{{Short description|American actor (1962–2016)}} {{about|the actor|the wrestler|Black Bart (wrestler)|other people with similar names|Richard Harris (disambiguation)}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Ricky Harris | birth_name = Richard George Harris II | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1962|10|05}}<ref name="Obituary"> {{Cite web |url=https://www.legacy.com/news/celebrity-deaths/ricky-harris-1962-2016/ |title=Ricky Harris (1962–2016), Everybody Hates Chris actor|date=27 December 2016 |publisher=Legacy.com}}</ref> | birth_place = Long Beach, California, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2016|12|26|1962|10|5}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | occupation = {{hlist|Producer|actor|comedian}} | years_active = 1983–2016 | spouse = Dee Barnes (divorced) | children = 2 }}
'''Richard George Harris II''' (October 5, 1962 – December 26, 2016), known professionally as '''Ricky Harris''', was an American producer, actor, and comedian. He was best known for his role as Malvo in the UPN/The CW sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parker |first=Ryan |date=2016-12-26 |title=Ricky Harris, Actor and Comedian, Dies at 54 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ricky-harris-actor-comedian-dies-at-54-959353/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Life and career== Harris was born and raised in Long Beach, California.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-26 |title=Report: Comedian Ricky Harris Dies At 54 - CBS Los Angeles |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/report-comedian-ricky-harris-dies-at-54/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tompkins |first=Courtney |date=2016-12-27 |title=Long Beach native Ricky Harris remembered as ‘natural’ comedian |url=https://www.presstelegram.com/2016/12/27/long-beach-native-ricky-harris-remembered-as-natural-comedian/ |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Press Telegram |language=en-US}}</ref> He played his first movie roles in ''Poetic Justice'' in 1993 and ''Murder Was the Case'' in 1994. He also had minor roles in Michael Mann's 1995 crime film ''Heat'' and Mikael Salomon's 1998 action movie ''Hard Rain''.
Harris was the voice of DJ EZ Dicc, TaaDow, and Saul-T-Nutz from various skits featured on albums from Snoop Dogg to Tha Dogg Pound.
In 1993, Harris starred with Todd Hunter in the single episode of ''357 Marina del Rey'' produced for the television series ''Danger Theatre'',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle |title=The Complete Directory to Prime-Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |edition=6th |location=New York |publisher=Ballantine Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-345-39736-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/completedirector0006broo/page/238 238] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/completedirector0006broo/page/238 }}</ref> playing private detective Clay Gentry.<ref>{{cite book |last=Terrace |first=Vincent |title=Encyclopedia of Television Shows 1925-2010 |edition=2nd |page=232 |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-6477-7}}</ref> From 1996 to 1998 he played the role of Javon "J. W." Willis in six episodes of the UPN situation comedy ''Moesha''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-12-27 |title=Comedian Ricky Harris, known for roles in 'Dope' and 'Everybody Hates Chris,' dies at 54 |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ricky-harris-20161226-story.html |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
In the 2001 film ''Bones'', Harris played alongside Snoop Dogg and Pam Grier.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snoop Dogg Mourns the Loss of His Friend Ricky Harris |url=https://www.bet.com/article/lc81hg/snoop-dogg-mourns-the-loss-of-his-friend-ricky-harris |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=BET |language=en}}</ref>
In 2004, Harris lent his voice to various characters in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas''. In 2007, he played the role of Cousin Fred in the film ''This Christmas''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Screening:THIS CHRISTMAS |url=http://blackfilm.com/screenings/thischristmas.shtml |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=blackfilm.com}}</ref> From 2006 to 2008, Harris played Malvo, a recurring character in the sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Miranda |first=Carolina A. |title=Comedian Ricky Harris, known for 'Everybody Hates Chris,' dies at 54 |language=English |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |url=https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/television/comedian-ricky-harris-known-for-everybody-hates-chris-dies/o1HbWhR8Abc99mBggNuNDI/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |issn=1539-7459}}</ref>
In December 2016, Harris died from a heart attack. He had suffered a previous heart attack two years prior.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvario |first=Liz |date=2016-12-27 |title=Ricky Harris, 'Heat' and 'Dope' Actor, Dies at 54 |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/ricky-harris-dead-actor-comedian-heat-dies-54-1201763001/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=IndieWire |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lodderhose |first=Diana |date=2016-12-27 |title=Ricky Harris Dies: Actor & Comedian Was 54 |url=https://deadline.com/2016/12/ricky-harris-dies-54-actor-comedian-poetic-justice-heat-janet-jackson-tupac-shakur-1201875907/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1993 | ''Poetic Justice'' | Gangsta | |- |rowspan="2"| 1995 | ''Tales from the Hood'' | Lil' Deke | |- | ''Heat'' | Albert Torena | |- | 1996 | ''High School High'' | D.J. | |- | 1997 | ''Fathers' Day'' | Bellhop | |- |rowspan="2"| 1998 | ''Hard Rain'' | Ray | |- | ''Kings'' | Trevor | Short |- |rowspan="3"| 1999 | ''Thick as Thieves'' | Rodney | |- | ''The Breaks'' | Militant Leader | |- | ''Simon Sez'' | Macro | |- | 2001 | ''Bones'' | Eddie Mack | |- | 2004 | ''Woman Thou Art Loosed'' | Eli | |- | 2005 | ''Boss'n Up'' | Interviewer | |- |rowspan="2"| 2007 | ''The Memory Thief'' | Hearse Driver | |- | ''This Christmas'' | Cousin Fred | |- |rowspan="2"| 2009 | ''Dough Boys'' | Faze Disco | |- | ''Mr. Sadman'' | Whitey | |- | 2012 | ''Battlefield America'' | Tyrone Jackson Sr. | |- | 2013 | ''Mid Life Gangster'' | Donnie | |- |rowspan="3"| 2015 | ''Dope'' | Tannehill James | |- | ''A Royal Family Holiday'' | Nelson | TV movie |- | ''Royal Family Christmas'' | Nelson | TV movie |- | 2017 | ''Check Point'' | Kenny | |- | 2019 | ''The Workout Room'' | Himself | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1993 | ''Danger Theatre'' | Clay Gentry | Episode: "Searcher in the Mist/Sex, Lies & Decaf" |- | 1996–98 | ''Moesha'' | J.W. | Recurring cast: season 1 & 3, guest: season 2 |- | 1997 | ''Millennium'' | Gerome Knox | Episode: "Sense and Antisense" |- | 2000 | ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' | Disco Placid | Episode: "Anonymous" |- |rowspan="2"| 2001 | ''The District'' | Gregory | Episode: "Don't Fence Me In" |- | ''NYPD Blue'' | Antoine | Episode: "Flight of Fancy" |- | 2002 | ''MDs'' | Randy Stilton | Episode: "Time of Death" |- |rowspan="4"| 2003 | ''Fastlane'' | K-9 | Episode: "Defense" & "Offense" |- | ''Lucky'' | - | Episode: "The Tell" |- | ''The Handler'' | Pablo | Episode: "Big Stones" |- | ''The Tracy Morgan Show'' | Clarence | Episode: "Stealing" |- |rowspan="2"| 2004 | ''CSI: NY'' | Disco Placid | Episode: "Grand Master" |- | ''NYPD Blue'' | Stanley Newell | Episode: "Bale Out" |- | 2005 | ''ER'' | Mr. Davis | Episode: "Alone in a Crowd" |- | 2006–08 | ''Everybody Hates Chris'' | Malvo | Recurring cast: season 2 & 4, guest: season 3 |- | 2007 | ''CSI: Miami'' | Jeremy Broyle | Episode: "Miami Confidential" |- |rowspan="2"| 2008 | ''Raising the Bar'' | Defendant | Episode: "Richie Richer" |- | ''The Game'' | Claude | Episode: "Oh, What a Night" |- | 2009 | ''Dark Blue'' | Wade | Episode: "Pilot" |- | 2011 | ''The Cape'' | Homeless Witness | Episode: "Kozmo" |- | 2016 | ''The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story'' | Black Bullhorn/Protester | Episode: "The Race Card" |}
===Music videos=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Song ! Artist ! class="unsortable" | Role |- |rowspan="2"| 1994 | "Gin & Juice" |rowspan="2"| Snoop Dogg | Father |- | "Murder Was the Case" | Eyewitness/Ta-Dow/Snoop's Father |- |rowspan="3"| 1995 | "Summertime in the LBC" |rowspan="3"| The Dove Shack | Old Man |}
===Video games=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Game ! Role ! Notes |- | 2004 | ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' | rowspan="2" | Grove Street Families Gang, Ballas Gang, ''Master Sounds 98.3'' DJ Johnny "The Love Giant" Parkinson (voice) | |- | 2021 | ''Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition'' | Archival recordings<br>Remaster of ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' only |- |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{AllMusic |class=artist |id=ricky-harris-mn0000359035}} *{{Discogs artist|158464-Ricky-Harris}} *{{IMDb name|0365244}} *[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174460288/ricky-harris Ricky Harris] at Find a Grave
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Ricky}} Category:1965 births Category:2016 deaths Category:American male comedians Category:Comedians from Los Angeles County, California Category:American male film actors Category:American producers Category:American male television actors Category:21st-century American comedians Category:21st-century African-American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:20th-century African-American male actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Long Beach) Category:African-American male comedians Category:African-American comedians Category:Male actors from Long Beach, California