# Ricky Harris

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{{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](/source/Long_Beach%2C_California), U.S.
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2016|12|26|1962|10|5}}
| death_place        = [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), California, U.S.
| occupation         = {{hlist|Producer|actor|comedian}}
| years_active       = 1983–2016
| spouse             = [Dee Barnes](/source/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](/source/UPN)/[The CW](/source/The_CW) sitcom ''[Everybody Hates Chris](/source/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](/source/Poetic_Justice_(film))'' in 1993 and ''[Murder Was the Case](/source/Murder_Was_the_Case)'' in 1994. He also had minor roles in [Michael Mann](/source/Michael_Mann)'s 1995 crime film ''[Heat](/source/Heat_(1995_film))'' and [Mikael Salomon](/source/Mikael_Salomon)'s 1998 action movie ''[Hard Rain](/source/Hard_Rain_(film))''.

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](/source/Tha_Dogg_Pound).

In 1993, Harris starred with [Todd Hunter](/source/Todd_Hunter) in the single episode of ''[357 Marina del Rey](/source/357_Marina_del_Rey)'' produced for the [television series](/source/television_series) ''[Danger Theatre](/source/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](/source/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](/source/UPN) [situation comedy](/source/situation_comedy) ''[Moesha](/source/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](/source/Bones_(2001_film))'', Harris played alongside [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg) and [Pam Grier](/source/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](/source/video_game) ''[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas](/source/Grand_Theft_Auto%3A_San_Andreas)''. In 2007, he played the role of Cousin Fred in the film ''[This Christmas](/source/This_Christmas_(2007_film))''.<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](/source/Poetic_Justice_(film))'' 
| Gangsta
| 
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1995
| ''[Tales from the Hood](/source/Tales_from_the_Hood)''
| Lil' Deke
| 
|-
| ''[Heat](/source/Heat_(1995_film))'' 
| Albert Torena
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[High School High](/source/High_School_High)''
| D.J.
| 
|-
| 1997
| ''[Fathers' Day](/source/Fathers'_Day_(1997_film))''
| Bellhop
| 
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1998
| ''[Hard Rain](/source/Hard_Rain_(film))''
| Ray
| 
|-
| ''Kings'' 
| Trevor
| Short
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1999
| ''[Thick as Thieves](/source/Thick_as_Thieves_(1998_film))''
| Rodney
| 
|-
| ''[The Breaks](/source/The_Breaks_(1999_film))''
| Militant Leader
| 
|-
| ''[Simon Sez](/source/Simon_Sez)''
| Macro
| 
|-
| 2001
| ''[Bones](/source/Bones_(2001_film))''
| Eddie Mack
| 
|-
| 2004
| ''[Woman Thou Art Loosed](/source/Woman_Thou_Art_Loosed)''
| Eli
| 
|-
| 2005
| ''[Boss'n Up](/source/Boss'n_Up)''
| Interviewer
| 
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2007
| ''[The Memory Thief](/source/The_Memory_Thief)''
| Hearse Driver
| 
|-
| ''[This Christmas](/source/This_Christmas_(2007_film))''
| Cousin Fred
| 
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2009
| ''[Dough Boys](/source/Dough_Boys_(film))''
| Faze Disco
| 
|-
| ''Mr. Sadman'' 
| Whitey
| 
|-
| 2012
| ''[Battlefield America](/source/Battlefield_America)''
| Tyrone Jackson Sr.
| 
|-
| 2013
| ''Mid Life Gangster'' 
| Donnie
| 
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2015 
| ''[Dope](/source/Dope_(2015_film))''
| 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](/source/Danger_Theatre)'' 
| Clay Gentry
| Episode: "Searcher in the Mist/Sex, Lies & Decaf"
|-
| 1996–98
| ''[Moesha](/source/Moesha)'' 
| J.W.
| Recurring cast: season 1 & 3, guest: season 2
|-
| 1997
| ''[Millennium](/source/Millennium_(TV_series))'' 
| Gerome Knox
| Episode: "[Sense and Antisense](/source/Sense_and_Antisense_(Millennium))"
|-
| 2000
| ''[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation](/source/CSI%3A_Crime_Scene_Investigation)'' 
| Disco Placid
| Episode: "Anonymous"
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2001
| ''[The District](/source/The_District)'' 
| Gregory
| Episode: "Don't Fence Me In"
|-
| ''[NYPD Blue](/source/NYPD_Blue)'' 
| Antoine
| Episode: "Flight of Fancy"
|-
| 2002
| ''[MDs](/source/MDs_(TV_series))'' 
| Randy Stilton
| Episode: "Time of Death"
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2003
| ''[Fastlane](/source/Fastlane_(TV_series))'' 
| K-9
| Episode: "Defense" & "Offense"
|-
| ''[Lucky](/source/Lucky_(American_TV_series))'' 
| -
| Episode: "The Tell"
|-
| ''[The Handler](/source/The_Handler_(TV_series))'' 
| Pablo
| Episode: "Big Stones"
|-
| ''[The Tracy Morgan Show](/source/The_Tracy_Morgan_Show)'' 
| Clarence
| Episode: "Stealing"
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2004
| ''[CSI: NY](/source/CSI%3A_NY)'' 
| Disco Placid
| Episode: "Grand Master"
|-
| ''[NYPD Blue](/source/NYPD_Blue)'' 
| Stanley Newell
| Episode: "Bale Out"
|-
| 2005
| ''[ER](/source/ER_(TV_series))'' 
| Mr. Davis
| Episode: "Alone in a Crowd"
|-
| 2006–08
| ''[Everybody Hates Chris](/source/Everybody_Hates_Chris)'' 
| Malvo
| Recurring cast: season 2 & 4, guest: season 3
|-
| 2007
| ''[CSI: Miami](/source/CSI%3A_Miami)'' 
| Jeremy Broyle
| Episode: "Miami Confidential"
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2008
| ''[Raising the Bar](/source/Raising_the_Bar_(2008_TV_series))'' 
| Defendant
| Episode: "Richie Richer"
|-
| ''[The Game](/source/The_Game_(American_TV_series))'' 
| Claude 
| Episode: "Oh, What a Night"
|-
| 2009
| ''[Dark Blue](/source/Dark_Blue_(TV_series))'' 
| Wade
| Episode: "Pilot"
|-
| 2011
| ''[The Cape](/source/The_Cape_(2011_TV_series))'' 
| Homeless Witness
| Episode: "Kozmo"
|-
| 2016
| ''[The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story](/source/The_People_v._O._J._Simpson%3A_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](/source/Gin_%26_Juice)"
|rowspan="2"| [Snoop Dogg](/source/Snoop_Dogg)
| Father
|-
| "[Murder Was the Case](/source/Murder_Was_the_Case)"
| Eyewitness/Ta-Dow/Snoop's Father
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1995
| "Summertime in the LBC"
|rowspan="3"| [The Dove Shack](/source/The_Dove_Shack)
| Old Man
|}

===Video games===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Game
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2004
| ''[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas](/source/Grand_Theft_Auto%3A_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](/source/Grand_Theft_Auto%3A_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](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ricky Harris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Harris) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Harris?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.