Biography
John Witherspoon was an African-American comedian and actor who has roles in over 20 movies and television shows. Acting for over three decades, Witherspoon starred in films such as Hollywood Shuffle (1987), Boomerang (1992), and the Friday film series. He also made appearances on television shows such as Barnaby Jones (1973), The Wayans Brothers (1994-99), The Tracy Morgan Show (2003), and Boondocks (2005). He has also taken his success in acting into screenwriting a movie called From the Old S...
Known For
Complete Filmography

Boosters LA
2022
as Luther
James and his best friend Lisa struggle to stay one step ahead of the law while heading their boosting operation through the clothing racks of LA.

Reality Queen!
2020
as Joe The Plumber
A comedy asking the question: is heiress/socialite London Logo a marketing genius, or simply the accidental beneficiary of an ignorant American public...

I Got the Hook Up 2
2019
as Mr. Mimm
After best friends Black and Blue's restaurant is shut down, Black needs to find some cash -- fast. He thinks his luck has turned when Blue's son, Fat...

A Thousand Words
2012
as Blind Man
Jack McCall is a fast-talking literary agent, who can close any deal, any time, any way. He has set his sights on New Age guru Dr. Sinja for his own s...

Chick Magnet
2011
as John (uncredited)
When freeloader Phil is tossed out by the love of his life, Jen, he stays with two old friends who come upon a magic shirt that guarantees them sex wi...

Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen
2010
as John
When '80s B-movie icon Tim Thomerson wakes up one day to realize the acting roles are not coming his way any more, he sets out on a quest to find his ...

The Hustle
2008
as Mr. Wikes
Disenchanted pest worker and single dad Freddie Manning unintentionally steals and then loses mob money and now he really is in trouble. So when a run...

You Got to Coordinate
2008
as Self
You know John Witherspoon as Ice Cube's outrageously funny, dog-catching dad in the smash urban trilogy Friday, Next Friday, and Friday After Next. Yo...

After Sex
2007
as Gene
Sex is a background to examine intimacy and vulnerability. Looks at the complexity of modern day relationships told through eight separate couples. Th...

Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-roc's Street
2006
as Real Santa/Christmas Singer on a Radio (voice)
D-Roc, Dee-Dee, DJ, Money, Lissette, Slim, Chad, Gwenny, and Soo Young are working together to find a way to bring the true meaning of Christmas home ...

Little Man
2006
as Pops
After leaving the prison, the dwarf criminal Calvin Sims joins to his moron brother Percy to steal an expensive huge diamond in a jewelry for the mobs...

Soul Plane
2004
as Blind Man
Following a ridiculously awful flight that leads to his pet's death, Nashawn Wade files a lawsuit against the airline, and wins a multimillion-dollar ...

Laffapalooza! #2
2004
as Self
Live from Atlanta, Jamie Foxx hosts this hilarious series of comedy specials. Catch some the newest, hottest comic talent in action in this series tha...

Friday After Next
2002
as Mr. Jones
Craig and his cousin Day Day have finally moved out of their parents' houses and into their own crib, working nights at a local mall as security guard...

Dr. Dolittle 2
2001
as Zoo Bear #2 (voice)
A group of beavers ask Dr. Dolittle to save their habitat from loggers. The only hope is to get the forest preserved because it's the home of a protec...

Little Nicky
2000
as Street Vendor
After the lord of darkness decides he will not cede his throne to any of his three sons, the two most powerful of them escape to Earth to create a kin...

The Ladies Man
2000
as Scrap Iron
Because of his salacious language, late-night radio advice-show host Leon Phelps, along with his sweet and loyal producer Julie, is fired from his Chi...

Next Friday
2000
as Mr. Jones
A streetwise man flees South Central Los Angeles, heading to the suburbs and his lottery-winner uncle and cousin, to avoid a neighborhood thug with a ...

High Freakquency
1998
as Wes Thomas
A day in the life of an urban radio station.

I Got the Hook-Up
1998
as Mr. Mimm
Two broke buddies feel lucky when they come upon a truckload of cellular phones and begin selling them out of the back of their van. Trouble arises th...

Bulworth
1998
as Reverend Morris
A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecti...

Ride
1998
as Roscoe
A group of young people leave Harlem for a bus trip down to Miami. The voyage starts off with problems, but it ends up becoming a learning experience,...

Fakin' Da Funk
1997
as Bill
Chinese kid Julian, who was adopted by the black family of Joe and Annabelle Lee -- and Asian exchange student May-Ling, who is housed with a black fa...

Sprung
1997
as Detective
Two pairs of best friends - Montel & Clyde and Brandy & Adina meet at the party, where Clyde makes Adina think he is very rich and gets her in...

Vampire in Brooklyn
1995
as Silas Green
Detective Rita Veder is assigned to a baffling serial murder case. After examining the crime scene — a corpse-filled ship found adrift at sea — she me...

Friday
1995
as Mr. Jones
Craig and Smokey are two guys in Los Angeles hanging out on their porch on a Friday afternoon, smoking and drinking, looking for something to do.

Cosmic Slop
1994
as Homeless Man #1 (segment 'The First Commandment')
In the tradition of The Twilight Zone, this bizarre, thought-provoking trilogy addresses the destiny of the world's minorities: Part I: A conservative...

Fatal Instinct
1993
as Arch
Ned Ravine is a police officer and lawyer who occasionally defends the delinquents he arrests. He crosses paths with seductive Lola Cain during an ass...

The Meteor Man
1993
as Clarence James Carter III
One night Jefferson Reed gets hit in the chest by a souped-up chunk of meteor. So he can fly, but he's scared of heights. He can master the informatio...

Bebe's Kids
1992
as Card Player #1 (voice)
When Robin meets the lovely Jamika he thinks he's in heaven. But when he meets her friend Bebe's children, whom she is looking after, he knows he's in...

Boomerang
1992
as Mr. Jackson
Marcus is a successful advertising executive who woos and beds women almost at will. After a company merger he finds that his new boss, the ravishing ...

Killer Tomatoes Strike Back!
1991
as Evan Rood
Police assitant Boyle along with tomatologist Kennedi Johnson look into investigations about Killer Tomato attacks, and discover Gangrene plans to bra...

Talkin' Dirty After Dark
1991
as Dukie
Terry is an up and coming comedian, but believes politics will get him the big breaks and more time at the popular Dukie's Comedy Club. Just so happen...

Sunday in Paris
1991
as Fredic Dickson
A pilot for an unsold NBC series. A single woman with three children realizes that her family has lost sight of their values and gives up her career a...

The Five Heartbeats
1991
as Wild Rudy
In the early 1960s, a quintet of hopeful, young African-American men form an amateur vocal group called The Five Heartbeats. After an initially rocky ...

House Party
1990
as Mr. Strickland
Young Kid has been invited to a party at his friend Play's house. But after a fight at school, Kid's father grounds him. None the less, Kid sneaks out...

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...

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka
1988
as Reverend
Jack Spade returns from the army in his old ghetto neighbourhood when his brother, June Bug, dies. Jack declares war on Mr. Big, powerful local crimel...

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...

Kidnapped
1988
as Pimp
A woman's sister is kidnapped on her 16th Birthday and forced into filming pornography. A policeman helps the woman rescue her teenage sister from the...

Bird
1988
as Sid
Saxophone player Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker comes to New York in 1940 and is quickly noticed for his remarkable way of playing. He becomes a drug addict bu...

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 Mr. Jones
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...

Ratboy
1986
as Heavy
A failed window dresser exploits a being with rat-like features in an effort to make money.

The Jazz Singer
1980
as M.C. Cinderella Club
A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer.

Last Friday
N/A
as Willie Jones (Archived Footage)
The fourth and final installment in the 'Friday' franchise.