Anecdotes

Died of a heart attack 2 days before Redd Foxx (who also died of a heart attack), with whom he guest-starred on Sanford and Son (1972) episode Thalmus Rasulala (#3.17), playing the role of a man warning of heart attacks among African-Americans.

His most famous role is playing Bill Thomas, Roger and Dee's father, on the 1970's television show What's Happening!! (1976).

Died of a heart attack in October of 1991 but, ironically, appeared on the Sanford and Son (1972) episode, Fred's Cheating Heart (1974), as "the Heart Fund Man", advocating heart disease awareness among African-Americans.

Co-starred in 70s blaxploitation films as the vampire killer in Le vampire noir (1972) and in the films Touche pas aux diams (1972) and Willie Dynamite (1974).

He is referred to as "Jack Crowder" (his real name) by one of his on screen co-stars in the Andrew Davis film Opération crépuscule (1989), in which he played the Secret Service Commander.

Won a Theater World award during the 1967-1968 season playing Cornelius Hackl to Pearl Bailey's Dolly Levi in the all-black revival of "Hello, Dolly!" He was using his real name, Jack Crowder, at the time.

Attended University of Redlands.

Biological father of popular Bay Area hip hop producer One Drop Scott.

Although his birth name was Jack Crowder, upon converting to Islam he changed it to Thalmus Rasulala. His first name Thalmus is of Greek origin, meaning "to bloom, to sprout or abound" and his last name Rasulala is a variation of the Arabic Rasulullah, meaning "Prophet of God/Allah" or "Messenger of God/Allah." Rasulullah is one of the 99 names ascribed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.