American actor Carl Lumbly was born on August 14, 1951 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Growing up with a deep interest in literature, he graduated with an English degree at the Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He then worked as a writer for the Associated Press, and also contributed to several magazines. He discovered his love for acting when he was assigned to write a story about the Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre; he eventually auditioned, and later got a coveted slot in its cast. He performed with the group for two years.
He then moved to San Francisco, intending to continue his career as a journalist. Instead, he successfully auditioned for the local stage productions of Sizwe Bansi is Dead and The Island, working with a then-unknown Danny Glover. He then went to Los Angeles, where he signed on for a role in the television movie Cagney & Lacey. It eventually evolved into the procedural drama of the same name, which became successful despite initial cancellation. He was part of the cast throughout the show’s seven-year run.
Lumbly has extensive credits in both television and film. His acclaimed television roles include the lead in the short-lived science fiction series M.A.N.T.I.S., a supporting role in the television movie Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8, and his NAACP image Award-nominated role in another television movie, Buffalo Soldiers. He also starred in films such as Men of Honor, Everybody’s All-American, Pacific Heights, South Central and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
One of his more known roles, however, is as CIA officer Marcus Dixon in the spy series Alias. His character is a co-worker of Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner)—a very level-headed leader when it comes to issues within his group, although he gets very emotional when his family is involved, going as far as defying orders to protect them.
Film:
Caveman (1981)
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984)
The Bedroom Window (1987)
Everybody's All-American (1988)
To Sleep With Anger (1990)
Pacific Heights (1990)
Brother Future (1991)
South Central (1992)
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
Men of Honor (2000)
Just A Dream (2002)
TV:
Cagney and Lacey (1982–1988)
Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 (1987)
M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994)
On Promised Land (1994)
Nightjohn (1996)
The Ditchdigger's Daughters (1997)
Buffalo Soldiers (1997)
The Wedding (1998)
The West Wing (2000)
The Color of Friendship (2000)
Little Richard (2000)
Justice League (2001–2004)
Alias (2001–2006)
Static Shock (2003)
Sounder (2003)
Martin Scorsese presents The Blues: Episode 4 (2003)
Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006)
Battlestar Galactica (2006)
Superman: The Animated Series (1997)
The X-Files: "Teliko" (Season 4, Episode 3; 1996)