
Person
Avery Brooks
Acting · Born 1948-10-02 · Evansville, Indiana, USA
Biography
Avery Franklin Brooks (born October 2, 1948) is an American actor, director, singer, narrator and educator. He is best known for his television roles as Captain Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as Hawk on Spenser: For Hire and its spinoff A Man Called Hawk, and as Dr. Bob Sweeney in the Academy Award–nominated film American History X. Brooks was born in Evansville, Indiana, and raised in Gary, Indiana. He attended Oberlin College, where he studied music and theater. After graduating from Oberlin, he moved to New York City to pursue his acting career. Brooks's first professional acting role was in the play "The Great White Hope" in 1970. He went on to appear in a number of Broadway productions, including "The Wiz" and "A Chorus Line". He also starred in the television miniseries "Roots" in 1977. In 1993, Brooks was cast as Captain Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The series ran for seven seasons, and Brooks's performance as Sisko was critically acclaimed. He won a Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television in 1995. After Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ended, Brooks continued to work in television and film. He starred in the series "Shark" from 2006 to 2008, and he appeared in the films "American History X" and "The Score". Brooks is also a talented singer and musician. He has released two albums, "Song of My People" and "The Way I Feel". He is also a gifted director, and he has directed a number of theater productions and television episodes.
Known for

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Benjamin Sisko

Gargoyles
Nokkar (voice)

American Playhouse
Solomon Northup

American History X
Sweeney

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
King Maximus (voice)

Spenser: For Hire
Hawk

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Benjamin Sisko (voice)

15 Minutes
Leon Jackson

The Captains
Self

The Captains Close Up
Self
Filmography
- 2026Star Trek: Starfleet AcademyBenjamin Sisko (voice)
- 2018What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space NineSelf
- 2016Mysteries of Ancient ChinaSelf - Presenter
- 2013The Captains Close UpSelf
- 2011The CaptainsSelf
- 2010For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black PatriotsSelf - Narrator
- 2009Drain the OceanNarrator
- 2008God v. Satan: The Final BattleHimself (Narrator)
- 2007Star Trek: Beyond the Final FrontierSelf
- 2005OthelloOthello
- 2003Deep Space Nine: A Bold BeginningHimself
- 2003Trials and Tribble-ations: Uniting Two LegendsSelf
- 2001Land of the MammothSelf - Narrator
- 200115 MinutesLeon Jackson
- 1999Savage SunNarrator (voice)
- 1998American History XSweeney
- 1998The Greatest PlacesNarrator (voice)
- 1998Africa's Elephant KingdomNarrator
- 1998The Big HitParis
- 1996Star Trek: 30 Years and BeyondSelf
- 1995Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Way of the WarriorBenjamin Sisko
- 1995Spenser: A Savage PlaceHawk
- 1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildKing Maximus (voice)
- 1995The New Explorers: The Science of Star TrekSelf
- 1994Spenser: The Judas GoatHawk
- 1994GargoylesNokkar (voice)
- 1994Spenser: Pale Kings and PrincesHawk
- 1993Spenser: CeremonyHawk
- 1993The Ernest Green StoryRev. Lawson
- 1993Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the ScenesHimself
- 1993Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - EmissaryBenjamin Sisko
- 1993Star Trek: Deep Space NineBenjamin Sisko
- 1991Solomon Northup's OdysseySolomon Northup
- 1989A Man Called Hawk
- 1988Roots: The GiftCletus Moyer
- 1987Uncle Tom's CabinUncle Tom
- 1987Moments without Proper NamesSelf
- 1985Spenser: For HireHawk
- 1985Finnegan Begin AgainDude on Bus
- 1982American PlayhouseSolomon Northup
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