Danny Glover

Daniel Lebern Glover was born on July 22, 1946 in San Francisco, California, in the United States of America. His father James Glover, and his mother, Carrie Glover (née Hunley), were both postal workers. Both his parents were active members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), working to advance equal rights. Glover suffered with epilepsy, which led him to experience seizures for many years. He also developed a speech impediment during childhood which he worked hard to overcome.

Born a cusp under the astrological sign of Cancer, Glover shares his birthday with isolationist artist Edward Hopper, frightening actress Louise Fletcher, psychedelic funkmaster and proto-hip-hop pioneer George Clinton, and decorated wrestler and multi-time World Champion Shawn Michaels.

Writer, philosopher, theorist and filmmaker Paul Schrader, a Calvinist, was also born on July 22, 1946, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Filmmaker and satirist Albert Brooks was born the following year on July 22, 1947, in Beverly Hills, California. Glover also shares a birthday with his good friend Willem Dafoe, whom he worked with on John Milius' 'Flight Of The Intruder' (1991) and Lars Von Trier's 'Manderlay' (2005).

Glover enrolled at San Francisco State University (SFSU) in the late 1960s but he tuned in, turned on and dropped out; he was later awarded the Presidential Medal of San Francisco State University for his service to education as a stimulating force. He took a job as a council administrator and studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater. The more he performed, the more he found himself becoming absorbed into the world of theatre.

Glover joined the Shelton Studios theatre company, where actors Howard Hesseman (of the San Francisco-based improvisational comedy troupe The Committee) and Peter Coyote (of the San Francisco-based anarchist improvisational troupe the Diggers) were also card-carrying members. Surrounded by radicals, Glover earned a reputation for prompting civic unrest, as he took to the streets to peform impromptu poetry readings. He credits his time spent studying under acting teacher Jean Shelton as having been essential in the development of his craft.

Glover later moved to Los Angeles, California, where he co-founded the Robey Theatre Company with fellow actor Ben Guillory. The theatre was named in honour of singer Paul Robeson. In addition to his work as an actor, he's also served as a board member of the Jazz Foundation of America.