R.I.P. Andre Braugher

Just got the unhappy news that Andre Braugher (b. 1962) has passed away at the young age of 61. News report are vague as to cause, mentioning only a “brief illness”. Typically we write about figures a bit further back in the rear view mirror on this blog, but Braugher was an actor I liked and respected an awful lot, so I wanted to express the high regard I had for him.

Like most people, I first encountered Braugher in Glory (1989), the movie that made much bigger stars of Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. He was fresh out of Julliard at that point, but came off as a pro in his role as a bookish Civil War soldier. It was a fortunate note to strike at the beginning of his career. Braugher was usually typecast as deeply intelligent characters, things like lawyers, doctors, and conspicuously smart cops. I’m pretty sure he couldn’t play a dumb character if he tried, but he seems to have gotten few if any opportunities to do so. His greatest creation was undoubtedly the role of Frank Pembleton, the brilliant and arrogant Catholic detective on Homicide: Life on the Streets (1993-1999), followed by the 2000 movie. Midway through the series, the character suffered a stroke, requiring lots of difficult technical work, which he totally pulled off. More eulogists seem to be foregrounding his very different part on Brooklyn-Nine-Nine (2013-2021) probably because it was more recent. His work on that show was less demanding, but showed his range, demonstrating his comic abilities (though he was essentially the straight man, albeit a gay straight man.)

I only saw a few of his movies, but they were enough to demonstrate his versatility. They included the thriller Primal Fear (1996), Spike Lee’sGet on the Bus (1996), and City of Angels (1998). He had a thankless and brief role as the Captain in Poseidon (2006), was in the 2008 remake of The Andromeda Strain, and was in two Stephen King projects, the 2004 remake of Salem’s Lot, as well as the original screen version of The Mist (2007). He had recurring roles on House and Law and Order. And wonderfully, one of Braugher’s last parts was also one of his best, as a crafty, cut-throat Christian law partner in the final season of The Good Fight (2022).

Braugher also won an Obie for his performance in the lead role in the Public Theatre’s production of Henry V in 1996.

Nobody gets to live forever, but another 10 or 20 years of that thoughtful brilliance would have been nice. Hats off to Andre Braugher.