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L. Scott Caldwell

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L. Scott Caldwell
Caldwell in 2007
Born
Laverne Scott

1950
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other namesScotty Caldwell
OccupationActress
Years active1974–present
Spouse(s)
John Caldwell
​
(divorced)​

Dasal Banks
​
​
(m. 2004; died 2005)​
Children1

L. Scott Caldwell (born Laverne Scott, born 1950)[1] is an American actress perhaps best known for her roles as Deputy U.S. Marshall Erin Poole in The Fugitive (1993) and Rose on the television series Lost.

Early life

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Born the middle child[citation needed] in Chicago, Illinois,[1] to working-class parents, Laverne Scott grew up in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side. At a high enrollment elementary school, she attended the morning session, and her older siblings went to school in the afternoon. When the school released her at noon she was escorted to a neighborhood theater where she was minded by a friend of her mother. While attending Hyde Park High School, she joined the drama club.[citation needed]

Her class went to see a performance of A Day of Absence, featuring Douglas Turner Ward, a co-founder of The Negro Ensemble Company. It was the first time she saw professional black actors on stage. After graduating high school in 1967,[citation needed] she attended Northwestern University. She left after one year[1] and went to work full-time as an operator at Illinois Bell.[citation needed] She got married and had a son. She transferred her credits to Loyola University-Chicago and earned a bachelor's degree in Theater Arts and Communications.[1]

Career

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Caldwell planned on a teaching career and taught at Chicago High School of the Performing Arts. She also worked a year for the Chicago Council on Fine Arts as an artist-in-residence. While in Chicago Caldwell performed in local theatrical productions at the Body Politic, Court Theater, and Eleventh Street Theater. She went to New York in 1978 to audition for Uta Hagen's school HB Studio. While waiting to audition she saw an ad for The Negro Ensemble Company. After her audition at Hagen's school, she took the subway to the NEC.

Caldwell was initially rebuffed by the person who interviewed her but she insisted on meeting with Ward. She used the three pieces she performed at her audition for Hagen. She was accepted by both Hagen and Ward. During her first season at NEC Caldwell performed in several plays. One of those plays, Home, by Samm Art Williams, took her to Broadway's Cort Theatre in 1980. The play was critically acclaimed and earned a Tony Award nomination for Charles Brown. After Home closed Caldwell worked in several regional theater productions including Boesman and Lena at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and A Raisin in the Sun at Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, New York.

In December 1984, while working in A Play of Giants, Caldwell was struck by a car while hailing a cab on Columbus Avenue in New York. She suffered a severe back injury and was unable to work for nearly two years. Her first audition after her recovery was for August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Her performance as Bertha Holly earned her a 1988 Tony Award. Soon after winning the Tony, she moved to southern California to work in television and film. She has been extremely busy, working in several cities in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa, and continues to work in theater. She returned to Broadway in 1997 as the lead in Neil Simon's short-lived Proposals. After Proposals closed Caldwell performed the role of Leah, Little Augie's sister, in New York City Center's "Encores! Great American Musicals in Concert" production of St. Louis Woman.

In 2006, she made her Goodman Theatre debut in Regina Taylor's The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove. In 2011, she took on the role of Lena Younger in the Ebony Repertory Theatre production of the Lorraine Hansberry classic A Raisin in the Sun. The play was directed by Phylicia Rashad. Caldwell, along with the entire cast, was nominated for the LA Stage Alliance 2011 Ovation Award for her work as Lena, for which she won the 2011 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award.

Caldwell is an active member of Unite For Strength, the Screen Actors Guild coalition in favor of joining with AFTRA. On September 19, 2008, she won a seat as an alternate on the national board of directors and the Hollywood division board of directors. Caldwell was elected to a second one-year term on September 24, 2009. She served on the Seniors, Legislative, Women, Holiday Host, Honors and Tributes, and EEOC committees. In September 2010, she was elected to a one-year term on the national board of directors. She served as the national chair of the Women's committee. In 2011, Caldwell was on the SAG national board of directors ballot for a fourth consecutive year. She won a three-year term on the national and Hollywood boards. She would serve as national chair of Women, and Healthcare Safetynet committees.

In 2016, she was part of the PBS Civil War drama series Mercy Street.[2]

Personal life

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In her early twenties, Scott married John Caldwell and had a son, Ominara. She was divorced in the early 1980s and was married again (on her birthday) in 2004 to artist/photographer/director Dasal Banks. Banks suffered from cancer and died in May 2005. Caldwell completed her husband's final film, My Brothers and Me, a documentary created to raise awareness about prostate cancer among black men.

Caldwell gives lectures and appears on panels concerning African American actors. In 2007, she participated in tributes to August Wilson at Goodman Theatre in conjunction with Congo Square Theatre Company in Chicago, and at St. Louis Black Repertory Company. In June 2008, she participated in the NAACP Theatre Awards Festival Actors on Acting panel. In June 2009, Caldwell moderated a panel of actors, directors, and casting directors discussing African American Images in Hollywood. In February 2010, she directed a staged reading of Standing On My Sisters' Shoulders for the Los Angeles chapter of Actors Equity Association.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1983 Without a Trace Janet Smith
1984 Exterminator 2 Patron
1991 Us Against the Wall Sandy Wilkes
Dutch Homeless Woman
1993 The Fugitive Deputy US Marshal Erin Poole
Extreme Justice Devlin
1995 Soweto Green Cora Tshabalala
Waiting to Exhale Bernadine's Divorce Attorney
The Net Court Appointed Attorney
Devil in a Blue Dress Hattie Mae Parsons
1999 Mystery, Alaska Judge McGibbons
2002 Dragonfly Nurse
2006 Gridiron Gang Bobbi Porter
2009 Powder Blue Nurse Gomez
2010 Like Dandelion Dust Allyson Bower
Lisa Trotter Lisa Trotter
2011 The Lamp Miss Esther
2015 Division 19 Michelle Jacobs
That Gal...Who Was In That Thing: That Guy 2 Herself Documentary
The Perfect Guy Evelyn
Concussion Mrs. Waters
2017 The Case for Christ Alfie Davis
2021 Bingo Hell Dolores

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 All My Children Nurse 1 episode
1983 American Playhouse Edith Episode: "The Files on Jill Hatch: Part II"
1988 The Cosby Show Elizabeth Episode: "Out of Brooklyn"
God Bless the Child Althea Watkins TV movie
TV 101 Mrs. Hines Episode: "Home"
1989 Alien Nation Lyddie Tuggles TV movie
L.A. Law Wanda Havens Episode: "Leave it to Geezer"
Tour of Duty Selma Binion Episode: "Promised Land"
Hunter Gloria Tessel Episode: "Last Run"
1990 Dangerous Passion Ruby TV movie
Doogie Howser, M.D. Mrs. Alexander Episode: "Use a Slurpy, Go to Jail"
The Outsiders Barbra Richards Episode: "Pilot"
1991 Love, Lies and Murder Judge Starkey Episodes: 1.1 & 1.2
Equal Justice Mrs. Ida Bolton Episode: "The Big Game and Other Crimes"
Thirtysomething Alice Episode: "Hopeless"
Baby of the Bride Unknown TV movie
1992 The Heights Joanne Episode: "No Place Like Home"
1993 The Switch Mrs. Linson TV movie
Darkness Before Dawn Unknown TV movie
Reasonable Doubts Eleanor Gilbert Episode: "Sister, Can You Spare a Dime?"
For the Love of My Child: The Anissa Ayala Story Rita TV movie
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Carol Sherman Episode: "The Green, Green Glow of Home"
1994 Melrose Place Judge Maxine Marco Episode: "With This Ball and Chain"
1995 Grace Under Fire Carol Briscoe Episode: "Sticks and Stones"
Down Came a Blackbird Cerises TV movie
1996 Twilight Man Detective Lou Shannon TV movie
The Pretender Gwen Porter Episode: "Pilot"
Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story Dr. Wallace TV movie
1997 Murder One Anna Mae Brown Episode: "Chapter Eleven, Year Two"
1997 Weapons of Mass Distraction Senator Condon TV movie
1998 Any Day Now Mrs. Opal Lee Episode: "Making Music with the Wrong Man"
Promised Land Jury Forewoman Episode: "Jury Duty"
1999 The Last Man on Planet Earth Ester TV movie
JAG Mrs. Flora Springs Episode: "Nobody's Child"
Chicago Hope Bonnie Medina Episode: "A Goy and His Dog"
Intimate Betrayal Detective Sheila Monroe TV movie
1999–2000 Judging Amy Tanya Miller 7 episodes
2000 City of Angels Angela Patterson Episodes: "Deliver the Male", "Assume the Position", "The Prince and the Porker"
2001 The Division Detective Reese Episode: "The Fear Factor"
Kate Brasher Mrs. Rumel Episode: "Simon"
The Practice Parole Board Chairwoman Susan Moton Episode: "Killing Time"
Passions Clinic Counselor Episode: #1.630
2002 The Court Anne Marie Episode: "Due Process"
2003 Queens Supreme Judge Rose Barnea 13 episodes
Nip/Tuck Dr. Reed Episode: "Montana/Sassy/Justicce"
2004–2006 ER Dr. Rabb Episodes: "NICU", "Graduation Day"
2004–2010 Lost Rose Nadler 23 episodes
2006 Cold Case Alice Stallworth Episode: "Sandhogs"
Ghost Whisperer Liz Nelson Episode: "The Ghost Within"
2007 Jozi-H Dr. Laura Shields Episode: "Love in the Time of Aids"
State of Mind Mrs. Williams Episode: "Lost & Found"
Saving Grace Dee Reynolds Episode: "Everything's Got a Shelf Life"
Without a Trace Reverend Anna Washington Episode: "Baggage"
2008–2013 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Margaret Shakur 32 episodes
2009–2013 Southland Enid Adams 7 episodes
2011 Grey's Anatomy Allison Cobb Episode: "Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nora Parkes Episode: "In a Dark, Dark House"
2012 My America Narrator Episode: "Bellagio"
Private Practice Jillian McCray Episode: "The Next Episode"
2013 Low Winter Sun Violet Geddes 5 episodes
Criminal Minds Tina Johnson Episode: "Strange Fruit"
2015 Madam Secretary Afeni Rahim Episode: "You Say You Want a Revolution"
2016–2017 Mercy Street Belinda 11 episodes
2017 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Judge Laverne Holt Episode: "Your Honor"
How to Get Away with Murder Jasmine Bromelle 5 episodes
The Last Tycoon Lucille Episodes: "More Stars Than There Are in Heaven", "Eine Kleine Reichmusik"
The Trustee Odelle Jones TV movie
2017–2021 Insecure Carol Carter 8 episodes
2018 Dynasty Granny Episode: "Trashy Little Tramp"
2018–2020 Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Nana Ruth Episodes: "Chapter Seven", "Chapter Ten", "Chapter Twenty-One", "Chapter Thirty-One"
2018–2019 A Million Little Things Renee Howard Episodes: "Goodnight", "Austin", "The Game of Your Life"
2018–2021 Queen Sugar Willa Mae Desonier Episodes: "Late-April 2020", "Study War No More"
2019 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jo Anderson Episode: "Diss"
2019–2021 All Rise Roxy Robinson 7 episodes
2020 Sacred Lies Dalia Episodes: "Chapter Ten: With the Dancing Lions", "Chapter Nine: Bloodline"
Lucifer Lily Rose Episode: "It Never Ends Well for the Chicken"
Love in the Time of Corona Nanda Episodes: "Love and Protest", "Seriously Now", "#RelationshipGoals", "The Course of Love"
2021 One of Us Is Lying Nonny Episode: "Pilot"
2021–2022 Our Kind of People Olivia Sturgess Dupont 8 episodes
2023 The Good Doctor Evelyn Allen Episode: "Hard Heart"
2024 Bad Monkey YaYa Upcoming series

Theatre

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  • 2017 Gem of the Ocean as Aunt Ester Tyler
  • 2014 What I Learned In Paris as Eve Madison
  • 2014 The Wife's Story as She
  • 2011 A Raisin in the Sun as Lena Younger
  • 2011 The Circle as Donna
  • 2009 Reverse Transcription Staged Reading as Ottoline
  • 2006 The Dreams of Sarah Breedlove as Sarah Breedlove / Madam C.J. Walker
  • 2000–2005 Going to St. Ives (radio broadcast and recording) as May N'Kame
  • 1998 St. Louis Woman as Leah
  • 1997 Proposals as Clemma Diggins
  • 1997 Macbeth as Lady Macbeth
  • 1995 American Medea as Medea
  • 1991 The Piano Lesson as Berniece
  • 1990 From the Mississippi Delta as Miss Rosebud / Brother Pastor
  • 1987–1988 Joe Turner's Come and Gone as Bertha Holly
  • 1987 A Month of Sundays as Understudy Mrs. Baker
  • 1986 Elegies for the Fallen Staged Reading
  • 1984 A Play of Giants as Ambassador
  • 1983 About Heaven & Earth as Black Woman, The Redeemer / Raimy, Nightline
  • 1982 A Raisin in the Sun as Ruth Younger
  • 1982 Colored Peoples Time as Catherine / Addie / Nadine / Ida
  • 1982 Boesman and Lena as Lena
  • 1980–1981 Home as Pattie Mae Wells / Woman One (Broadway debut)
  • 1979 A Season to Unravel as Afrodite
  • 1979 Plays From Africa – Everyman & The Imprisonment of Obatala
  • 1979 Old Phantoms as Ruth
  • 1978 Daughters of the Mock as Gail
  • 1977 The Thesmophoriazousae as Sosie (Chicago – Court Theatre)
  • 1975 The Other Cinderella (Chicago – Club Misty)
  • 1974 No Place to Be Somebody: A Black-Black Comedy as Cora Beasley (Loyola University student production)
  • A Raisin in the Sun as Travis Younger (Hyde Park High School student production)

Director

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  • 2009 My Brothers and Me Documentary
  • 2010 Standing On My Sisters' Shoulders Staged Reading

Commercials

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Radio

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Awards and nominations

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Awards
Nominations

Further reading

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  • Chicago Defender "Loyola Opens Season With Versatile Seasoned Cast", October 5, 1974, p. A5
  • Chicago Defender "Other Cinderella Premieres at Club Misty", August 7, 1975, p. 15
  • Kuchwara, Michael St. Louis Post-Dispatch Everyday Magazine "Tony Winner Knew It In Her Heart", July 1, 1988, p. 8F
  • Weiss, Hedy Chicago Sun-Times, July 14, 1988, p. 39
  • Mitchell, Ophelia DeVore The Columbus Times "Tony Award Winning Actress Puts Her Philosophy of Enriching Others' Lives to Practice" vol. XXVII issue 35, August 28, 1988, p. A1
  • Jackson, Caroline Black Masks "L. Scott Caldwell: Laughter in One Hand; The Tony in the Other" vol. 4 issue 9, August 31, 1988, p. 4
  • Bogle, Donald Black Arts Annual 1987–1988, 1989
  • Hay, Samuel A. African American Theatre – An Historical and Critical Analysis, 1994, pgs. 142, 146, 158, 159, 161, 169
  • Isherwood, Charles Variety, "Proposals", July 26, 1997
  • Flatow, Sheryl Playbill, "Neil Simon Tells Love Stories in Proposals", November 18, 1997
  • Kilian, Michael Chicago Tribune, "Serious Simon – Play Has Its Critics, But Its Leading Actresses Find Acclaim", November 30, 1997, Arts & Entertainment, p. 10
  • Kuchwara, Michael The Plain Dealer "Sweet Role Entices Actress to Simon Play: Maid a Major Role in Proposals", December 14, 1997, Arts section p. 101
  • Simon, Neil The Play Goes On: A Memoir, 2002 p. 318
  • Oldenburg, Ann USA Today "Love Is No Longer Color-coded on TV", December 20, 2005
  • Pietrusiak, Leah Time Out Chicago "5 Minutes With L. Scott Caldwell", June 22–28, 2006
  • Woulfe, Molly The Times of Northwest Indiana "Lost Actress Recaps Life on the Island", June 30, 2006
  • Lost: The Official Magazine "By The Fire: L. Scott Caldwell & Sam Anderson", Issue #5, July/August 2006, p. 30
  • Vaughn, Kenya St. Louis American "Black Rep Goes Beyond August Wilson", March 28, 2007
  • Hill, Anthony D. Historical Dictionary of African American Theater, 2009, p. 81
  • Cairns, Bryan Lost The Official Magazine "By The Fire: Revolution Resolution", Issue #24, 2009 Yearbook Sep/Oct 2009, p. 70
  • Donloe, Darlene LA Stage Times "Phylicia Rashad Takes the Direct Approach", March 23, 2011
  • McCollester, Maggie Equity News "L. Scott Caldwell Welcomes New Members" Vol. 96 number 8, October/November 2011, p. 8

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Hill, Anthony D. (November 9, 2018). Historical Dictionary of African American Theater. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 89–90. ISBN 978-1-5381-1729-3. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Zwecker, Bill (January 15, 2016). "Veteran actress on Mercy Street". Chicago.suntimes. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
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