TY GRANDERSON JONES

Photo by Michal Pasco

Biography

Ty Granderson Jones is the protégé of the late American director of legit theatre, Alan Schneider, and a former student of the late Lee Strasberg.  After studying theatre as an undergraduate at Florida State University and Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Ty was chosen to workshop a "Relaxation in Acting" Lab with Mr. Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York City.  While doing off-off Broadway theatre, Ty was discovered by Mr. Schneider and was selected to workshop an ethnic version of Samuel Beckett's WAITING for GODOT.  At that time, Ty continued to work with Mr. Schneider at UCSD in La Jolla, receiving an MFA in Acting, with a full fellowship.

Mr. Jones' professional credits on stage include the Los Angeles premiere of BUFFALO SOLDIER, earning him a 1995 NAACP Theatre award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, the Los Angeles premiere of August Wilson's JOE TURNER'S COME and GONE with Mr. Roscoe Lee Browne, the West coast premiere of BALM in GILEAD, the 20TH anniversary of CEREMONIES in DARK OLD MEN, THE SCHOOL  for SCANDAL at the Tony award winning South Coast rep, and ROUNDS for which he received the 1987 NAACP Theatre award for Best Supporting Actor.

His film credits include the Touchstone action picture from Jerry Bruckheimer, CON AIR, with Nicolas Cage and John Malkovich, co-starring in the #1 box office comedy, CB4 with Chris Rock, from Universal Pictures, Warners Brothers' GOING UNDER! co-starring with Bill Pullman, Oliver Stones' Oscar nominated SALVADOR, and HARLEM NIGHTS with Eddie Murphy.

Ty is also a noted poet, and occasionally performs original works with his spoken word band, featuring John Densmore of The Doors, on drums.  One of his most acclaimed poems is AMERICAN PLAYHOUSE (abbreviated  version) .

Ty has his own production company Creole Celina Films.

Ty was recently seen on stage in B.K. Willerford's stage production  "NIGGAS with ATTITUDES...and BIG GUNS." : For which he was nominated for the 2000 ADA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama.

He's a former amateur boxer, and an accomplished horseman (western).

The love of his life is God, family, and his Alapaha Bulldog, "Apache."

You can reach Ty via email at tygrandjones@hotmail.com

This site was last updated: January 02, 2001