Biography

Reliable character actor with over one hundred film and television roles to his credit, Art Evans is perhaps best known for his work as Private Wilkie opposite Denzel Washington and Adolph Caesar in the Oscar nominated A Soldier's Story (1984) and as Leslie Barnes, an air traffic control tower employee in the box office hit Die Hard 2 (1990), starring Bruce Willis.

Art's first break as an actor was in the mid-1960s, when he was cast in the lead role of David in the first professional production of "The Amen Corner," the James Baldwin play. Staged by veteran character actor Frank Silvera at his groundbreaking Theater of Being in Los Angeles, and produced by Maria Cole , the widow of crooner Nat 'King' Cole, the production proved so successful that it transferred to Broadway in April 1965. Unfortunately, despite earning a Tony Award nomination for its co-star Beah Richards, the production's reception on the Great White Way was less enthusiastic and closed after 84 performances.

As a Los Angeles based actor, professional stage opportunities were rather limited. Undeterred, Evans persevered despite taking over a decade to establish himself in film and television. His first significant film role was as blues-man Blind Lemon Jefferson in the biopic Leadbelly (1976).

The husky voiced actor worked steadily in film and television after that, appearing in a wide variety of films and television series. His long list of credits on the small screen includes a recurring role as Mr. Johnson, the father of Ron Johnson (Darryl M. Bell) on the hit TV series, A Different World (1987).

Evans, was highly respected within the industry and served as a mentor to many. He was well-regarded within the local Los Angeles acting community as an audition coach.

He died in Los Angeles on December 21, 2024 after a long battle with diabetes.