Curtis Baldwin: Catching up with Calvin Dobbs from 227

227 Calvin Dobbs

Curtis Baldwin portrayed Calvin Dobbs who was the grandson of Pearl Shay (Helen Martin) on the television series 227. The sitcom ran on NBC from September 1985- May 1990 and was about the daily lives of a group of people living in a Chicago apartment complex. The star of the show was Marla Gibbs as Mary Jenkins, who had gained fame as Florence the maid on The Jeffersons. Mary's husband Lester (Hal Williams), their daughter Brenda (Regina King), landlady Rose Halloway (Alaina Reed Hall), and neighbor Sandra Clark (Jackée Harry) were also regulars.

Calvin was Brenda’s for quite a while and eventually, the two began dating. His grandma Pearl was strick but loving in her attempts to keep the teen on the straight and narrow. After “227” wrapped up it's 5 year run Baldwin went on to roles in several other successful black sitcoms. In 1990 he starred on Family Matters as a Football Player and in 1996 he appeared in an episode of Moesha. He did A Black Lady Sketch Show in 2019 and in 2021 he was a guest as himself on the Podcast.

Curtis Baldwin facts

Curtis Lee Baldwin was born in LA on November 25, 1967 and depending on where you read information about his 227 character you may find him listed as Cavin Dobbs, or Calvin Jenkins but both are incorrect. Calvin's last name was Dobbs. There are websites that say he is married with as many as 6 children but I found no confirmation.

He is now a msucian who goes by RahRizo and RahRizo production credits include “Know Your Type” by Roscoe Dash and“Volunteer” by Eric Bellinger. In September 2021 he began working on Shoot the Pitch and Roll the Clip for the Tubi streaming service. In the followingn video Baldwin is talking with a young boy who he refers to as his son.

225 Ther's no placce like home

On the first season of 227 both Baldwin and his on screen granny Helen Martin had only been recurring stars, but appeared in nearly every episode. In the opening credits for Season 2, Martin and Baldwin shared a title card, meaning that in the opening credits they were shown together as thei rnames flashed on the screne. This indicated they were official full-time cast members.

On daytime drama shows, the soap fans pay close attention to which characters are added to or removed from the opening credits as it is often and indicator of their status being recurring or on contract. For seasons 3 and 5 of 227 Martin had her own title card while Baldwin and Regina King were shown together as their names appeared.

227 and beyond

Looking back on Calvin and Brenda during the run of 227 they were innocent and well mannered teenagers and the issues they dealt with seem so trivial considering what is broadcast on television in our current era. The princi0ple cast of the popular sitcom has done well since the series ended. Regina King has had the most noteriety and has been in movies like Boys in the Hood, The Harder tThey Fall and How Stella Got Her Groove Back. She has won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards.

Jackee Harry and Marla Gibbs each have an amazing resume of roles and are both currently characters on Days of Our Lives on NBC. Hal Williams went on to Magnum PI, Hill Street Blues, and The Sinbad Show. His last credit was A Black Lady Sketch Show in 2019.

Helen Martin passed away in March of 2000 but had many television and movie roles after 227. These include Don't Be a Menace to Society While Drinking Juiee in the Hood, The Flash, A Rage in Harlem, and House Party 2. Best of luck to Curtis Baldwin in his future endeavors but for many he will always remain Calvin Dobbs. 227 can currently be streamed on Tubi Tv but also check your local listings.