Windell Middlebrooks

Windell Middlebrooks
Middlebrooks in a Miller High Life beer ad in 2009.
Born
Windell Dwain Middlebrooks, Jr.

(1979-01-08)January 8, 1979
DiedMarch 9, 2015(2015-03-09) (aged 36)
Other namesWindell D. Middlebrooks
EducationSterling College
OccupationActor
Years active2005–2015

Windell Dwain Middlebrooks, Jr. (January 8, 1979 – March 9, 2015) was an American actor and singer. Most famous as a TV pitchman for Miller High Life beer, Middlebrooks also starred in The Suite Life on Deck and Body of Proof.

Early life

Middlebrooks was born on January 8, 1979,[1] in Fort Worth, Texas.[2] He was an alumnus of Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Theatre/Communications,[3] the Los Angeles Film Studies Center, and University of California, Irvine, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in acting in 2004.[3]

Career

For one season, he worked at the famed Texas Musical Drama, near Canyon, Texas. He started as a hospitality employee, yet he would go on to have a successful acting career on the stage and screen. Middlebrooks worked on The Suite Life on Deck, Hannah Montana, My Name is Earl, and Chocolate News. He is best known for his Miller High Life beer ads, playing a deliveryman who, if he considers the situation to be adverse to "the high life" (such as an expensive restaurant or a skybox at a baseball game), will confiscate all the Miller High Life from the location. He appeared in HBO's Entourage and portrayed a recurring character in the ninth season of Scrubs.[4]

Middlebrooks was a guest on Adam Carolla's podcast on April 2, 2009. He also appeared on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as a character who marries a transgender ex-love of Mac and has a child with her, of which Dee is the surrogate mother. He appeared as a regular cast member in the medical/procedural drama television series Body of Proof, playing an assistant coroner. The show premiered on ABC in March 2011 and ended in May 2013.[5]

Personal life

Middlebrooks was awarded the Chancellor's Club Fellowship at University of California, Irvine.[citation needed]

He was a Christian.[6][non-primary source needed][7][8]

Death

On March 9, 2015, Middlebrooks was found unconscious at his home in the San Fernando Valley, pronounced dead on arrival at a Los Angeles hospital. An autopsy revealed that he suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism. One or more arteries in his lungs had become blocked by a blood clot. Middlebrooks was 36 years old.[9][10]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Weekends at the DL Reggie Shanks / Mohammed 2 episodes
The Bernie Mac Show Boogie Episode: "Pop Pop Goes the Weasel"
2006 Julie Reno: Bounty Hunter Windelle Pilot episode
All of Us Sugar Scoops Ice Cream Man Episode: "Pretty Woman"
2007 My Name is Earl Landlord Episode: "Kept a Guy Locked in a Truck"
Veronica Mars Big Scary Man / Happy Episode: "Poughkeepsie, Tramps and Thieves"
Hannah Montana Plumber Episode: "You Gotta Not Fight for Your Right to Party"
Entourage Delivery Guy Episode: "Gary's Desk"
2008 Chocolate News Black Ice 2 episodes
ER Arnie Episode: "Let It Snow"
2009 Ace in the Hole Don Braxton TV movie
Miss March Bouncer No. 1 Movie
Parks and Recreation Brian Episode: "Boys' Club"
Enlightened! Free Bird Short
2009–2010 Scrubs Captain Duncook 6 episodes
2010 Cougar Town Gerald Episode: "Everything Man"
2008–2010 The Suite Life on Deck Kirby Morris 10 episodes (season 1–3)
2010 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Nick 2 episodes
2012 Body of Proof: The Musical Curtis Brumfield Short
2011–2013 Body of Proof Curtis Brumfield Main cast, 42 episodes
2013 TMI Hollywood Host/Various 1 episode
2014 The Mason Twins Chance TV movie
Mighty Med Mr. Patterson / Agent Blaylock 2 episodes
2015 Blunt Talk Terrence Hibert Episode: "A Beaver That's Lost Its Mind"
2015 Road Hard Reggie Movie (Premiered three days before his death)

References

  1. ^ "UPI Almanac for Monday, Jan. 8, 2018". United Press International. January 8, 2018. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2019. …actor Windell Middlebrooks in 1979
  2. ^ Texas Births, 1926–1995, He went to Trimble Technical High school Windell Dwain Middlebrooks, Jr.
  3. ^ a b "Windell D. Middlebrooks". windelldmiddlebrooks.com. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  4. ^ "Listings – TheFutonCritic.com – The Web's Best Television Resource". thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  5. ^ "ABC Adds "Body of Proof," "Off the Map" to Roster". The Futon Critic. May 14, 2010. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
  6. ^ "Windell Middle Brooks".
  7. ^ "windell4real". Archived from the original on December 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Windell Middlebrooks [@Windell4Real] (April 1, 2013). "Happy Easter Everybody! JESUS GOT UP!!! :)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "How Did Windell Middlebrooks Die?". July 28, 2020.
  10. ^ ""The Suite Life of Zac and Cody" Stars Take to Twitter to Mourn the Loss of Beloved Costar". March 11, 2015.