A Creative Force: Irving H Vincent and the Family He Nurtured

Basic Information

Early Life and Roots (1925–1960s)

Born on November 4, 1925, in Alameda, California, Irving H Vincent came of age during a century of upheaval and reinvention. Public records on his childhood are sparse, but the timing alone tells a story: he entered adulthood amid World War II’s shadows, then watched American culture transform through jazz, civil rights, and the explosive growth of television. Those tides pulled many west-to-east; for Irving, they eventually led to New York City, where creativity became his compass.

By the mid-1960s, Irving’s path merged with that of Delora Sherleen Sinclair, a white astrologer and psychologist. Their partnership would become a bridge between cultures and generations, a household where art wasn’t a hobby but the family language.

Marriage, Blended Family, and Home in Greenwich Village

Before or around 1967, Irving married Delora and adopted her twin sons—Mark (later known as Vin Diesel) and Paul. The couple later welcomed two biological children, Tim and Samantha. The family put down roots in Greenwich Village, New York, an area renowned for its artist housing and unconventional energy. Think of it as a kiln: hot with ideas, shaping whatever clay you set inside it.

Irving and Delora raised four children with an emphasis on imagination and self-education. Their home encouraged performance, debate, and the discipline of craft. Vin Diesel would later point to those early days—street performances, community theater, and an ever-open stage door—as his first apprenticeship.

Work in the Arts: Instructor, Manager, Director

Irving’s professional path ran through the arteries of New York theater. He taught acting, managed theater spaces, and directed off-Broadway shows during the 1970s and 1980s, with activity connected to venues such as New Federal Theatre in Hell’s Kitchen. He also stepped into television production, reflecting a versatility that was typical of New York’s working artists—one foot on the stage, the other in the control room.

His contributions were less about credits on a marquee and more about the people he trained and supported. Young performers learned blocking and breath from him, but they also learned resilience—how to take a note, how to survive a rejection, how to deliver when it counts.

Mentoring Vin Diesel: From a Stage Door to Global Screens

Irving introduced Vin Diesel to performance at the age of seven, reportedly through local theater opportunities. That spark became a signal flare. The twins grew up watching the mechanics of a production—set calls, line runs, lighting cues—and absorbed a work ethic that transcended any one role. Vin’s later achievements as actor, producer, and director reflect a dynamic apprenticeship: one in which Irving’s steady hand and teacher’s patience shaped a global career.

Mentorship in the arts is often invisible: it’s a hand on the shoulder, a voice in the wings. Irving’s influence can be felt not just in Vin’s on-screen presence, but in his off-screen leadership and the family’s collaborative ethos.

The Vincent Children and Grandchildren

The Vincent household produced one superstar and several quiet powerhouses in their own right. Samantha Vincent, as an executive at One Race Films, has helped steer major titles and keep the family’s creative engine humming. Paul Vincent has been linked to sound work in film and keeps a notably low profile. Tim Vincent, equally private, is mentioned sparingly but is part of the same creative orbit.

Vin’s three children extend the line. Hania Riley (“Similce”), born in 2008, has grown up around sets and scripts; Vincent Sinclair, born in 2010, portrayed a young Dominic Toretto in F9; Pauline, born in 2015 and named for Paul Walker, symbolizes the family’s deep sense of remembrance and connection.

Family at a Glance

Selected Timeline

Finances and Lifestyle

Despite proximity to Hollywood’s high tide, Irving’s own financial picture has always been measured. Estimates place his net worth at $1–2 million—consistent with a long career in the arts and the modest rewards typical of teaching and off-Broadway production. It’s a portrait of a working artist who prioritized craft and family over celebrity.

Presence in Recent Mentions (2023–2025)

Irving surfaces in media most often as context for Vin Diesel’s background—a mentor-father whose early influence shaped a blockbuster career. Direct interviews or first-person features are rare. There’s no credible sign of personal social media accounts, and public updates are sparse, aligning with his preference to live away from the floodlights.

Irving’s Influence: Values that Travel

What endures are values: discipline, craftsmanship, inclusion. The home in Greenwich Village functioned as a rehearsal room for life—tables covered in scripts, children learning timing and truth, a family learning to listen. Those habits traveled with the Vincent children into producing, performing, and parenting. Irving’s imprint is not a single credit line; it’s a throughline.

FAQ

Who is Irving H Vincent?

He is an African-American acting instructor and theater manager best known as the adoptive father and mentor of actor Vin Diesel.

When and where was he born?

He was born on November 4, 1925, in Alameda, California.

Is Irving H Vincent still alive?

As of 2025, he is believed to be alive, retired, and living privately, with no confirmed reports of his passing.

What did he do professionally?

He worked in New York’s arts scene as an acting instructor, theater manager, off-Broadway director, and in television production.

How is he related to Vin Diesel?

He married Vin Diesel’s mother, Delora, and adopted Vin and his twin brother Paul, raising them as his own.

Does he have biological children?

Yes, he and Delora have two biological children: Tim Vincent and Samantha Vincent.

What is his estimated net worth?

Public estimates place his net worth in the $1–2 million range.

Does he use social media?

There is no credible evidence of a personal social media presence.