Back home with Harry Lennix

November 29, 2005 (WLS) -- You may know him from the Commander In Chief, but there is a lot you may not know about Harry Lennix. He came back home to Chicago and ABC7's Cheryl Burton spent some time the actor.

Harry Lennix plays Jim Gardner, the loyal yet mysterious chief of staff to the president, in the highest rated new show of the season. This is first television series for Lennix, a challenge this thespian says is the most difficult medium he has ever done.

Lennix has more than 42 films to his credit, including Ray, the Matrix series and The Five Heartbeats.

The road to stardom began on the South Side where Lennix grew up in a strict Catholic home. He attended Quigley South Seminary School with aspirations of becoming a priest.

"There are times I regret not being a priest and times i think would have been better served and would have Ben a greater service and i think that the point in m life to be service of something or someone," said Lennix.

A performance during his sophomore year in Guys and Dolls set Lennix on a very different course.

"I played Benni Southshoot. People who saw the play said, 'this kid has ability,'" said Lennix.

A self taught pianist since the age of 15, Lennix believes he inherited his music talent from his late father.

Lennix was in dozens of performances around the city after graduating from Northwestern, but it was at the Goodman Theater where his budding career went to the next level.

"When you have a venue like the Goodman, which is our Broadway, the theaters don't get bigger than this in the Midwest. We obviously have a great physical plant," said Lennix.

Lennix took me back to where it all began and ran into some colleagues at his old stomping grounds. Lennix supported his dream and ambition by working as a teacher at Bass Elementary. Lennix said teaching music was the role of a lifetime.

"A phrase you might not say that could make a difference in someone's entire life there is nothing more important than that," said Lennix.

This former educator was so moved by these students during our visit he made them a promise.

"I will make sure that you go to college whether I pay for it or you get some help," said Lennix. "It makes me feel great because I left something behind. Somehow the people who are continuing this most important of torches then maybe I contributed just a little bit," said Lennix.

Kennith Bloodsaw was in second grade when Lennix encouraged him to pick up an instrument. He's now a junior in the marching band with a scholarship at the University of Arkanasas.

"He influenced me on the music to leave and do the acting thing he never left bass," said Lennix.

In his spare time Lennix is almost always home with family and friends.

"Wherever your mother lives that home and Chicago is my home," said Lennix.

Lennix says he was planning to run for the Illinois senate in 2010 but says he is no longer interested. Ironically, he says he is often mistaken for Senator Barack Obama.

Lennix is working on a short film about steroid use with friend and Northwestern classmate David Schwimer.

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