Avery Franklin Brooks was born on October 2, 1948 in Evansville, Indiana to a musically talented family. His maternal grandfather, Samuel Travis Crawford, was a tenor who graduated from Tougaloo College in Mississippi in 1901. Crawford toured the country singing with the Delta Rhythm Boys in the 1930s. Brooks also is musically inclined having ...
His advice to aspiring actors: Hold on to your dream. Don't let the people shake you from your dream. Don't let form become more important than the substance of your heart and mind. Don't let commerce determine what you do exclusively. (September/October 2006, Star Trek Magazine issue #1)
2
On how he felt about the ending of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993): The show ran for seven years. It was a long, long road. I did have some reservations initially when I read the script [for the series finale Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: What You Leave Behind (1999)], because I thought they were going to really kill Sisko. I took that very literally, and asked the producers, "Why are you killing Sisko?" The producers told me, "Look we thought you'd be thrilled because we had made him a God!" The difference, of course, is you have Sisko with another child on the way. You still have Sisko with a young man [Jake Sisko] trying to find his way, and you make him a God! That wasn't fair. (September/October 2006, Star Trek Magazine issue #1)
3
On the best thing about playing a Star Trek captain: One of the reasons that I accepted, once asked to do Star Trek, was to give a single child a chance to see the long thought, to see themselves some 400 years hence. It occurred to me that we must ensure that we keep in front of children the ever-changing horizon. To let the children know that there is possibility, to let the children know that someone is not going to take away or destroy this world before they have a chance. We have to keep that in front [of them]. (September/October 2006, Star Trek Magazine issue #1)
4
It's the year 2000. But where are the flying cars? I was promised flying cars! I don't see any flying cars! Why? Why? Why?
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Fact
1
Attended the closing of Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel and Casino on September 1, 2008.
2
Attended Indiana University and Oberlin College.
3
Received his Master's degree in Fine Arts from Rutgers University.
4
Still attends Star Trek conventions, including one in New Zealand.
5
The first African-American actor to play a lead captain on Star Trek.
Benjamin Sisko, Brooks's character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), was ranked #50 in TV Guide's list of the "50 Greatest TV Dads of All Time" [June 20, 2004 issue].
10
Has three children with his wife Vicki Bowen: Ayana, Asante and Cabral Brooks.
11
Taught courses for Rutgers University while working on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993). He videotaped his lessons for his students at the studio, occasionally while still in his character's uniform!
12
Professor of Theatre at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.
13
(1993-1996) Artistic Director of the Atlanta, Georgia-based "National Black Arts Festival".
14
Inducted into the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 1993.
15
(1976-present) Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Rutgers University.
16
Raised in Gary, Indiana, where his family moved at age 8.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Star Trek: Legacy
2006
Video Game
Capt. Benjamin Sisko (voice)
Bible Mysteries
2003
TV Series
Narrator
15 Minutes
2001
Detective Leon Jackson
God Lives Underwater: Fame
2001
Short
Detective Leon Jackson
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993-1999
TV Series
Capt. Benjamin Sisko
Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko
Benny Russell
...
American History X
1998
Dr. Bob Sweeney
The Big Hit
1998
Paris
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1997
TV Series
King Maximus
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Harbinger
1996
Video Game
Capt. Benjamin Sisko (voice)
Gargoyles
1996
TV Series
Nokkar
Spenser: A Savage Place
1995
TV Movie
Hawk
Spenser: The Judas Goat
1994
TV Movie
Hawk
Spenser: Pale Kings and Princes
1994
TV Movie
Hawk
Spenser: Ceremony
1993
TV Movie
Hawk
The Ernest Green Story
1993
TV Movie
Rev. Lawson
A Man Called Hawk
1989
TV Series
Hawk
Roots: The Gift
1988
TV Movie
Cletus Moyer
Spenser: For Hire
1985-1988
TV Series
Hawk
Moments Without Proper Names
1987
Uncle Tom's Cabin
1987
TV Movie
Uncle Tom
Finnegan Begin Again
1985
TV Movie
Dude on Bus
American Playhouse
1984
TV Series
Solomon Northup
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1994-1999
TV Series 9 episodes
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Captains
2011
Documentary music supervisor
A Man Called Hawk
1989
TV Series composer - 5 episodes
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1998-1999
TV Series performer - 2 episodes
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Captains
2011
Documentary very special thanks
Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
2007
TV Movie documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Captains Close Up
2013
TV Series
Himself
Captain's Table
2011
Documentary
Himself
The Captains
2011
Documentary
Himself
For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots
2010
TV Movie documentary
Narrator
Drain the Ocean
2009
TV Movie documentary
Narrator (voice)
God v. Satan: The Final Battle
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Narrator (voice)
The Better Hour
2008
Documentary
Narrator
FedCon XVI: Drone Heart
2007
Documentary
Himself
Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
2007
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Interviewee
Def Poetry
2005
TV Series documentary
Himself
Ancient Evidence
2003
TV Series documentary
Host
Jesus: The Complete Story
2001
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Narrator (voice)
Echoes from the White House
2001
TV Movie documentary
Land of the Mammoth
2001
TV Series documentary
Narrator (voice)
Jazz
2001
TV Mini-Series documentary
Quest for Life
2000
Short
Himself - Narrator (voice)
Big Al Uncovered
2000
TV Short documentary
Narrator (USA version)
The Ballad of Big Al
2000
TV Short documentary
Narrator (US version) (voice)
Assignment Discovery
2000
TV Series documentary
Narrator
Walking with Dinosaurs
1999
TV Series documentary
Narrator
The Living Edens
1999
TV Series documentary
Narrator
The Greatest Places
1998
Documentary short
Narrator (voice)
Africa's Elephant Kingdom
1998
Documentary short
Narrator (voice)
Frontline
1998
TV Series documentary
Star Trek: Captain's Chair
1997
Video Game documentary
Capt. Benjamin Sisko / Himself
28th NAACP Image Awards
1997
TV Special
Himself
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
1996
TV Special documentary
Himself
Heart of Africa
1996
TV Mini-Series
Himself - Narrator (voice)
The Science of Star Trek
1995
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Larry King Live
1994
TV Series
Himself - Guest
26th NAACP Image Awards
1994
TV Special
Himself
Ebony/Jet Showcase
1988-1993
TV Series
Himself
Marian Anderson
1991
TV Movie
Himself - Narrator (voice)
Trackdown
1991
TV Series
Himself - Presenter
Nova
1990
TV Series documentary
Himself - Narrator
The 11th Annual Black Achievement Awards
1990
TV Special
Himself
The Musical Legacy of Roland Hayes
1990
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Narrator
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Star Trek Timelines
2016
Video Game
Benjamin Sisko (uncredited)
How William Shatner Changed the World
2005
TV Movie documentary
Capt. Benjamin Sisko
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks
2000
TV Movie documentary
Solomon Northrup
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion
1999
Video Game
Capt. Benjamin Sisko
Ultimate Trek: Star Trek's Greatest Moments
1999
TV Short
Capt. Benjamin Sisko
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1997
OFTA Television Award
Online Film & Television Association
Best Actor in a Syndicated Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1999
OFTA Television Award
Online Film & Television Association
Best Actor in a Syndicated Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
1998
Image Award
Image Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Youth or Children's Series/Special
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995)
1997
Saturn Award
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
Best Genre TV Actor
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
1997
Image Award
Image Awards
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
1996
Image Award
Image Awards
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)
1988
ACE
CableACE Awards
Actor in a Movie or Miniseries
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987)
Known for movies
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999) as Capt. Benjamin Sisko / Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko / Benny Russell / Hippocrates Noah / Joran Dax
$5 Million
