andre Braugher as Detective Frank Pembleton, Kyle Secor as Detective Tim Bayliss, Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch, Michelle Forbes as Dr. Julianna Cox, and Max Perlich as J.H. Brodie in NBC's 'Homicide: Life on the Street.'

André Keith Braugher was born in Chicago on July 1st, 1962. The prodigious student attended the prestigious St. Ignatius College Prep in his hometown, then earned a B.A. from Stanford University and a master’s degree from Juilliard — he received scholarships to all three schools.

He considered medicine as a career but saw performing as more exciting once joking in an interview for the ‘Homicide: Life on the Streets – The Unofficial Companion’ that, “doing a play was more exciting than doing math in the library. Nobody applauds you in the library.”

His initial work, as with so many others, was on the stage, in Public Theater Shakespeare in the Park productions in New York City, playing parts in various productions over the years.

His film career was solid, including roles in ‘Glory’, ‘Primal Fear’, Spike Lee’s ‘Get on the Bus’, ‘City of Angels’, ‘Thick as Thieves’ ‘Duets,’ ‘Frequency’, ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer’ ‘The Mist’ and ‘Salt’. Most recently, he played a newspaper editor in ‘She Said’.

(L to R) Zoe Kazan, Carey Mulligan, Andre Braugher, and Patricia Clarkson in 'She Said,' directed by Maria Schrader.

But it was on the small screen that Braugher truly shone, his talent proving rich for both drama and comedy.

He first made a TV name for himself as Detective. Winston Blake on a series of the Telly Savalas-starring ‘Kojak’ TV movies that aired in 1989-90 and was former Philadelphia cop turned cab driver Mike Olshansky, on the 2002-04 CBS series ‘Hack’.

In between, he portrayed a character based on a real-life doctor on the ABC series ‘Gideon’s Crossing’.

Still, he’ll likely forever be known for two key roles: Braugher starred as master interrogator Detective. Frank Pembleton on NBC’s ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ for the first six seasons of the show’s acclaimed 1993-99 run, then played another cop, Captain. Raymond Holt — this time for laughs — on the Fox-NBC sitcom ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’.

He won his first Emmy for an episode of ‘Homicide, and a second followed for his performance as the leader of a crew planning a high-stakes heist on the FX miniseries ‘Thief’. He’d go on to be nominated multiple more times.

Andre Braugher: Tributes arrive

(L to R) Patricia Clarkson and Andre Braugher discuss 'She Said.'

Given how many projects Braugher has been involved with, he naturally has a lot of colleagues who were quick to salute him.

This was the statement from NBC and Universal Television:

“Andre Braugher was the actor that others in the profession would always aspire to be. He infused Det. Frank Pembleton on ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ with both righteous ferocity and quiet dignity. In addition to his prowess as a dramatic actor, his comedy chops were also on full display as the determined and passionate Capt. Holt in ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine.’ His performances will continue to inspire future generations and we will miss him tremendously.”

Terry Crews, who co-starred with Braugher on ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’, took to Instagram to remember his friend.

But perhaps the most touching tribute came from another ‘Nine-Nine’ co-star, Marc Evan Jackson, who played Captain Holt’s husband, Kevin Cozner:

Braugher is survived by his wife, Ami (they first met in 1988, she was his onscreen wife, Mary, on ‘Homicide’, and they married for real in 1991), three sons, his mother and brother.