Ken Sagoes was born in Stockbridge, Georgia and raised in Atlanta. He is a former staff writer with Paramount Television. Ken wrote Disney Channel’s Original Movie of the Week, “On Promised Land,” which received five CableAce nominations, earning him Best Family Screenwriter in addition to being a Humanitas finalist. The film starred Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner, Joan Plowright and was directed by Oscar-nominated (screenwriter-director), Joan Tewkesbury. Sagoes received rave reviews for
his stage plays, “Zora and Paul,” (a fictional conversation between Zora Neal Houston and Paul Robeson) and “Seven Maids from Stockbridge,” for which he was presented a special Commendation from Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia. Recently, Sagoes was contracted by Legacy Entertainment in New York to write The Bessie Coleman Story. His second short film, The McHenry Trial – Don’t Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie, which he wrote and directed, started Loretta Devine. The McHenry Trial is the story of a 14- year-old who passed the bar and defended his father. It received more than 100 awards, including “Best Director and Best Writer.”

Sagoes made his directorial debut in the self-written short film, “A Long Wait Home,” starring Bill Cobbs and the Late Tommy Ford. His second directing piece is entitled, “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow.” It was inspired by the Late Ossie Davis and stars one of Hollywood’s most sought-after young actors, Lance Gross, and two-time Tony Award nominee and Emmy nominee, Dick Anthony Williams.

Sagoes became nationally known for the role of ‘Kincaid’ in A Nightmare on Elm Street, III & IV, (Making him the first African-American to survive an international horror film and return for a sequel). He also became wildly known as the lovable ‘Big Baby’ in John Singleton’s “Rosewood.” Some of his other television appearances have been, “Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “‘Til Death,” “The District,” “The Bernie Mac Show,” “Martin,” and “The Parkers”. He received an NAACP Theatre and Los Angeles Critic Award nomination for Ted Lange’s “George Washington’s Boy,” an ADA Los Angeles Valley Award for his role in “National Pasttime: The Jackie Robinson Story,” and a Los Angeles Theater Award as well as a Maddy Critic Award for his role in “Meet Me at The Oak.”

In 1997, Sagoes founded the Los Angeles based non-profit organization, GBC-Giving Back Corporation. GBC pays homage to living entertainment pioneers and provides ‘Books and Supplies’ scholarships for college-bound students. A few of the pioneers Sagoes has honored are Ruby Dee, Bill Duke, Della Reese, Brock Peters, Marla Gibbs, and Ben Vereen. GBC has supported more than 1000 youth with higher education scholarships across the country, sent youth to summer camp, and helped more than two thousand youth in various classrooms. For every film or television appearance he has made, or writing project he has sold, Sagoes, every year, since 1997, has made sure someone’s child has received help for their educational needs. Sagoes has been acknowledged by Governors in Georgia, New York, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, California, North Carolina, over one hundred members of Congress in various states, as well as Dr. Maya Angelou and former President Bill Clinton for his humanitarian work and giving-back to the communities across the country. Former Governor Gray Davis of California proclaimed the 25th Day of April 1999 as ‘Ken Sagoes’ Day,’ and received the Los Angeles County of
Probation leadership award.