Clarke Peters (born Peter Clarke; April 7, 1952) is an American actor, singer, and writer.
Born in New York City, Peters grew up in Englewood, New Jersey and graduated from Dwight Morrow High School in 1970. He earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical for writing the revue Five Guys Named Moe. As an actor, he has appeared on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh (1999), which won him the Theatre World Award, and as shady lawyer Billy Flynn in the revival of Chicago in 2000 and 2003. His West End theatre credits include Blues in the Night, Porgy and Bess, The Witches of Eastwick, and Chicago. In regional theatre he has appeared in Driving Miss Daisy, The Wiz, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Carmen Jones, and The Amen Corner.
Peters is familiar to television viewers as Detective Lester Freamon in the HBO series The Wire. His screen credits include Notting Hill, K-Pax, and Freedomland.
When not on set, Peters is an avid horseback rider. He lives in London.
He was nominated for a 1999 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for the 1998 season for Best Actor in a Musical for Chicago!
Was nominated for Broadway's 1992 Tony Award as Best Book (Musical) for "Five Guy Named Moe."
Father of Joe Jacobs (III).
