David Raynr

After acting in film and television for nearly two decades, David Raynr switched gears mid-career to become a director. He made his thespian debut as the young Scott Joplin in a 1977 television biopic. The same year, he landed a regular part on the short-lived series "James At 16" as the title character's best friend Ludwig "Sly" Hazeltine, receiving critical acclaim for his portrayal of an African-American youth who speaks in jive but comes from a stable, artistic middle-class background. Guest parts after the drama's sole season came to an end included a two-episode turn on the popular cop show "CHiPs" while more substantive roles included playing Sammy Davis Jr. in the made-for-TV "Sinatra," which was released in 1992. During the mid-'90s, Raynr began transitioning to a behind-the-scenes career, first co-producing the 1996 Martin Lawrence vehicle "A Thin Line Before Love And Hate" before receiving his first writing credit on the sitcom "Malcolm & Eddie." In 1999, Raynr made his first film, the urban sex comedy "Trippin'," following it up the next year with the teen romance "Whatever It Takes." Subsequent efforts include the 2002 stand-up concert film "Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat" and the oddball 2007 new age making-it-in-Hollywood drama "Spiritual Warriors."