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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Joan Greenwood to James Handy
Robert Guillaume Biography (1927?-)
Born November 30, 1927 (some sources say 1937), in St. Louis, MO; married Marlene Williams (divorced, 1983); married Donna Brown (a television producer),1984; children: (first marriage) two sons, one other child; (second marriage)Rachel.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor, producer, director, song performer
- Birth Details
- November 30, 1927?
- St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Stage Appearances
- (Broadway debut) Ako, Kwamina, Fifty-Fourth Street Theatre, New York City, 1961
- Carl, Fly Blackbird, Mayfair Theatre, New York City, 1962
- Ensemble, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Village Gate Theatre, New York City, 1968, then Charles Playhouse, Boston, MA, 1969-70
- Frankie, No Place to Be Somebody, Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1969-70
- Karl, The Life and Times of J. Walter Smintheus, Theatre de Lys, New York City, 1970
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Fire in the Mindhouse, Center Stage, Baltimore, MD, 1970-71
- Allan, Charlie Was Here and Now He's Gone, Eastside Playhouse,New York City, 1971
- Title role, Purlie, Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, then BillyRose Theatre, New York City, 1972
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Benito Cereno, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1975-76
- Marshall, Apple Pie, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public/Anspacher Theatre, New York City, 1976
- Nathan Detroit, Guys and Dolls, Broadway Theatre, New York City, 1976
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Don Juan, Goodman Theatre, 1977
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Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982
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Cabaret, Riverside Resort, Las Vegas, NV, 1987
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Cyrano--The Musical, Broadway production, 1994
- Made stage debut as Billy Bigelow, Carousel; also appeared as title role, Phantom of the Opera; in Golden Boy, New York City; inTambourines to Glory, New York City; in Finian's Rainbow, New York City; in Music! Music!, New York City; in Othello, NewYork City; in Porgy and Bess, New York City; and in Miracle Play, New York City.
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Film Appearances
- Jordan Gaines, Super Fly T.N.T., Paramount, 1973
- Fred, Seems Like Old Times (also known as Neil Simon's Seems Like Old Times), Columbia, 1980
- Martin Luther King, Prince Jack, Castle Hill, 1985
- V.A. Officer, They Still Call Me Bruce, Shapiro/Jihee Productions,1987
- Philmore Walker, Wanted: Dead or Alive, New World Pictures, 1987
- Dr. Frank Napier, Lean on Me, Warner Bros., 1989
- Hawkins, Death Warrant, 1990
- Mr. Reed, The Meteor Man, 1993
- Voice of Rafiki, The Lion King (animated), 1994
- Agent Steve Bishop, Spy Hard, Buena Vista, 1996
- Wilkes, First Kid, Buena Vista, 1996
- Voice of Rafiki, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (animated), Buena Vista Home Video, 1998
- Voice, The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina (animated), Miramax, 2000
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Television Appearances
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Series
- Benson, Soap, ABC, 1977-79
- Benson Dubois (title role), Benson, ABC, 1979-86
- Dr. Edward Sawyer, The Robert Guillaume Show, ABC, 1989
- Detective Bob Ballard, Pacific Station, 1991
- Voice of Detective Catfish, Fish Police (animated), 1992
- Voice of Rafiki, The Lion King's Timon & Pumbaa (animated), The Disney Channel, 1995
- Isaac Jaffe, Sports Night, ABC, 1998-2000
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Movies
- Larry Cooper, The Kid from Left Field, NBC, 1979
- Blake, The Kid with the Broken Halo, NBC, 1982
- Professor Mills, The Kid with the 200 I.Q., NBC, 1983
- Harlan Wade, Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel, NBC, 1987
- Carter Guthrie, Fire and Rain, USA, 1989
- Eugene St. Clair, The Penthouse, ABC, 1989
- Uncle Buddy/W B Jackson, You Must Remember This, 1992
- Congressman Sydley Sellers, Mastergate, 1992
- Robert "Maximum Bob" Smith, Greyhounds, CBS, 1994
- Reverend Devers, Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story, Showtime, 1996
- Rob Barnes, Panic in the Skies!, The Family Channel, 1996
- Merlin, Crystal Cave (also known as The Crystal Cave: Lessons from the Teachings of Merlin), 1996
- Merlin, Alchemy, 1996
- Mr. Gower and Mr. Martini, Merry Christmas, George Bailey, PBS, 1997
- Garrett, His Bodyguard (also known as Silent Echoes), USA Network, 1998
- Narrator, The Happy Prince, 1999
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Miniseries
- Frederick Douglass, North and South, ABC, 1985
- Jolson Mossburger, A Good Day to Die (also known as Children ofthe Dust), CBS, 1995
- Ambassador Lee Lancaster, Pandora's Clock (also known as Doomsday Virus), NBC, 1996
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Specials
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Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin, NBC, 1972
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ABC's Silver Anniversary Celebration--25 and Still the One, ABC, 1978
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Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Jack Klugman, NBC, 1978
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Rich Little's Washington Follies, ABC, 1978
- Benson, Soap Retrospective II, ABC, 1978
- Presenter, The Tony Awards, CBS, 1978
- The Singer, Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope in the Star-Makers, NBC, 1980
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The Donna Summer Special, ABC, 1980
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Hal Linden's Big Apple, ABC, 1980
- Host, Magic with the Stars, NBC, 1982
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Texaco Star Theater: Opening Night, NBC, 1982
- Host, The World's Funniest Commercial Goofs, ABC, 1983
- Title role, Purlie, PBS, 1983
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The 38th Annual Tony Awards, ABC, 1985
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Life's Most Embarrassing Moments, 1985
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The 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1985
- Host, The World's Funniest Commercial Goofs, ABC, 1985
- Host, Passion and Memory, PBS, 1986
- Title role, John Grin's Christmas (also known as Christmas), ABC, 1986
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We the People 200: The Constitutional Gala, CBS, 1987
- "The Music Makers: An ASCAP Celebration of American Music at Wolf Trap,"Great Performances, PBS, 1987
- Host, Living the Dream: A Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, syndicated, 1988
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The Debbie Allen Special, ABC, 1989
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The 15th Annual People's Choice Awards, 1989
- Host, SST: Screen, Stage, Television, ABC, 1989
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The 22nd Annual NAACP Image Awards, syndicated, 1990
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Motown 30: What's Goin' On!, 1990
- Host, Disney's Great American Celebration, 1991
- Himself, Great American Celebration, 1991
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Story of a People: Expressions in Black, 1991
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The Dream Is Alive: The 20th Anniversary Celebration of Walt Disney World, 1991
- Hoke Coleburn, Driving Miss Daisy, 1992
- Host, In a New Light, 1992
- Gleason Golightly, "Space Traders," Cosmic Slop, HBO, 1994
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Cincinnati Pops Holiday: Erich Kunzel's Halloween Spooktacular, PBS, 1996
- Narrator, Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special, HBO, 1997
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Shari's Passover Surprise, PBS, 1997
- Host, The Sixth Annual Trumpet Awards, 1998
- Presenter, The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1999
- Narrator, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: An Animated Special from the"Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 1999
- Narrator, Bremen Town Musicians: An Animated Special from the "HappilyEver After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 1999
- Narrator, Empress's Nightingale: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 1999
- Narrator, Happy Prince: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 1999
- Narrator, Henny Penny: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 1999
- Presenter, Thirteenth Annual Genesis Awards, 1999
- Narrator, Three Little Pigs: From the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Talesfor Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 1999
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The 31st Annual NAACP Image Awards, 2000
- Narrator, Aesop's Fables: A Whodunit Musical: An Animated Specialfrom the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Presenter, Essence Awards 2000, 2000
- Narrator, Frog Princess: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Narrator, The Princess and the Pauper: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Narrator, Rip Van Winkle: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Narrator, The Robinita Hood: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Narrator, Snow Queen: An Animated Special from the "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Narrator, Steadfast Tin Soldier: An Animated Special from the "HappilyEver After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" Series (animated), HBO, 2000
- Also appeared in Mel and Susan Together.
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Pilots
- Host, It Hurts Only When You Laugh, NBC, 1983
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Episodic
- "The Wheel Deal," Julia, 1969
- Carothers, "The Soft Phase of Peace," Marcus Welby, M.D., 1970
- Fred's lawyer, "Steinberg and Son," Sanford & Son, 1975
- Dr. Franklin, "Chain Letter," All in the Family, 1975
- Charles Thompson, "George Won't Talk," The Jeffersons, 1975
- Fishbone, "Requiem for a Wino," Good Times, 1977
- Frank Stoner, Hotel, ABC, 1986
- Leon, Sister Kate, ABC, 1989
- Sam, Carol & Company, NBC, 1990
- Dean Winston, "To Be Continued," A Different World, NBC, 1991
- Dean Winston, "Never Can Say Goodbye," A Different World, NBC, 1991
- Kenneth Rollins, "Diet, Diet My Darling," L.A. Law, 1992
- Professor Murphy, "Really Gross Anatomy," A Different World, NBC,1992
- Ted Sill, Jack's Place, 1992
- Father Morrissey, "Miracle Cure," Diagnosis Murder, CBS, 1993
- Dr. Arthur Hemmings, "A Question of Ethics," Saved by the Bell: The College Years, NBC, 1993
- Eugene Sayers, "Who Killed the Fashion King?," Burke's Law, CBS, 1994
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Storytime, PBS, 1994
- Mr. Pete Fletcher, "You'd Better Shop Around," The Fresh Prince ofBel-Air, NBC, 1994
- Professor Bernard Slater, "Porky's Revenge," Sparks, UPN, 1996
- Martin Woolridge, "Christmas," Promised Land, CBS, 1996
- Dr. Baxter, Goode Behavior, 1997
- Judge Dawes, "Jones vs. God," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997
- Arthur, Dee's father, "All This and Turkey, Too," Moesha, UPN,2000
- Also appeared in Dinah and Jim Nabors' Show.
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Television Executive Producer
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Series
- Executive producer, The Robert Guillaume Show, ABC, 1989
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Movies
- (With Phil Margo) The Kid with the 200 I.Q., NBC, 1983
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The Fantastic World of D. C. Collins, 1984
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Television Work
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Specials
- Executive producer and director, John Grin's Christmas (also known as Christmas), ABC, 1986
- "The Music Makers: An ASCAP Celebration of American Music at Wolf Trap,"Great Performances, PBS, 1987
- Co-executive producer, SST: Screen, Stage, Television, ABC, 1989
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RECORDINGS
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Taped Readings
- (With Christopher Noth) Kiss the Girls, Time Warner AudioBook, 1995
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Periodicals
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Jet, October 11, 1999, p. 32; December 11, 2000, p. 30.
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People Weekly, October 11, 1999, p. 77.
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TV Guide, March 27, 1999.
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