M*A*S*H/CBS/1972-83 **(Timothy Brown) Oliver Harmon “Spearchucker”
Jones, African-American football star for the San Francisco 49ers turned
doctor and stationed at Mobile Army Surgical Hospital 4077th Division
during the Korean War. Spearchucker (whose character also appeared in the
1970 film M*A*S*H that inspired the series) hangs out with white
surgeons Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John. His character was written out of
the show after the first season when the writers discovered that there
were no black surgeons during the Korean Conflict. In the movie
Spearchucker was played by Fred Williamson and used as the 4077th ringer
for a football game against the 121st Evac. Odessa Cleveland also appeared
as black nurse Lt. Ginger Ballis during the 1972-74 season.
MAGGIE/LIF/1998-99 **(Francesca Roberts) Kimberly, a black acquaintance
of Maggie Day, a white veterinary assistant who is going through a midlife
crisis.
THE MAGIC HOUR/FOX/1997-98 *(Earvin "Magic" Johnson) Magic Johnson left the
basketball court of the L.A. Lakers to host his very own late night talk
show. Also featured was Sheila E. as his musical director and Tommy
Davidson as his Ed McMahon like second banana. Despite the show's hyped
promotions, Magic's talk show host soon fizzled.
THE MAGNIFICENT
SEVEN/CBS/1998-99 *(Rick Worthy/costar) Nathan Jackson, a black
gunfighter who joined forces with a group of gunfighters to help maintain
law and order in the frontier town of Four Corners. Carl Lumbly also
appeared as Nathan's father, an ex-slave. In his earlier days, Nathan was
a slave and stretcher-bearer in the Union Army. He was almost lynched by a
bunch of drunken cowhand who thought Nathan had killed their trail boss
[he died of gangrene, however]. Just in the nick of time two of his future
compatriot Chris Larabee and Vin Donner interrupted the mob's fun and
saved Nathan's life. Nathan's choice of weapon is a good knife.
MAGNUM P.I./CBS/1980-88 *(Roger E. Mosley/costar) Theodore "T. C." Calvin,
a black helicopter pilot who operated a successful Island Hopping Service
among the Hawaiian Islands. T. C., a Vietnam veteran, is a close friend of
white private detective, Tom Magnum who also served in Nam. T. C. hometown
is New Orleans..
MAIN STREET/NBC/1985-86 *(Bryant Gumbel) Bryant Gumbel, black host of this
children's news program dealing with current events wherein youthful
audience members discussed on a variety of topics including drug abuse,
birth control, etc.
MAJOR DAD/CBS/1989-92 **(Marlon Archey) Sgt. Bryon James, a black United
States Marine officer stationed at Camp Singleton in San Diego,
California.
MAKE ROOM FOR
GRANDDADDY/ABC/1970-71 **(Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier) Rosey Robbins, a black
piano accompanist for Lebanese nightclub singer, Danny Williams in this
short-lived revival of the original MAKE ROOM FOR DADDY/ABC/CBS/1953-65.
MALCOLM & EDDIE/UPN/1996-2000 *(Malcom-Jamal Warner) Malcolm McGee, a
conservative aspiring black sports commentator (who owns a bar) sharing an
apartment with Eddie Sherman, his zany tow-truck driver friend (played by
Eddie Griffin). Other cast included Angela Brooks as Holly; Jaime
Cardriche as Tim; Karen Malina White as Nicolette Vandross (who later
joins the police academy).
MALCOLM IN THE
MIDDLE/FOX/2000+ **(Craig Lamar Traylor) Stevie Kenarben, an
asthmatic black boy in a wheelchair who attends a special class for gifted
kids (high IQ’s) with friend Malcolm (the show’s featured actor). When
Stevie speaks, his breathing is labored and his deliver is slow but clear.
On the “Sleepover” episode Stevie invites Malcolm over for a sleepover,
and the two sneak out to a late-night games arcade, where Stevie’s
wheelchair is stolen (Malcolm ends up pushing Stevie around in a shopping
cart). Gary Anthony Williams and Merrin Dungey appear as Mr. & Mrs.
Kenarben, Stevie’s extremely overprotective parents.
MAN AND MACHINE/NBC/1992 *(S. Epatha Merkerson/costar) Lt. Margaret
Claghorn, black supervisor to a male Los Angeles cop paired with a
crime-fighting female robot
A MAN CALLED HAWK/ABC/1988-89 *(Avery Brooks) Hawk, an enigmatic, .357 Magnum
wielding black man with a mysterious past as a CIA operative who now lived
on the streets of Washington, D.C. Moses Gunn played "Old Man", an elderly
black man with whom Hawk often confided. The series was a spin-off of
SPENSER: FOR HIRE/ABC/1985-88 where Hawk was a friend of a white Boston
private investigator.
MAN CALLED SLOANE/NBC/1979-80 *(Ji-Tu Cumbuka/costar) Torque, a black secret
agent with a large metallic right hand equipped with all sorts of gadgets
who worked for an American counterintelligence agency known as UNIT. He
worked with white operative, Thomas Remington Sloane.
MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN/SYN/1954 *(Woody Strode/costar) Lothar, the faithful black
servant of Mandrake, a 12th century boy taught the secrets of Theton the
Master of Magic. Together Mandrake and Lothar battled evil. In the NBC TV
movie pilot "Mandrake" (1/24/79) Ji-Tu Cumbuka played the role of Lothar.
MANIMAL/NBC/1983 *(Michael D. Roberts/costar) Tyrone C. Earl, a
black Vietnam veteran buddy and assistant to white Professor Jonathan
Chase who could morph into an animal.
MANNIX/CBS/1967-75 **(Gail Fisher) Peggy Fair, a black widowed
secretary and girl-Friday to Los Angeles private detective of Armenian
descent, Joe Mannix. Mark Stewart played Peggy's young son, Toby.
M.A.N.T.I.S./FOX/1994-95 *(Carl Lumbly) Dr. Miles Hawkins, a black
scientist paralyzed by a bullet to the spine during the Los Angeles Riots
who developed an exo-skeleton suit to enable him to walk and fight crime.
Miles had a secret headquarters underneath his home that housed, The
Chrysalis, his futuristic car/hover craft. Also featured were Galyn Gorg
as police Lt. Leora Maxwell. The series was based on the made-for-TV movie
pilot "M.A.N.T.I.S." (1994) which featured a predominantly black
supporting cast including Carl Lumbly. When the show turned series, the
amount of black cast diminished greatly.
MARBLEHEAD MANOR/SYN/1987 **(Phil Morris) Jerry Stockton, black chauffeur
for the Stonehills, a zany wealthy white family who live at Marblehead
Manor.. Rodney Scott appeared as Jerry’s brother Dwayne, the estate
handyman. (The Stonehill’s other support staff included Dyana Ortelli as
Lupe, their hispanic cook. )
MARIAH/ABC/1987 **(William Allen Young) Reverend Howard Bouchard,
a compassionate black chaplain working at the fictional penitentiary known
as Mariah State located in the Northeast section of the U.S.A.
THE MARILYN MCCOO AND BILLY
DAVIS JR. SHOW/CBS/1977 *(Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis) Husband and wife
team of Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, formerly of the "Fifth Dimension"
pop group, hosted this summer musical variety program.
MARRIED PEOPLE/ABC/1990-91 *(Ray Aranha, Barbara Montgomery) Nick and Olivia
Williams, black landlords who rented out their Harlem Brownstone to two
white couples.
MARRIED
WITH...CHILDREN/FOX/1987-97 **(Harold Sylvester) Griff, a black shoe salesman
occasionally featured on this dysfunctional situation comedy during the
1994-97 seasons. Griff works at Garry's Shoes with Al Bundy, a frustrated married white shoe salesman.
MARTIAL LAW/CBS/1998-2000 *(Arsenio Hall/costar) Lt. Terrell Parker, a black
streetwise Los Angeles police detective who assisted the cases of Captain
Sammo Law, an Asian-American cop on loan from Shanghai, China.
MARTIN/FOX/1992-97 *(Martin Lawrence) Martin Payne, a boisterous,
macho black deejay at WZUP radio station in Detroit. Other cast included
Tisha Campbell as his long-suffering but devoted girlfriend, Gina Waters
(she married Martin in the spring of 1995); Carl Anthony Payne as his pal
Cole; Thomas Mikal Ford as his other pal Tommy; Tichina Arnold as Tommy's
girlfriend, Pam (who disliked Martin with a passion); Jonathan Gries as
radio station engineer Sean McDermott; Garrett Morris as radio station
manager Stan Kemrite; and LaWanda Page as Evelyn. From time to time Martin
dressed in drag to portray his mother and his zany female neighbor
Sheneneh.
THE MARY TYLER MOORE
SHOW/CBS/1970-77 **(John Amos) Gordon "Gordy" Howard, a black
weatherman for Minneapolis television station WJM-TV, Channel 12. Gordy
later moved onto become a sportscaster in a major market.
MATLOCK/NBC/ABC/1986-95 **(Kene Holliday) Tyler Hudson, a black private
eye who assisted Atlanta based father/daughter law team. Later in the
series, the Tyler Hudson character was replaced by Clarence Gilyard Jr.
who played Conrad McMasters, a former police deputy turned investigator.
MATT HOUSTON/ABC/1982-85 **(Lincoln Kilpatrick) Lt. Michael Hoyt, a black
Los Angeles police detective who was often involved with investigations of
millionaire private detective, Matt Houston.
MATT LINCOLN/ABC/1970-71 **(Felton Perry, Chelsea Brown) Jimmy and Tag, two
hip young blacks who assisted psychiatrist, Matt Lincoln with a troubled
teenager hotline.
MATT WATERS/CBS/1996 *(Montel Williams) Matt Waters, a tough-talking
black science teacher working in an inner-city high school in New Jersey.
Waters had just retired from the Navy SEALS and decided to teach and
straighten out kids gone bad. Montel Williams, a former Navy officer and
motivational speaker also hosted the syndicated daytime talk show THE
MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW.
MCCLAIN'S LAW/NBC/1981-82 **(Carl Franklin) Detective Jerry Cross, a black
San Pedro policeman who was fellow officer of Jim McClain, a veteran white
cop newly returned to the force from retirement.
MCCLOUD/NBC/1970-77 **(Terry Carter) Sgt. Joe Broadhurst, a black NYPD
detective who assisted a transplanted New Mexico sheriff on his
assignments at the Manhattan 27th precinct.
ME & MRS. C/NBC/1986-87 *(Misha McK/costar) Gerri Kilgore, a young black
female with a prison record who was taken in by Mrs. C, a 62-year-old
white widow.
ME AND MOM/ABC/1985 *(James Earl Jones) Lou Garfield, a black ex-cop
who made sure that a mother and daughter team of private eyes didn't get
too deep into trouble.
ME AND THE BOYS/ABC/1994-95 *(Steve Harvey) Steve Tower, a video store owner
and widowed father of three children, Artis (Chaz Lamar Shepherd),
William, (Wayne Collins) and Andrew (Benjamin D. LeVert). Other cast were
Madge Sinclair as Mary Crock, Steve's mother-in-law, and Wendy Raquel
Robinson as Steve's girlfriend, Amelia.
MELBA/CBS/1986 *(Melba Moore) Melba Patterson, a divorced black
woman who worked as Deputy Director of Tourism (Manhattan Visitor's
Bureau) for New York City. Jamilla Perry played Tracy, Melba's nine year
old daughter. Melba's best friend was a white woman on whose parent's
estate Melba grew up as daughter of their housekeeper. Melba Moore also
starred in a syndicated musical video series in 1982 called MELBA MOORE'S
COLLECTION OF LOVE SONGS.
THE MELBA MOORE-CLIFTON DAVIS
SHOW/CBS/1972 *(Melba Moore, Clifton Davis) Melba Moore and her
husband Clifton Davis hosted this summer replacement musical/variety
program.
MEN/ABC/1989 *(Ving Rhames/costar) Charlie Hazard, a black
criminal lawyer working in Baltimore (fired by his law firm after 10
years) who opened his own private practice. Candy Ann Brown played his
wife, Margaret.
MEN IN BLACK: THE SERIES /SYN/1997-98 *(Voice of Keith Diamond/costar) Agent J, a cool
heroic African-American MIB rookie who (with his white partner Agent K)
monitors outer space aliens that either lived peacefully on Earth in an
assortment of guises or threatened to conquer the planet. This animated
series was based on the theatrical film Men in Black (1996)
starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith.
MERCY POINT/UPN/1998-99 *(Joe Morton) Dr. Grote Maxwell, black physician
assigned aboard Mercy Point, a 23rd century medical facility that is part
of the colony known as Jericho, an outpost located on the furthest
explored point in the galaxy across the Saharactic Divide. Grote is the
primary alien physiologist, specializing non-human patients. Gay
Thomas-Wilson also appeared as Dr. Rema Cook, a well-respected
psycho-surgeon from Earth.
MIAMI VICE/NBC/1984-89 *(Philip Michael Thomas/costar) Detective Ricardo
Tubbs, a sexy, smart and very cool black ex-New York Policeman who
relocated to Miami to find the murderers of his brother and later joined
the Miami police force, assigned to narcotics. Olivia Brown played
detective Trudy Joplin, a fellow black officer.
MILLENNIUM/FOX/1996-99 *(Klea Scott/costar) Emma Hollis, Special Agent
for the FBI who assisted Frank Black, a serial killer profiler. Hollis'
character was introduced during the 1998 season. CCH Pounder has also
appeared in the role of Dr. Cheryl Andrews.
MINOR ADJUSTMENTS/NBC/UPN/1995-97 *(Rondell Sheridan) Dr. Ron Aimes, an
African-American child psychologist who shares an office with a
orthodontist. Also featured were Wendy Raquel Robinson as Ron's wife,
Rachel; Bobby E. McAdams II as their precocious ten year-old son, Trevor;
and Camille Winbush as their cute younger daughter, Emma.
MISERY LOVES COMPANY/FOX/1995 **(Julius Carry) Perry, a black divorced friend of
a white NYU film professor and his younger brother. Also featured was
Wesley Jonathan as Connor, Perry’s teenage son.
MISFITS OF SCIENCE/NBC/1985-86 *(Kevin Peter Hall/costar) Dr. Elvin "El" Lincoln,
a seven foot, four inch black scientist who could shrink to the size of a
Ken doll. Elvin was one of four genetic misfits who teamed up to fight
crime and investigate the extraordinary.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE/CBS/1966-73 *(Greg Morris/costar) Barney Collier, a black
electronics expert sent on assignment by the U.S. government as part of an
espionage unit known as the Impossible Missions Force.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE/ABC/1988-90 *(Phil Morris/costar) Grant Collier, a black
electronic wizard in possession of the "greatest inventive mind to come
out of MIT in twenty years" who now worked with the IMF. Phil Morris was
the real-life son of Greg Morris, who played Barney Collier on the
original series.
MR. RHODES/NBC/1996-97 **(Ron Glass) Ronald Felcher, a black instructor
at an old conservative prep school who interacts with newly hired
Caucasian writer/teacher (Mr. Rhodes).
MOD SQUAD/ABC/1968-73 *(Clarence William, III/costar) Linc Hayes, a
tough black and very cool (he always wore sunglasses) undercover cop. Linc
was one of three teens employed by Los Angeles police Captain to form a
special youth undercover police squad. All three were on probation for
some offense.
MODELS, INC./FOX/1994-95 **(Garcelle Beauvais) Cynthia Nichols, a sassy,
aggressive black fashion model who graduated from Princeton University and
was now working for Models, Inc., a Los Angeles Modeling Agency. Beauvais
was born in Haiti and has herself been a model for catalogs and cosmetic
companies.
MOESHA/UPN/1996-2001 *(Brandy Norwood) Moesha Denise Mitchell, a black
16-year-old girl living in Leimert Park Section of Los Angeles under the watchful eyes of her
protective parents. Also appearing were William Allen Young as her father,
Frank; Sheryl Lee Ralph as Dee, her stepmother; Countess Vaughn as Kim
Parker,
Moesha's zany friend; Lamont Bentley as Hakeem Campbell, Moesha's next-door
neighbor and best friend; Fredo Starr as Quinton "Q" Brooks, Moesha's boyfriend;
Marcus T. Paulk as
Myles Mitchell, her little brother; Shar Jackson as boy-crazy Niecy
Jackson; and Yvette Wilson as Andell, who runs Moesha's favorite hangout,
The Den. On the 1998-99 season premiere Moesha actually
meets Brandy (as herself) at a concert. (as everybody thinks Moesha looks
like Brandy except for Moesha). Brandy Norwood was a triple-platinum,
Grammy-nominated teen singing sensation before she signed on to do this
African-American sitcom. See also THE PARKERS
THE MONROES/ABC/1995 **(Darryl Thierse) Michael Bradley, black lawyer
and adviser to politically ambitious Maryland clan.
MOVIN' ON/NBC/1974-76 **(Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier) Moose, a black gypsy
truck driver seen frequently on the 1975-76 season of this transportation
adventure.
MR. T/NBC/1983-86 *(Voice of Mr. T) Animated cartoon featuring Mr.
T, as a black coach of a U.S. gymnastics team that battled evil around the
world.
MTV NEWS/MTV/1991+ *(Alison Stewart) Alison Stewart, black reporter
and producer for MTV News and one of the network's two black on-camera
personalities (veejay Bill Bellamy is the other)
MURDER ONE/ABC/1995-96 **(Vanessa Williams) Lila Marquette, black legal
office receptionist for white defense attorney. DB Woodside later appeared
as the firm's new black associate.
MURPHY BROWN/CBS/1988-98 **(Julius Carry) Mitchell Baldwin, the new black
President of news at the CBS network Washington, DC. headquarters that
produces FYI "For Your Information" a newsmagazine anchored by veteran
journalist Murphy Brown. The Mitchell Baldwin character was introduced on
episode No 105 "Black, White & Brown; and on episode No. 129 "Black and
White and Read All Over" anchorwoman Murphy Brown begins to date Mitchell.
MUSICAL CHAIRS/CBS/1975 *(Adam Wade) Adam Wade, the first black man to
host a network game show. The program (a revamped version of a 1955 game
show) featured four contestants who competed to identify missing lyrics in
a song.
MY LITTLE
MARGIE/CBS/NBC/1952-55 **(Willie Best) Charlie, a black handyman and
elevator operator at the Albright's apartment building in New York City.
Willie Best also played a handyman on the comedy series THE STU ERWIN
SHOW/ABC/1950-55.
MY SO-CALLED LIFE/MTV/1994-95
**(Wilson Cruz) Enrique “Ricky” Vasquez, a
student at Liberty High School in Pittsburgh. He's gay, overly romantic,
half-Hispanic, half-Black, left-handed, a Catholic, a good dancer,
and loses his voice when he gets nervous. Ricky friends at school included
Angela Chase [he's hot for Angela's boyfriend Jordan]; Brian Krakow, a
nerdy genius and fellow outcast; and Rayanne Graff, a troubled female
student who abuses alcohol and sleeps around. To keep his mind off the
fact that he has an abusive uncle [who later kicks Ricky out], Ricky gets
involved in such activities as sewing and acting with the school's drama
club. After Ricky's family abandoned him [they left town without telling
him] he moved in with Mr. Richard Katimski, the new closet-gay English
teacher and moderator of the drama club. Ricky first admitted he was gay
to yearbook staffer Delia Fisher [she has a crush on Ricky despite his
homosexuality].
THE MYSTIC KNIGHTS OF TIR NA
NOG/FOX/1998-99 *(Justin Pierre/costar) Ivar, a black Moorish
Prince who assisted a group of Irish teenage warriors battle evil
sorcerers in ancient Celtic Ireland. Ivar was also known as The Mystic
Knight of the Water.
