Reginald Veljohnson

Born: 16 August 1952
Where: Raleigh, North Carolina

VelJohnson added his middle name, Vel, to his original surname in the early 1970s because there were other actors named Reginald or Reggie Johnson.

He appeared on and off-Broadway before making his film acting debut in 1981's Wolfen.

He continued to appear in films like Crocodile Dundee and Magic Stick, before one of his best known roles to film audiences came his way - playing friendly cop pal to Bruce Willis in Die Hard.

TV audiences know him as Carl Winslow, another good-natured if long-suffering police officer, on the hit sitcom, Family Matters.