Vondie Curtis-Hall


Vondie Curtis-Hall is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and television director. As an actor, he is known for his role as Dr. Dennis Hancock on the CBS medical drama Chicago Hope created by David E. Kelley and as Ben Urich in the Netflix TV series Marvel's Daredevil. He wrote, directed and starred in the cult film Gridlock'd.

Early life

Curtis-Hall was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Angeline, a nurse, and Curtis Hall, a construction company owner. Initially a stage actor, Curtis-Hall was a member of the original cast of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. He originated the role of Marty, James "Thunder" Early's original manager.
Designer Kevan Hall is the brother of Vondie. They also have a sister, Sherrie. All of them attended Presentation Our Lady of Victory grade school in Detroit where they were taught by the Oblate Sisters of Providence, the only all black order of nuns in the United States.

Career

Curtis-Hall has appeared in numerous films including One Good Cop, Passion Fish, Sugar Hill, Coming To America, Crooklyn, Drop Squad, Eve's Bayou, Turn It Up and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. His credits as a director include the films Gridlock'd, Glitter, , Waist Deep, as well as episodes of television shows The Shield, Firefly, Chicago Hope, and MDs. In 2000, Vondie Curtis-Hall and Danny Glover both appeared in the TNT made-for-television movie Freedom Song.
He has had recurring roles on TV series such as Soul Food, I'll Fly Away, and ER. His one-time role as a suicide patient on ER earned him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, later in that series he appeared in a recurring role as Roger McGrath.
His most prominent role as an actor to date is as supporting character Dennis Hancock on the medical drama Chicago Hope. Curtis-Hall portrayed Ben Urich in the Netflix series Daredevil. He also appeared in an episode of The Sopranos.

Personal life

He is married to actress/director Kasi Lemmons, and they have a son and three daughters. He is also a full-time arts professor at New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Filmography

Actor

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989A Man Called HawkTractonEpisode: "The Master's Mirror"
1990Heat WaveClifford TurpinTV Movie
1990Cop RockCmdr. Warren OsborneMain cast
1991China BeachBillEpisode: "Through and Through"
1991...And Then She Was GoneDet. Gary HopkinsTV Movie
1991The Trials of Rosie O'NeillDr. VarrickEpisode: "For Love or Money"
1992Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry StoryC. Yernon MasonTV Movie
1992What She Doesn't KnowVinnieTV Movie
1992Nightmare CafeThomasEpisode: "Sanctuary for a Child"
1992Civil WarsJack TurrentineEpisode: "The Old Man and the 'C'"
1992-1993I'll Fly AwayJoe Clay6 episodes
1993There Was a Little BoyDanforthTV Movie
1993Fallen AngelsDavid O'ConnorEpisode: "Dead-End for Delia"
1994L.A. LawEugene ClayEpisode: "Three on a Patch"
1994Dead Man's RevengeJessup BushTV Movie
1994South CentralJames MoselyEpisode: "Dad"
1994KeysLouche AmarantTV Movie
1994ZoomanDavisTV Movie
1994ERHenry Colton / RenaEpisode: "ER Confidential"
1995-1999Chicago HopeDr. Dennis HancockMain cast
1997'Lloyd PriceTV Movie
1999SirensVincent MorganTV Movie
2000Freedom SongDaniel WallTV Movie
2000'Drew "Bundini" BrownTV Movie
2001ERRoger McGrath7 episodes
2002The SopranosMaurice TiffenEpisode: "Watching Too Much Television"
2002-2003FastlaneAndre Hayes2 episodes
20031-800-MissingAgent Vic MartinsenEpisode: "Pilot"
2004DeceitDetective Hal KazinTV Movie
2004DenseRossTV short
2004Soul FoodCharles Miller6 episodes
2005LAXDele EkokuEpisode: "Cease & Assist"
2006Law & OrderDr. Andrew CopelanEpisode: "Positive"
2007MediumScanlon's FriendEpisode: "Second Opinion"
2009Fear ItselfWalter MarkhamEpisode: "Chance"
2009Criminal MindsStanley UsherEpisode: "Cold Comfort"
2010Lens on TalentEpisode: "Taking on Different Hats"
2011Dwight TalcottEpisode: "Reparations"
2011A Gifted ManDennis JonesEpisode: "In Case of Missed Communication"
2012NYC 22Fred WheelerEpisode: "Self Cleaning Oven"
2014Chasing LifeLawrence3 episodes
2014Tin ManJack GarrisonTV Movie
2015Marvel's DaredevilBen UrichMain cast
2015–2017RosewoodBeaumont Rosewood Sr.3 episodes
2016SparkPhilippe Lavelle1 episode
2018–2019For the PeopleChief Judge Nicholas ByrneMain cast
2019EvilLeon AcostaEpisode: "2 Fathers"

Director