LaMarcus Tinker

LaMarcus Tinker (born October 24, 1990) is an American actor, producer and director. He is best known for his roles as teenage football star Dallas Tinker on the NBC and Direct TV television drama Friday Night Lights, and as Kevin on the ABC comedy Cougar Town. He appeared as the recurring character Shane on the third season of the Fox television show Glee. Early life and education Born in Houston, Tinker became interested in theatre during middle school. He later attended the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, where he also continued his activities in theater. He graduated as class salutatorian from NBCA Academy. Tinker received a full academic scholarship to the University of Texas at Arlington, where he studied English. Acting career Television Tinker joined the cast of Friday Night Lights in September 2009 playing Dallas Tinker, a small town football player. He had initially gone to the shoot to support two of his friends who had landed work as extras on the show, taking the bus with them from Houston to Austin. He met the show's executive producer, Peter Berg, who was directing the episode being filmed, and unexpectedly found himself acting in a scene with two of the show's regulars. The series was filmed using three cameras, without rehearsal and without extensive blocking, and Tinker later recalled, "It was cameras up, let's go. I did it, and he liked it." Two days later, the plans for the show's fourth season were being adjusted to include a new character, Dallas. He was a recurring character for that season, and for the final, fifth one.