FALLEN TEXAS STAR
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Houston actor, producer and SWAMP member J.D. Hawkins this morning.Born in Chicago and living in Houston for most of his career, J.D. has become a respected actor working with renowned theatres like The Alley Theatre, Stages Repertory Theatre, The Ensemble Theatre and Houston Shakespeare Festival. He's shown incredible versatility performing in plays from Shakespeare to August Wilson. Some of the plays include "Joe Turner's Come and Gone", "A Soldier's Play", "Harvey", and "Othello". J.D. has also work shopped at the Guthrie Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre and with Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. He has worked with Woody King, founder of the New Federal Theatre in New York City. In addition to his stage work, he has done several industrials, seven national commercials and co starred in the UPN movie "Hell Swarm" directed by Tim Matheson, appeared in "Friday Night Lights" starring Billy Bob Thornton, and has a supporting role in "Off the Map" starring Joan Allen and Sam Elliott and directed by Campbell Scott. Most recently, J.D. had a supporting role in the period film "The Man Who Came Back" starring Eric Braeden, Armand Assante, Billy Zane, and Academy award winner George Kennedy. He also is feature in the independent film "Cook County, Texas"."Wounded Hearts" was J.D.'s first full-length feature from his own production company called Hawk In Flight Productions. This film won the Audience prize at the 2002 Memphis Black Writers' Conference and Southern Film Festival and was the opening night film for the Houston Multicultural Independent Film Festival. He was a consulting producer for the film "Barbershop Blues" starring Charlie Robinson and Ralph Tresvant. J.D. directed the short film "For Better Or Worse" which was runner up for the Good Morning America "Whole Lotta Love" contest. His second full length film "Street Tales of Terror", a horror anthology that won best feature and best actor at the Motor City International Film Festival and second place at the Denver International World Independent Film Festival. The film won Director's Choice at Horrordance in February of 2005. J.D.'s most recent films are "Visions" a short film about the aftermath of a high school shooting and "Peril" a seven-minute short about a nature walker who finds something in the woods. Funeral arrangements are planned for Monday, January 26, 2009 at 10AM at the Second Baptist Church, 6400 Woodway, Houston, Texas 77057 Please keep his family and loved ones in your hearts and prayers.Special thanks to C-47 magazine for providing the above bio for J.D. and to Yankie Grant for letting the film community know about the loss of one of our own.
Comments