Robert Gossett Biography

The cousin of renowned actor Louis Gossett, Jr., Robert Gossett has crafted his acting career entirely on his own merits. After a childhood filled with the music, jazz in particular, Gossett joined the Gramercy Boys Club marching band and took up the clarinet, receiving coaching from jazz musicians Hamp Morton and Buddy White. Disjointed after his father died, Gossett spent a few years in danger of losing his way, until a dedicated teacher encouraged him to stick with his love of music, which led to Gossett's acceptance into the famed High School of Performing Arts. In addition to music, acting attracted Reynolds, who took part in the Everyman Street Theater headed by classic Hollywood actress Geraldine Fitzgerald. His first production after high school was "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," which led Gossett to join the Afro-American Total Theatre and the East River Players, headed by Michael Whittaker. Reynolds went on to train at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts after which he appeared in several Broadway productions, including "Raisin in the Sun," "Manhattan Made Me" and "A Soldier's Story," all performed as a member of the Negro Ensemble of New York. Reynolds began augmenting his theater appearances with guest roles on television and in 1992 scored a recurring role in "Silk Stalkings," which led to a gradual transition to the small screen including a long running stint on "The Closer" as Commander Russell Taylor. In feature films, Gossett appeared in the thrillers "The Net" and "Arlington Road."