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IMDbPro

Robert Guillaume(1927-2017)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Robert Guillaume in First Kid (1996)
An heiress who's been shut inside her apartment building for nearly two decades is forced to confront her fears after one of her neighbors is killed and a detective arrives to begin the investigation.
Play trailer2:29
Columbus Circle (2012)
33 Videos
64 Photos
Robert Peter Williams Guillaume was an actor from St. Louis, Missouri who was known for playing Rafiki from The Lion King, Benson DuBois from Soap and Benson, and Nathan Detroit from Guys and Dolls. He had five children from two marriages. He passed away in October 24, 2017 due to prostate cancer complications.
BornNovember 30, 1927
DiedOctober 24, 2017(89)
BornNovember 30, 1927
DiedOctober 24, 2017(89)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 6 wins & 18 nominations total

Photos64

Robert Guillaume in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
Cal Gibson and Robert Guillaume in Good Times (1974)
Robert Guillaume in 8 Simple Rules (2002)
Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, James Noble, and Lewis J. Stadlen in Benson (1979)
Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
Robert Guillaume and Caroline McWilliams in Benson (1979)
Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, and James Noble in Benson (1979)
Robert Guillaume and James Noble in Benson (1979)
Robert Guillaume and Inga Swenson in Benson (1979)

Known for

Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume, Caroline McWilliams, James Noble, Lewis J. Stadlen, and Inga Swenson in Benson (1979)
Benson
7.1
TV Series
  • Benson DuBois
Matthew Broderick in The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King
8.5
  • Rafiki(voice)
  • 1994
Josh Charles, Felicity Huffman, Sabrina Lloyd, Robert Guillaume, Peter Krause, and Joshua Malina in Sports Night (1998)
Sports Night
8.3
TV Series
  • Isaac Jaffe
Big Fish (2003)
Big Fish
8.0
  • Dr. Bennett (senior)
  • 2003

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actor

  • Off the Beach
    • Dr. Black
    • Short
    • 2013
  • Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious (2013)
    Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious
    • Historian
    • TV Series
    • 2013
  • Columbus Circle (2012)
    Columbus Circle
    • Howard Miles
    • 2012
  • Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom (2012)
    Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2012
  • Melissa Joan Hart, Michael Cudlitz, and Robert Guillaume in Satin (2011)
    Satin
    • Doc Bishop
    • 2011
  • Elisabeth Shue and Ted Danson in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
    • Sonny Bridges
    • TV Series
    • 2008
  • Robert Guillaume, Gavin MacLeod, Frankie Ryan Manriquez, Jansen Panettiere, Taylor Boggan, and Bailey Garno in The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry (2008)
    The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
    • Mr. Barnes
    • 2008
  • Half-Life 2: Episode Two (2007)
    Half-Life 2: Episode Two
    • Dr. Eli Vance (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2007
  • Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ (2007)
    Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
    • Rafiki (English version, voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2007
  • Half-Life 2: Episode One (2006)
    Half-Life 2: Episode One
    • Dr. Eli Vance (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2006
  • Haley Joel Osment, Wayne Allwine, Tony Anselmo, Bill Farmer, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere in Kingdom Hearts II (2005)
    Kingdom Hearts II
    • Rafiki (English version, voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2005
  • Half-Life 2 (2004)
    Half-Life 2
    • Dr. Eli Vance (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2004
  • Rafiki's Challenge
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2004
  • Century City (2004)
    Century City
    • Judge
    • TV Series
    • 2004
  • Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella in Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari 1.5 (2004)
    Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari 1.5
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • Video Game
    • 2004

Producer

  • Robert Guillaume and Wendy Phillips in The Robert Guillaume Show (1989)
    The Robert Guillaume Show
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 1989
  • John Grin's Christmas (1986)
    John Grin's Christmas
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 1986
  • The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984)
    The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 1984
  • The Kid with the 200 I.Q. (1983)
    The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
    • executive producer
    • TV Movie
    • 1983

Director

  • John Grin's Christmas (1986)
    John Grin's Christmas
    • Director
    • TV Movie
    • 1986

Videos33

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:57
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:53
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:15
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:55
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:13
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:04
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:07
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:55
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:13
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:11
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 3:21
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 1 1/2: Special Edition
Clip 0:47
The Lion King 1 1/2: Special Edition

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Broadway org.
    • Facebook
  • Alternative name
    • Bob Guillaume
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • November 30, 1927
    • St. Louis, Missouri, USA
  • Died
    • October 24, 2017
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(complications from prostate cancer)
  • Spouses
      Donna Brown GuillaumeSeptember 1985 - October 24, 2017 (his death, 1 child)
  • Children
      Kevin Guillaume
  • Other works
    TV commercial for Philip's Milk of Magnesia.
  • Publicity listings
    • 5 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Is the first Black actor to win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. As of 2016, he is the only Black performer to win both of them, and he was the only Black to win any of the two awards until 2017 (when Donald Glover won Lead Actor in a Comedy Series). He still remains the only Black to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series as of 2017.
  • Trademarks
      Gravelly gregarious voice
  • Nickname
    • Bob
  • Salary
    • Benson
      (1979)
      $20,000 per 1/2 hour episode

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