Danny Glover ( GLUV-ər; born July 22, 1946) is an American actor, producer, and political activist. Over his career he has received numerous accolades including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the NAACP's President's Award, as well as nominations for five Emmy Awards and four Grammy Awards. Glover made his film acting debut in Escape from Alcatraz in 1979. He rose to fame in the late 1980s for playing Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon film series. Glover's other notable films include Places in the Heart (1984), The Color Purple (1985), Witness (1985), To Sleep with Anger (1990), Grand Canyon (1991), Bopha! (1993), Angels in the Outfield (1994), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Saw (2004), Dreamgirls (2006), Shooter (2007), 2012 (2009), Death at a Funeral (2010), Beyond the Lights (2014), Sorry to Bother You (2018), and The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019). He is known for his work in television, receiving four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his roles as Nelson Mandela in the HBO television film Mandela (1987), Joshua Deets in CBS western miniseries Lonesome Dove (1989), Philip Marlowe in the Showtime neo-noir series Fallen Angels (1995), and Will Walker in TNT biographical film Freedom Song (2000). He had recurring roles in Hill Street Blues, ER, and Brothers & Sisters. Glover is also an active supporter of various political causes. He is a member the TransAfrica Forum, and the Center for Economic and Policy Research. For his political work he was awarded the Cuban National Medal of Friendship by the Cuban Council of State.