Shawn Michael Howard Movies and Career Information

Shawn Michael Howard (born July 31, 1969) is an American film and television actor. Howard was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Olivia C. and Frank Howard, Jr. Shawn moved to Manhattan at age 19 to study acting at New York University. He began working off-Broadway while still in school, in Mac Wellman's Crowbar, which won the obie for Best Play. He worked in character roles on episodic television in New York, and his first film role came opposite Tupac Shakur in Above the Rim. In 1994 he moved to Hollywood and appeared in the independent feature Ritual in 2000. A succession of recurring television roles led to his breakthrough role as Russell on the NBC sitcom The Single Guy in 1995. He also voiced a character named Smokey on The PJs.