Leonard Rudy Parker, Jr., (born July 22, 1932) is an American actor in
theater, film and television. He is known for his performance in the
film Nothing But a Man.Parker was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio,
the second of three children, to Leonard and Emily Francis Gibson
Parker. He graduated from Thomas Edison High School. He studied music
and voice at the Cleveland Music Settlement House.Parker joined the
United States Army where he served in the Special Services unit and
performed vocally with the Stuttgart military orchestra. After
receiving an honorable discharge in 1954, he received a Bachelor of
Arts degree and a master's degree. He graduated from the Cleveland
Institute of Music where he received a music scholarship, and he is
also a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Drama. He
then went on to study and perform with Karamu Theatre.Parker performed
in a number of theater productions, including Lost in the Stars by
Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson, in which he played and sang the role
of “Stephen Kumalo†Parker also performed in Night Visitors and
afterwards performed in Ernest Block's Macbeth in New York. While
there, he studied voice with Laura Miller at Juilliard and vocal
coaching under Sam Morganstein with the Metropolitan Opera House.
theater, film and television. He is known for his performance in the
film Nothing But a Man.Parker was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio,
the second of three children, to Leonard and Emily Francis Gibson
Parker. He graduated from Thomas Edison High School. He studied music
and voice at the Cleveland Music Settlement House.Parker joined the
United States Army where he served in the Special Services unit and
performed vocally with the Stuttgart military orchestra. After
receiving an honorable discharge in 1954, he received a Bachelor of
Arts degree and a master's degree. He graduated from the Cleveland
Institute of Music where he received a music scholarship, and he is
also a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Drama. He
then went on to study and perform with Karamu Theatre.Parker performed
in a number of theater productions, including Lost in the Stars by
Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson, in which he played and sang the role
of “Stephen Kumalo†Parker also performed in Night Visitors and
afterwards performed in Ernest Block's Macbeth in New York. While
there, he studied voice with Laura Miller at Juilliard and vocal
coaching under Sam Morganstein with the Metropolitan Opera House.
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