Who was Reg E. Cathey? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Reginald Eurias Cathey

Died At Age: 59

Family:

father: Red Cathey

siblings: Donza

African American Men African American Actors

Height: 6'0" (183 cm), 6'0" Males

Died on: February 9, 2018

place of death: New York, New York, United States

Notable Alumni: Yale School Of Drama

Cause of Death: Lung Cancer

U.S. State: Alabama

More Facts

education: University Of Michigan, Yale School Of Drama

Recommended For You

Recommended Lists:

University Of Michigan

Career

Reg E. Cathey began his acting career with the 1984 television movie ‘A Doctor's Story’. Three years later, he was cast in the kids’ TV show ‘Square One’. In 1988, he had minor roles in the films ‘Funny Farm’, ‘Crossing Delancey’ and ‘Ich und Er’. A year later, he got featured in the biographical war movie, ‘Born on the Fourth of July’. The actor played Willie in the comedy flick ‘Loose Cannons’. In 1991, he did the TV movie ‘Eyes of a Witness’ and also had a role in the black comedy film ‘What About Bob?’ Cathey was cast as Minister Gunther in ‘Fool's Fire,’ a movie made for television. In the year 1993, he got featured in an episode of ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’.

In 1994, the actor played Freeze in ‘The Mask’. In this film, he played the role of the main antagonist's bodyguard and friend who gets killed by the title character. Cathey also appeared in the films ‘Clear and Present Danger’ and ‘Airheads’. After playing a voice role in the movie ‘Napoleon’ and a minor role in the film ‘Se7en’, he was cast as Alvin Epps in the sitcom ‘Arli$$’ in 1997.

Cathey’s acting career reached newer heights when he was cast in the role of Martin Querns in the drama series ‘Oz’ in 2000. That year, he also featured in six episodes of ‘The Corner’ and played a homeless man in ‘American Psycho.’ He played the villain Dirty Dee in the cult comedy movie, ‘Pootie Tang,’ in 2001. After bagging roles in the movies ‘The Machinist’ and ‘Everyday People,’ Cathey joined the cast of HBO’s ‘The Wire’ as Norman Wilson.

In 2011, the great actor got a role in the boxing drama series, ‘Lights Out’. A year later, he was cast in a recurring role in ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.’ He began playing Freddy Hayes in ‘House of Cards’ in 2013. His performance was much appreciated and he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2015.

In 2014, Cathey made guest appearances in the series ‘Banshee’ and ‘The Divide’ and also featured in the films ‘Two Men in Town’, ‘Alex of Venice’ and ‘St. Vincent’. A year later, he played Dr. Franklin Storm in the film ‘Fantastic Four’ and appeared in two episodes of ‘Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter’ as well. From 2016 to 2017, the actor portrayed the character of Chief Byron Giles in the horror drama series ‘Outcast’. During this time, he also did the TV movie ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’. Two of his works, ‘Luke Cage’ and ‘Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure,’ were posthumously released in 2018. While the former is a web series, the latter is an animated sitcom.

Recommended Lists:

Tall Celebrities

Tall Male Celebrities

Leo Actors

American Actors

Continue Reading Below

Family & Personal Life

Reg E. Cathey was born on August 18, 1958 in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, to Red Cathey, an army colonel, and his educator wife who also served a DOD worker. He had a sister named Donza. Cathey spent his childhood days on a rural ranch in West Germany before moving to Alabama at the age of 14. He attended J.O. Johnson High School and then went on to study theatre at University of Michigan and Yale School of Drama.

Cathey died on February 9, 2018 after suffering from lung cancer for a while. He was 59 at that time.

Recommended Lists:

American Film & Theater Personalities

Trivia

Reg E. Cathey was the only actor to have had a recurring role in every TV series/movie written and produced by David Simon. These productions were ‘Homicide: Life on the Street,’ ‘Homicide: The Movie,’ ‘The Corner,’ and ‘The Wire.’

Reg E. Cathey Biography