Richard L. Brooks (born December 9, 1962) is an African-American actor, singer, and director best known for his role on Law & Order from 1990 to 1993.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Brooks studied acting, dance, and voice work at Interlochen Academy of Arts in Michigan. Later, he moved to New York City and was a student of the Circle in the Square Professional Theater School and performed in the Eugene O'Neill Theater Conference production of August Wilson's Fences .

A subsequent move to Los Angeles found the actor landing numerous television roles, also with made-for-TV features as Badge of the Assassin (1985) and Resting Place (1986). With Teen Wolf (1985), The Hidden (1987), and Off Limits (1988), Brooks began his start in the world of feature films.

Throughout the 1990s, most of his popularity came from his widespread exposure in his role as Paul Robinette on Law & Order. However, the actor would constantly find himself alternating between the feature films, television, and the stage. After appearing in The Substitute and terrorizing the undead in The Crow: City of Angels (both 1996), Brooks opted to try his hand at directing, and the result was Johnny B Good (1998). It is about a young, urban black man who makes a positive change after suffering amnesia. Brooks returned to television for the short-lived series G vs E in 1999.

In addition to his film work, Brooks also founded his own production company, Flat Top Entertainment LLC. At the dawn of the millennium, Brooks released his first solo R&B album, Smooth Love, on Flat Top Records.

Brooks is also well-known by some science fiction fans for his appearance on Joss Whedon's Firefly, as a bounty hunter named Jubal Early in the existentialist series finale "Objects in Space". He also appeared in the fifth episode of the series Brimstone, as well as the short-lived Fox series Drive, created and produced by Firefly's Tim Minear, as Detective Ehrle (pronounced "Early") alongside fellow Firefly cast member Nathan Fillion.

Brooks appeared as OD in the award-winning film 84C MoPic, directed by Patrick Sheane Duncan.

[edit] External links

• Richard Brooks (actor) at the Internet Movie Database