Al Freeman Jr. News

African-American actor of Broadway, the small and silver screen, Al Freeman Jr. passed on August 9, 2012.

Albert Freeman Jr., the veteran actor who played Elijah Muhammad in Spike Lee's epic film, "Malcolm X," has died.

Actor, director, and professor Al Freeman Jr. died on Friday at the age of 78. He's best known for his portrayal of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad in Spike Lee's 1992 film, Malcolm X. But many may not know that he was the first African-American to win a Daytime Emmy Award.

Besides cutting out performances by The Kinks' Ray Davies and Muse's Matt Bradley, the network postponed the end of the closing ceremony -- featuring The Who -- to air the debut of a crappy new sitcom, "Animal Practice," and the local news.

Also in Monday morning's round-up of news briefs, Red Hook Summer and 2 Days In New York lead an unspectacular weekend in the specialty box office.