Terry Carter, best known for his roles as Colonel Tigh in the original Battlestar Galactica, and as Sgt. Joe Broadhurst on TV series McCloud, died Tuesday at his home in New York City, his son confirmed to The New York Times. He was 95.
A native of Brooklyn, NY, Carter broke color barriers from the beginning of his decades-long career. Carter was one of the first Black actors as a regular on a TV sitcom series, in the role of Private Sugarman on The Phil Silvers Show. He appeared in 92 episodes on the show from 1955-1959. Nine years later, he was credited with becoming New England’s first Black TV anchor newscaster, for WBZ-TV Eyewitness News in Boston, as well as the station’s drama and movie critic, from 1965 to 1968.
His first major Hollywood role was as Detective Jaffie in the TV movie Company of Killers, but his most prominent television roles came in the 1970s, beginning with his portrayal of Sergeant Joe Broadhurst in the detective series McCloud from 1970 to 1977. He is best known internationally for his co-starring role as Colonel Tigh, second-in-command of the starship fleet in ABC’s original sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica in 1978-79. He also reprised the role in the 1978 Battlestar Galactica film, written by Glen A. Larson and directed by Richard A. Colla.
In 1980, Carter was elected to the Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, where he served two terms. Three years later, he was inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, where he served on the Documentary Committee and the Foreign Films Committee for the Oscars. In 1985, Carter received a Los Angeles Emmy Award for K*I*D*S, a TV miniseries he created, produced and directed, about a multi-racial group of teenagers struggling to cope with some of the adult-sized conflicts confronting youth in America at the time.
He later produced and directed Jazz Masters, a series of video portraits of twelve great jazz artists for TV2 Denmark. In 1988, Carter produced and directed the award-winning, Emmy-nominated TV musical documentary A Duke Named Ellington about the life and work of pianist, composer, bandleader and jazz legend Duke Ellington.
He is survived by his wife Etaferhu Zenebe-DeCoste, his two children, Mrs. Zenebe-DeCoste’s daughter, a granddaughter, and many cousins. Twice widowed, he was preceded in death by his late wives Anna DeCoste (1964–1990) and Beate Glatved DeCoste (1991–2006).
A private family memorial has been planned, according to his website.
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