Roger E. Mosley, of ‘Magnum P.I.’ fame, dead at 83

LOS ANGELES — Actor Roger E. Mosley, best known for his role as Theodore “T.C.” Calvin in the CBS television series “Magnum P.I.,” died Sunday at the age of 83, his daughter confirmed.

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Mosley died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles of injuries suffered in a car accident in Lynwood, California, on Thursday, Ch-a Mosley told The Hollywood Reporter.

She also posted the following on Facebook:

“Roger E. Mosley, my father, your friend, your ‘coach Mosley’ your ‘TC’ from Magnum P.I., passed away at 1:17 a.m. He was surrounded by family as he transcended peacefully. We could never mourn such an amazing man. He would HATE any crying done in his name. It is time to celebrate the legacy he left for us all. I love you daddy. You loved me too. My heart is heavy but I am strong. I will care for mommy, your love of almost 60 years. You raised me well and she is in good hands. Rest easy.”

Mosley appeared in 158 of 162 episodes during the original eight-season run of the Tom Selleck-led “Magnum P.I.” He also joined the cast of the reboot for a brief cameo as a different character, Deadline reported.

Younger audiences may recognize the Los Angeles native from the 1996 Martin Lawrence comedy, “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate,” but Mosley’s most memorable big-screen performance came in 1977′s “The Greatest,” in which he portrayed boxer Sonny Liston opposite Muhammed Ali.

Other film credits included Blaxploitation films, “The Mack,” “Hit Man,” “Sweet Jesus, Preacherman,” and “Darktown Strutters,” Deadline reported.

Meanwhile, film critic Roger Ebert called Mosley’s performance as blues and folk singer Huddie Ledbetter in the Gordon Parks-directed “Leadbelly” from 1976 “one of the best biographies of a musician I’ve ever seen,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In addition to “Magnum P.I.,” Mosley also appeared on “Love Boat,” “Night Gallery,” “Sanford and Son,” “Kung Fu,” “Kojak,” “McCloud,” “The Rockford Files,” “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams,” “Starsky and Hutch,” “Night Court,” “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” “Walker, Texas Ranger,” and “Las Vegas,” among others, Deadline reported.

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