Austin Stoker

Austin Stoker (October 7, 1930 – October 7, 2022) was a Trinidadian‑American actor whose career spanned nearly seven decades, making him a memorable presence in both blaxploitation cinema and mainstream Hollywood action films. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Stoker began his performing journey on the stage, notably appearing in the 1954 Broadway production of Truman Capote’s House of Flowers, where he met his future wife, actress Enid Mosier, who worked under the name Vivian Bonnell. After relocating to the United States, he transitioned to screen work, quickly becoming a reliable figure in genre pictures of the 1970s, often cast as a police detective or authoritative figure. His early film credits include Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) and Horror High (1974), but the role that cemented his legacy was that of Lieutenant Ethan Bishop in John Carpenter’s gritty thriller Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), a rare heroic lead for a Black actor outside the blaxploitation framework. Beyond that iconic performance, Stoker delivered memorable turns in Abby (1974), Sheba, Baby (1975) opposite Pam Grier, and the television miniseries Roots (1977), showcasing his versatility across drama, action, and horror. In the 1980s he appeared as Dr. Ken Melrose in the cult B‑movie Time Walker, a role later celebrated by Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans. Stoker continued acting into the 21st century, taking parts in independent projects such as Give Till It Hurts (2015) and 3 from Hell (2019), demonstrating an enduring passion for his craft. He passed away from renal failure at Cedars‑Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on his 92nd birthday, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both the challenges and breakthroughs of Black actors in American cinema.