Courtney B. Vance

When I was in high school we often had the same teachers for various different subjects. The same teacher who taught English to freshman also taught Humanities to AP seniors. It was a large school, but it was broke public school, so there you have it. There was a husband-wife teaching duo at my high school, and between the two of them, they probably taught about six different classes I took over my high school career, and in every class, somehow, they managed to fit in the Hallmark Hall of Fame Made-For-TV movie, The Boys Next Door (they weren't like, math or science teachers, so....you know...) I personally, really enjoyed this movie, and never really complained or napped when we watched it (I became an expert on napping in high school, even when it wasn't movie day.)

The Boys Next Door was made in 1996 and it is about a social worker played by Tony Goldwyn and the group home he helps facilitate. Among the men who live in his group home are Nathan Lane, Michael Jeter, Robert Sean Leonard and Courtney B. Vance. All these men have some sort of mental illness or handicap. It's a cute, sweet little movie, and Courtnet B. Vance's character was always my favorite. He was so childlike and innocent, and not noming on the scenery like the rest of the actors.

I would become excited whenever I would see Courtney B. Vance in something because I only ever knew him from his severely autistic character in the Boys Next Door. I saw him in the Tuskegee Airmen when I was in love with Andre Braugher (yes, I was in love with Andre Braugher...) and he popped up in the quintessential white-lady-saves-inner-city-youths classic "Dangerous Minds".

Courtney B. has also done a TON of TV! He appeared on an episode of Law and Order: Original Recipe back in 1995, AND was series regular on Law and Order: Criminal Intent as ADA Carver. I'm not quite sure why he left the show, but I'm sure it probably had something to do with Vincent D'nofrio's showboating.

He was on on episode of Flash Forward the other night. I was watching it at my parent's house with my mom and sister, and it was on mute, so I have no idea what was going on, or what character he was playing, but it was still fun to watch him.

It's always great when he shows up on screen because you know he is going to bring a sense of levity and calm to whatever the situation is. He isn't a showy actor, even when he is in showy roles. He seems like he just does his job, very well, and goes home for the day. You could especially tell this on Law and Order: CI. Nothing against Vincent D'onofrio, but, his character could be standing on his head, crying about how his mother is a schizophrenic, twitching and stuttering at the same time, and Courtney B. will just be standing there, totally relaxed, arms crossed, letting him go on and on and on....

On a side note. Courtney B. is married to Angela Bassett! I love her!