Biography
Franklyn Ajaye (born May 13, 1949) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. His nickname is "The Jazz Comedian" for his distinctive jazz-inflected style of delivery, timing, and use of silence. He released a series of comedy albums starting in 1973 and has acted in film and television shows from the 1970s through the present, including as a primary character in the 1976 ensemble comedy Car Wash and a supporting role in Sam Peckinpah's Convoy (1978).
Known For
Complete Filmography
Deadwood: The Movie
2019
as Samuel Fields
Follow the 10-year reunion of the Deadwood camp to celebrate South Dakota's statehood. Former rivalries are reignited, alliances are tested and old wo...
Bridesmaids
2011
as Mr. Donovan
Annie's life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian's maid of honor. Though lovelorn ...
I Am Comic
2010
as Self
Through unprecedented backstage access and candid interviews, the film weaves through the absurd world of the working comedian and reveals a crazy and...
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy
2009
as Self
Directors Robert Townsend and Quincy Newell offer this comprehensive and hilarious examination of the history, evolution and cultural significance of ...
Before They Die!
2008
as (Voice)
Before They Die! A film chronicling the survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and their quest for justice.
Queen of the Damned
2002
as Dealer
Lestat finds acceptance in a tattooed and pierced world, rekindling the desires of all-powerful Akasha.
American Yakuza
1993
as Sam
When Nick Davis leaves prison after one year in solitairy, he is hired to operate a forklift in a warehouse in the harbor owned by the Japanese Yakuza...
Franklyn Ajaye: Upside Downunder
1990
"Jazz Comedian" Franklyn Ajaye brings his urban brand of humour to Melbourne, Australia in his first SHOWTIME special FRANKLYN AJAYE: UPSIDE DOWNUNDER...
Franklyn Ajaye: Upside Downunder
1990
Production Executive
"Jazz Comedian" Franklyn Ajaye brings his urban brand of humour to Melbourne, Australia in his first SHOWTIME special FRANKLYN AJAYE: UPSIDE DOWNUNDER...
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 4
1989
Director Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) knows how to construct and, when necessary, even milk a laugh for optimal effect. This fourth and final v...
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 3
1989
Director Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) knows how to construct and, when necessary, even milk a laugh for optimal effect. This third riotous volu...
The 'Burbs
1989
as Detective #1
When secretive new neighbors move in next door, suburbanite Ray Peterson and his friends let their paranoia get the best of them as they start to susp...
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 2
1988
Director Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) knows how to construct and, when necessary, even milk a laugh for optimal effect. This second riotous vol...
The Wrong Guys
1988
as Franklyn
Five former cub scouts have a reunion and go camping on the mountain they never conquered. High jinks ensue due to their childhood enemies and a group...
Robert Townsend: Partners in Crime: Vol. 1
1987
From comedian and filmmaker Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle) comes this collection of comedy sketches starring some of the biggest names in show bu...
Hollywood Shuffle
1987
as Body Guard #1
Aspiring actor and hot-dog stand employee Bobby Taylor catches the ire of his grandmother for auditioning for a role in the regrettably titled exploit...
Fraternity Vacation
1985
as Harry
A nerd gains the friendship of two of his frat brothers when his dad offers them his condo for the week in Palm Springs, and also offers the fraternit...
Get Crazy
1983
as Cool
Mega-promoter Colin Beverly plans to sabotage the New Year's 1983 concert of small-time operator Max Wolfe. Wolfe's assistants Neil Allen and Willie L...
Hysterical
1982
as Leroy
Frederic Lansing is a writer who hopes to find inspiration while vacationing in Hellview, Oregon; however, the lighthouse in which he's staying is hau...
The Jazz Singer
1980
as Bubba
A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer.
Stir Crazy
1980
as Young Man in Hospital
New Yorkers Skip Donahue and Harry Monroe have no jobs and no prospects, so they decide to flee the city and find work elsewhere, landing jobs wearing...
Convoy
1978
as Spider Mike
Trucker Rubber Duck and his buddies Pig Pen, Widow Woman and Spider Mike use their CB radios to warn one another of the presence of cops. But connivin...
Car Wash
1976
as Theodore Chauncy "T.C." Alcott (The Fly)
This day-in-the-life cult comedy focuses on a group of friends working at Sully Boyar's Car Wash in the Los Angeles ghetto. The team meets dozens of e...
Sweet Revenge
1976
as Edmund
A young woman with a long rap sheet who steals cars for a living is befriended by a public defender who tries to steer her straight. But her goal is t...
Uncle Tom's Fairy Tales
1969
A white man goes on trial for having raped a black woman.