Richard Gant is probably best known for his role as, the silver
streaked boxing promoter, George Washington Duke in “Rocky
V,” in which he co starred with Sylvester Stallone. “George’s”
canning zest for success, morphed Richard Gant into a memorable
character entrenched in the seedy side of the boxing world. “Sylvester
had seen my work and he wanted me for the part. I got a phone
call and the next thing I knew I was in Hollywood.” Richard
proudly states.
Richard’s statuesque presence, combined with his talent
and personality provided for a very successful marriage with
Hollywood.. Some of his more notable films include, “Kingdom
Come,” with Whoopi Goldberg and LL Cool J, “ an
Irish thriller shot in Belfast, “Divorcing Jack,”
Richard also e appeared in the gripping Child Soldier film,
‘Ezra”, shot in Rwanda, East Africa, and the controversial
urban drama, “Cover”, by Bill Duke. Back to comedy,
Richard recently starred as Colonel Buck in Cuba Gooding’s
hilarious “Daddy Day Camp.”
Born in Berkley California, the mid 60’s for an Oakland
college student was both tumultuous and culturally edifying. Fully
defined by the times, Gant fell in love with theatre through the
works of the Harlem Renaissance writers and Langston Hughes and
discovered his life’s great passion, theater.
The New York Theatre Renaissance was in full bloom demanding
the attention of any serious artist. In this atmosphere Richard
joined artists from around the country defining cultural and
political directions for the new age. He acted in or directed
some 35 Off Broadway productions. Notable productions as an
actor included, “The Talented Tenth,” The Manhattan
Theater Club; “The Playboy of the West Indies ,”
The Yale Repertory Company; which led to the role in the original
Broadway production, “The Mighty Gents,” with Morgan
Freeman and Howard Rollins.
In addition to stage performances throughout the New York/New
Jersey and Connecticut area, Richard toured extensively; Theater
Festival, Gant heralded Buffalo’s Paul Robeson Theater
as Artistic Director, Directed “The World of Ben Caldwell,”
for New York’s Henry Street Settlement Theatre, which
starred Morgan Freeman, Garrett Morris and Reginald Vel Johnson,
and directed the Obie Award winning, “La Grima Del Diablo,”
for the famed Negro Ensemble company. “Making films is
a great experience, but working on the stage creates an unimaginable
thrill. It’s you and the audience. No retakes!.”
Laments Gant.
Later, again with Woody King Jr., Richard would direct the
only known recording of Denzel Washington in his much talked
about portrayal of Malcolm X, in the play “When The Chickens
Come Home To Roost.”
The theater is undoubtedly Richard’s first love. It
was as early as his college days when he pioneered a multicultural
effort directing the “The Lion and The Jewel,” and
“Trials of Brother Jero” written by the Nigerian
Pulitzer Prize winner, Wole Soyinka
Richard Gant met South African writer Duma Ndlovu and his
love affair with South Africa began. He and Duma began a trend
setting partnership which lasted through four South African/American
projects. “Sheila’s Day” was the most successful,
ultimately having a very successful Broadway run. While “Sheila’s
Day” may have been the most financially successful of
these ventures, it was clearly, “The Mandela Letters,”
starring Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, at Lincoln Center that was
the most memorable.
It can be argued Mr. Gant’s most memorable television
character is Hostetler in the HBO blockbuster series, “Deadwood.”
To the Daytime audiences, enthusiastic fans know and love Richard
as Dr Russell Ford, Chief of Staff on America’s longest
running soap, “General Hospital.” Richard’s
television appearances are as plentiful and varied as his film
and theatrical career; “NY PD Blue,” “Babylon
Five,” “For Your Love,” and “Eve”
were just a few of those appearances. As a series regular Richard
also costarred in the “Bonnie Hunt Show,” and “Special
Unit II” as Captain Richard Page. Currently he is starring
in the second television season of “Men of a Certain Age,”
with Emmy awardees’ Ray Romano and André Braugher.
The already acclaimed series continues shooting this fall.
Richard Gant was the co founder of “My Mandela Moment,
a social networking campaign that celebrates and reaffirms Dr.
Nelson Mandela’s principals of leadership and community
service. The “My Mandela Moment Campaign” created
the 20th anniversary celebration for Nelson Mandela’s
release from prison attended by 10,000 people this February
in Cape Town, South Africa. It was around this time that Richard
was invited by President Abdul Wade of Senegal, to accompany
the American delegation to the nations’ 50th independence
celebration in March. Most recently Gant was appointed to the
FESPON United Sates committee for the World Festival of the
Arts in Senegal. No stranger to the politics of the vast continent
of Africa, Gant was the campaign manager for Governor Aper Aku,
Benue State NPN party reelection in 1983.
Richard has always embraced all which has been culturally and
politically vibrant whether it be politics or art in Harlem,
Nigeria, The Caribbean or South Africa. Rooted in a depth of
experience, knowledge and expertise, Richard Gant’s passion
for the arts has created a space for him that many would aspire
to be. Ladies and Gentlemen….Mr. Richard Gant!
