Clark Johnson, sometimes credited as "Clark 'Slappy' Jackson" and "J. Clark Johnson," is an American actor and director who has worked in both television and film.
Johnson was born in September 1954 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and spent much of his life in Canada, including studying at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. He began doing feature film work in 1981, landing roles in the movies Killing 'em Softly, Wild Thing, Adventures in Babysitting, and Nowhere to Hide. He also acted in a number of television shows early in his career.
In 1993, Johnson became part of the original cast of the television series Homicide: Life on the Street playing Detective Meldrick Lewis for six years, as well as directing several episodes. Though the ensemble nature of the show meant that Johnson always filled an important role in the series, he became an even larger presence after his character was paired with a new partner, Mike Kellerman (played by Reed Diamond ), and the two detectives became the central figures in a plot line surrounding a Baltimore drug lord whose financial resources and front as a devoted community servant made it nearly impossible for the police department to bring him up on charges.
Aside from Homicide, Johnson's directing credits include Drop Squad (1994) and S.W.A.T. (2003), as well as the HBO original production Boycott (2001), a project which he helmed and in which he also acted.
Johnson is the brother of jazz singer Molly Johnson and actress and singer Taborah Johnson .
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