Art Evans

Acting

Arthur James “Art” Evans (March 27, 1942 - December 21, 2024) was an American actor who made multiple film and television program appearances over the span of five decades. His acting career started with Frank Silvera's Theater of Being in Los Angeles. He took a starring role in "The Amen Corner," which transferred to Broadway in 1965. His first uncredited acting performance in film was "Claudine" in 1974. His first credited role was in "Chico and the Man" as Bubba in the episode "Too Many Crooks," which aired in 1976. He is probably best known for his role as Leslie Barnes in the action 1990s film "Die Hard 2: Die Harder," in which he plays an air traffic control tower employee. Evans has also appeared in "Fright Night" and "Fright Night II," as well as many appearances in a variety of television shows such as "M*A*S*H" and "Hill Street Blues." In 1984, Evans co-starred in the all-star African-American drama "A Soldier's Story" as the memorable brown-nosing character, Wilkie. His talents for many instruments came in handy when playing Blind Lemon Jefferson in the movie "Leadbelly." Also starred in the music video for Stevie Wonder's "Go Home."