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Reg E. Cathey
Cathey in 2016
Born	Reginald Eurias Cathey (1958-08-18)August 18, 1958 Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.
Died	February 9, 2018(2018-02-09) (aged 59) New York City, New York, U.S.
Education	University of Michigan (BFA) Yale University (MFA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1984–2018

Reginald Eurias Cathey (August 18, 1958 – February 9, 2018) was an American character actor. He was best known for his roles as Norman Wilson in The Wire, Martin Querns in Oz, the game show announcer in Square One Television, and Freddy Hayes in House of Cards, the last earning him three consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, including a win in 2015.

Early life

Cathey was born on August 18, 1958, in Huntsville, Alabama, to Red Cathey, an Army colonel who fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and his wife, who was a DOD worker and an educator. He had a sister, Donza. He spent his childhood with his family on a rural farm in West Germany before returning to Alabama at the age of 14. His interest in theater began at age 9, after attending a United Service Organization show in West Germany. Cathey graduated from J.O. Johnson High School, where he acted in plays such as To Kill a Mockingbird. He subsequently studied theatre at the University of Michigan and the Yale School of Drama.

Career

One of Cathey's earliest roles was starring in the children's television show Square One TV. Cathey was not only the game show announcer, but had many bit parts in the various sketches and was renown for songs like "Nine, Nine, Nine" and "Rappin' Judge." This was followed by guest roles in such series as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Homicide: Life on the Street. In 1994, he appeared in The Mask as Freeze, the main antagonist's friend and bodyguard who gets inadvertently killed by the title character. He also appeared in 1995's Se7en as the coroner. He played the villain Dirty Dee in the cult comedy film Pootie Tang and had a regular role on the HBO series The Wire as Norman Wilson during the fourth and fifth seasons. He also worked with The Wire creator David Simon on the Emmy Award-winning miniseries The Corner; Cathey played a drug addict known as Scalio. He had a recurring role on the HBO prison drama Oz as unit manager Martin Querns. In the film Tank Girl, he played the role of Deetee. He narrated Aftermath: Population Zero, a National Geographic Channel special which imagines what Earth might be like if humanity no longer existed. He played the homeless man Al, murdered by Patrick Bateman, in the film American Psycho. He narrated TLC's Wonders of Weather, a TV series. On Between the Lions, he played King Ray in the story of "Rumpelstiltskin" in the episode, "Hay Day".

In 2009, Cathey performed in The People Speak, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.

In Fall 2009, Cathey played the role of Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding in a theatrical production of The Shawshank Redemption at Wyndham's Theatre, London. He has made two guest appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as an undercover police officer involved with animal smuggling (episode: "Wildlife") and later as a high-priced defense attorney to a hooker (episode: "Rhodium Nights"). He also made a guest appearance on Law & Order: Criminal Intent in the episode "Anti-Thesis" as a college professor suspected of murder. He also played boxing promoter Barry K. Word on the FX series Lights Out.

In 2013, Cathey began a recurring role as Freddy Hayes, the owner of Freddy's BBQ, in Netflix's original series House of Cards, as well as on Grimm, in the recurring role of Baron Samedi. His portrayal of Hayes in the second, third, and fourth seasons of House of Cards earned three Emmy nominations and one win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

Cathey had expressed a wish to appear in the Irish soap opera Fair City.

Cathey co-starred in Josh Trank's Fantastic Four (2015), as Dr. Franklin Storm, the father of The Invisible Woman and The Human Torch. He also played the county sheriff in the city of Rome, WV, in the Cinemax series Outcast. One of Cathey's final TV roles was portraying James Lucas in the Netflix series Marvel's Luke Cage.

Death

Cathey died at his home in New York City on February 9, 2018, at the age of 59. He was reported to have had lung cancer. He was cremated, and his ashes were spread in New York City.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References

1. Radloff, Jessica (September 13, 2015). "Darren Criss Talks Glee, Derek Hough Wins His Second Emmy, and More News From the Creative Arts Emmys". Glamour. As for Reg E.'s interesting first and middle name, the actor admits that he came about his name in the most unusual of ways when he was 19 years old. "My name is Reginald Eurias, so I've always been Reggie, but I was in love years ago and there was that song, 'Chuck E.'s In Love,' , so I made it Reg E.
2. ^ "Reg E. Cathey, actor on House Of Cards and The Wire, dies at 59, Entertainment News & Top Stories". Elite News 24. February 10, 2018.
3. ^ Brockington, Ariana (February 9, 2018). "Reg Cathey, 'House of Cards' and 'The Wire' Actor, Dies at 59". Variety. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
4. ^ U-M alum Reg E. Cathey on his 'House of Cards' Emmy Julie Hinds. Detroit Free Press. September 18, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015
5. ^ Russell, Yvonna (December 6, 2017). "Everyman: Actor Reg E. Cathey". The Huffington Post.
6. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (June 3, 2016). "Reg E Cathey: 'The world is being destroyed by psychopaths'". The Guardian.
7. ^ Stevens, Matt (February 9, 2018). "Reg E. Cathey, Actor on 'House of Cards' and 'The Wire,' Dies at 59". The New York Times.
8. "The Wire: Out of Character with Reg E. Cathey (HBO)". YouTube. April 11, 2008. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
9. Sutton, Joe; Chavez, Nicole (February 13, 2018). "Reg E. Cathey, 59, actor". Philly.
10. Kezo, Jeannie (September 20, 2007). "A New World on the Huntsville Horizon". Valley Planet. Archived from the original on June 9, 2009.
11. ^ "From Huntsville to Hollywood". The Huntsville Times. December 10, 1993.
12. "Square One: Nine Nine Nine". YouTube.
13. "Square One TV: Rappin' Judge". YouTube.
14. "The Wire: Homepage". HBO. March 20, 2012. Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
15. "Entertainment: The People Speak". Los Angeles Times. December 12, 2009.
16. Billington, Michael (September 13, 2009). "Review: The Shawshank Redemption". The Guardian.
17. "Lights Out (2011) Reg E. Cathey: Barry K. Word". IMDb. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
18. Colurso, Mary (July 10, 2014). "Alabama ties: Tony Hale, Laverne Cox, Reg E. Cathey among nominees for 2014 Emmy Awards". Al.com. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
19. "The Wire star hopes to appear in Fair City". RTÉ Arts. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. June 3, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
20. Siegel, Tatiana. "Fox's 'Fantastic Four' Reboot Adds 'The Wire's' Reg E. Cathey". The Hollywood Reporter. May 8, 2014.
21. Lammers, Timothy (February 10, 2018). "Reg E. Cathey's Final Role Was Playing Luke Cage's Father in Season 2". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on February 11, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
22. 'House of Cards' Star Reg E. Cathey Dead At 59
23. TMZ 'House of Cards' Star Reg E. Cathey Left Behind Nearly $500,000". TMZ. June 18, 2018.
24. ^ "Filmography for Reg E.Cathey". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
25. "Reg E. Cathey - MobyGames". MobyGames.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.

External links

• Reg E. Cathey at IMDb
• The People Speak at IMDb

• 1958 births
• 2018 deaths
• 20th-century African-American male actors
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century African-American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• American expatriate male actors in Germany
• American male film actors
• American male stage actors
• American male television actors
• Deaths from lung cancer in New York (state)
• Male actors from Huntsville, Alabama
• Primetime Emmy Award winners
• University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni