He moved to Dayton, Ohio, with his family when he was 7. He was working as an MC at at club there during the 1950s when he entered the US Air Force. After his discharge, he continued to pursue his show business career. In films, he portrayed Bitterman in Arthur (1981) and its sequel Arthur 2: Dans la dèche (1988).
Other films include The Wiz (1978), Ragtime (1981), Amityville II: le possédé (1982), Police Academy (1984), Fisher King - Le roi pêcheur (1991), and La mémoire brisée (1988). Televison roles included a recurring role as Dean Harris on Campus show (1987) and Cosby Show (1984) along with appearing in numerous shows such as The Jeffersons (1975), Benson (1979), and "Equalizer, The" (1985)_.
