Robert Guillaume
Highest Rated: 93% The Lion King (1994)
Lowest Rated: 8% Spy Hard (1996)
Birthday: Nov 30, 1927
Birthplace: Not Available
The product of a tough, impoverished upbringing, African American actor Robert Guillaume fought his way out of the St. Louis slums by virtue of talent, persistence and an unwillingness to bow down to anyone. After military service and college, Guillaume held down short-term jobs ranging from cook to streetcar conductor, all the while training his voice for potential musical comedy work--training that paid off with his first Broadway show, 1961's Kwamina. Among his many stage credits were the musical versions of Golden Boy (with Sammy Davis Jr.) and Purlie Victorious, and the long-running review Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. When New York stage work was scarce, Guillaume created his own opportunities by giving one-man concerts. After guesting in several of the black-oriented TV sitcoms of the 1970s, Guillaume was cast in 1977 as the imperious, outspoken family retainer Benson in the daytime-drama parody Soap (the actor would be first to admit that many of Benson's more contentious traits sprang from Guillaume's own prickly personality). The role won Guillaume a 1978 Emmy as "Outstanding Supporting Actor." In 1979, Guillaume carried over his Soap role into his own starring series, the now classic sitcom Benson, which ran until 1986 and which won Guillaume another Emmy, this time as "Outstanding Lead Actor." Robert Guillaume also headlined the appropriately titled 1989 series The Robert Guillaume Show, wherein for approximately five months he starred as divorced marriage counselor Edward Sawyer. In the several years to follow, Guillaume would star in shows like Sports night, as well as a number of films like Big Fish and Satin.
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
Movies
| Credit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet | Columbus Circle | Howard Miles | — | 2010 |
| No Score Yet | Satin | Doc Bishop | — | 2010 |
| No Score Yet | The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry | Mr. Barnes | $1.1M | 2008 |
| 78% | The Lion King 1 1/2 | Rafiki | — | 2004 |
| 75% | Big Fish | Senior Dr. Bennett | $66.3M | 2003 |
| No Score Yet | The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina | Ben | — | 2002 |
| No Score Yet | Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives | Actor | — | 2002 |
| No Score Yet | Land Before Time: The Big Freeze | Mr. Thicknose | — | 2001 |
| No Score Yet | Silicon Towers | Detective Green | — | 2000 |
| No Score Yet | Lady Liberty---A Musical Salute to America | Actor | — | 1999 |
| No Score Yet | The Happy Prince | Actor | — | 1999 |
| 62% | The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Rafiki | — | 1998 |
| No Score Yet | His Bodyguard | Garrett | — | 1998 |
| No Score Yet | Easter Story Keepers | Actor | — | 1997 |
| No Score Yet | Pandora's Clock (Doomsday Virus) | Amb. Lee Lancaster | — | 1996 |
| No Score Yet | Panic in the Skies! | Barnes | — | 1996 |
| 23% | First Kid | Wilkes | — | 1996 |
| No Score Yet | Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story | Rev. Devers | — | 1996 |
| 8% | Spy Hard | Agent Steve Bishop | — | 1996 |
| No Score Yet | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Narrator | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Narrator | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | Cosmic Slop | Actor | — | 1995 |
| No Score Yet | Children of the Dust | Jolson Mossburger | — | 1995 |
| 93% | The Lion King | Rafiki | $94.3M | 1994 |
| 29% | The Meteor Man | Mr. Reed | — | 1993 |
| No Score Yet | You Must Remember This | Uncle Buddy | — | 1992 |
| No Score Yet | Driving Miss Daisy | Actor | — | 1992 |
| No Score Yet | In a New Light '92 | Actor | — | 1992 |
| No Score Yet | Death Warrant | Hawkins | — | 1990 |
| No Score Yet | The Penthouse | Eugene St. Clair | — | 1989 |
| 69% | Lean on Me | Dr. Frank Napier | — | 1989 |
| No Score Yet | Fire and Rain | Actor | — | 1989 |
| No Score Yet | Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel | Actor | — | 1987 |
| No Score Yet | They Still Call Me Bruce | V.A. Officer Johnson | — | 1987 |
| 33% | Wanted: Dead or Alive | Philmore Walker | — | 1987 |
| No Score Yet | Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star | Actor | — | 1986 |
| No Score Yet | Prince Jack | Martin Luther King | — | 1985 |
| No Score Yet | The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins | Executive Producer | — | 1984 |
| No Score Yet | The Kid with the 200 I.Q. | Executive Producer Professor Mills | — | 1983 |
| No Score Yet | The Kid with the Broken Halo | Blake | — | 1982 |
| 72% | Seems Like Old Times | Fred | — | 1980 |
| No Score Yet | Superfly T.N.T. | Jordan Gaines | — | 1973 |
| No Score Yet | Purlie | Actor | — | 1963 |
| No Score Yet | The Kid from Left Field | Actor | — | 1953 |
TV
| Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No Score Yet |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 2000-2015 |
Sonny Bridges |
2008 |
| 58% |
8 Simple Rules 2002-2005 |
Cody Grant |
2003 |
| No Score Yet |
The Proud Family 2001-2005 |
Voice |
2002 |
| No Score Yet |
Moesha 1996-2001 |
Arthur |
2000 |
| 90% |
Sports Night 1998-2000 |
Isaac Isaac Jaffe |
2000 1999 1998 |
| No Score Yet |
Touched by an Angel 1994-2003 |
Judge Dawes |
1997 |
| No Score Yet |
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 1990-1996 |
Pete Pete Flecher |
1994 |
| 13% |
Saved by the Bell: The College Years 1993-1994 |
professor |
1993 |
| No Score Yet |
A Different World 1987-1993 |
Dean Winston Prof. Murphy |
1992 1991 1990 |
| No Score Yet |
Saturday Night Live 1975 |
Host Guest |
1983 |
| No Score Yet |
Soap 1977-1981 |
Benson Benson DuBois |
1981 1979 1978 1977 |
| No Score Yet |
Good Times 1974-1979 |
Fishbone |
1977 |
| No Score Yet |
All in the Family 1971-1979 |
Dr. Franklin |
1975 |
| No Score Yet |
Sanford and Son 1972-1977 |
Albert Brock |
1975 |
| No Score Yet |
The Jeffersons 1975-1985 |
Thompson |
1975 |
| 13% |
Fish Police 1992 |
Voice | |
| 40% |
Pacific Station 1992 |
Det. Bob Ballard | |
| No Score Yet |
Timon & Pumbaa 1999 |
Voice |
QUOTES FROM Robert Guillaume CHARACTERS
Dr. Bennett (Senior) says: Not very excitin', is it? And I suppose if I had to choose between the true version and an elaborate one involvin' a fish and a wedding ring, I might choose the fancy version. But that's just me.
William Bloom says: I kinda like your version.
Dr. Bennett (Senior) says: Did your father ever tell you about the day you were born?
William Bloom says: A thousand times. He caught an uncatchable fish.
Dr. Bennett (Senior) says: Not that one. The real story. Did he ever tell you that.
William Bloom says: No.
Dr. Bennett (Senior) says: Your mother came in about three in the afternoon. Her neighbor drove her, on account of your father was on business in Wichita. You were born a week early, but there were no complication. It was a perfect delivery. Now, your father was sorry to miss it, but it wasn't the custom for the men to be in the room for deliveries then, so I can't see as it would have been much different had he been there. And that's the real story of how you were born.
Rafiki says: I Don't think this is going to work, But I trust you. I just hope you know what you're doing...
Rafiki says: I don't think this is going to work, But I trust you. I just hope you know what you're doing...
Rafiki says: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But, you can either run from it or, learn from it.
Scar says: Simba: Will you cut it out!? Rafiki: Can't cut it out! It grow right back!
Simba says: Will you cut it out!?
Rafiki says: Can't cut it out! It grow right back!
Rafiki says: Hakuna Matata.
Timon's Mom says: Ha-who-na ma-what-a?
Simba says: I think you are a little confused.
Rafiki says: Wrong! I'm not the one who's confused. You don't even know who you are!
Rafiki says: Wrong! I'm not the one who is confused. You don't even know who you are!
Simba says: Oh, and I suppose you know?
Simba says: Oh, and I suppose you know?
Rafiki says: Sure do. You're Mufasa's boy! [Simba turns around to look at him, shocked]
Rafiki says: Sure do. You are Mufasa's boy!
Rafiki says: Bye.
Simba says: (Gasps)
Simba says: Creepy little monkey. Will you stop following me? Who are you?
Rafiki says: The question is, *who* are you?
Simba says: (Sighs) I thought I knew. Now I'm not so sure.
Simba says: [sighs] I thought I knew. Now I'm not so sure.
Rafiki says: I know who you are. (Whispers) Come here, it's a secret. (Loudly) Asante sana, Squash banana, Wewe nugu, Mimi apana!
Rafiki says: I know who you are. [whispers] Come here, it's a secret. [loudly] Asante sana, Squash banana, Wewe nugu, Mimi apana!
Simba says: Enough already! What is that supposed to mean anyway?
Rafiki says: It means you are a baboon, and I'm not. Hehehehe!
Rafiki says: It means you are a baboon, and I'm not. Hehe!
Rafiki says: It is time!
Rafiki says: It is time.
Rafiki says: Asante sana squash banana, wewe nungu mimi hapana!
Rafiki says: Asante sana. Squash banana. Wewe nugu. Mimi apana.
Rafiki says: What was that?! Heh, heh. The weather. Pleah! Very peculiar. Don't you think?
Simba says: Yeah. Looks like the winds are changing.
Rafiki says: Ah, change is good.
Simba says: Yeah, but it's not easy. I know what I have to do, but... going back means I have to face my past. I have been running from it for so long.
Timon says: ...just us and the little guy.
Timon says: Just us and the little guy.
Rafiki says: hehehe.. It's a girl.
Rafiki says: [laughing] It's a girl.
Timon says: oh, A GIRL!!!???
Timon says: Oh, a girl?!
Rafiki says: Oh Mufasa, you've been up there too long! Your head is in the clouds!
Simba says: You knew my father?
Rafiki says: Correction: I *know* your father.
Rafiki says: Correction. I *know* your father.
Rafiki says: The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.