Hill Harper IVY league Pedigree

How many can say, I knew President Obama when.  Frank Eugene Harper was born May 17, 1966, known professionally as Hill Harper, is an American film, television and stage actor, and author. Clearly destined for greatness, beauty and brains.  He is best known for playing Will Beckford in the 2000 film The Skulls. CBS announced that Harper will be joining the cast of Limitless. He is playing the role of Special Agent Spelman Boyle. The show started airing on CBS in the fall of 2015. The pilot aired on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.

Harper was born in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Harry Harper, a psychiatrist, and Marilyn Hill, who was one of the first black practicing anesthesiologists in the United States.  He has been acting since the age of 7. Harper graduated from Bella Vista High School in 1984. He then graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1988. In 1992 Harper graduated with a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. In addition, he also received his Master of Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.   During his years at Harvard, he was a full-time member of Boston's Black Folks Theater Company, one of the oldest and most acclaimed black theater troupes in the country.  While a student at Harvard, Harper befriended President Barack Obama. Harper and Obama met on the basketball court and became good friends during their first year as law students.

Although Harper earned three Ivy League degrees, he decided to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles. He has received honorary doctorates from both Westfield State College and Howard University. Born Francis Eugene Harper, he adopted the name "Hill" as a tribute to both his maternal and paternal ancestors.