ORIGIN
Robert Guillaume was an American Emmy Award-winning actor, voice actor, and Broadway musical star. He starred as “Benson” on the ABC sitcom Soap, and as “Isaac Jaffe” on Sports Night. His film credits include The Lion King (1994), First Kid (1996), and Big Fish (2003). Guillaume was born Robert Peter Williams on November 30, 1927, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was raised primarily by his grandmother, Jeanette Williams. The adopted surname “Guillaume” is french for William. Guillaume graduated from St. Joseph High School. He had a brief stint in the United States Army (1945-47). He majored in business administration at St. Louis University and music at Washington University, St. Louis.

CAREER
Guillaume’s career in show business spanned more than 50 years. He started out in theater before transitioning to television and films. His early Performance with the Karamu Theater included musical comedies and opera. His professional debut was in Karamu’s production of ‘Carousel’. In 1959, he toured Europe as a cast member of the Broadway revue called ‘Free and Easy’. Guillaume made his Broadway debut in a 1961 production of “Kwamina”. He won a Tony Award nomination for best performance by a leading actor in a musical for Guys and Dolls (1977). His stage credits include Tambourines to Glory, Golden Boy, Purlie, Porgy and Bess, Cabaret, and The Phantom of the Opera. He’s also performed with the ‘Robert de Cormier Singers’, and recorded an LP with ‘The Pilgrims’.

Guillaume starred as “Benson”, a butler on the ABC sitcom Soap (1977-79). He won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1979 for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series. The role was reprised in the spin-off series Benson (1979-86). Guillaume was cast as “Fredrick Douglass” in the mini-series North and South (1985), as “Bob Ballard” on Pacific Station (1991-92), and as “Isaac Jaffe” on Sports Night (1998-2000). His television credits also include Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Saved By the Bell, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, A Different World, and All in the Family. Guillaume voiced the character “Rafiki” for the animated film The Lion King (1994) and its sequel. That role earned him a Grammy Award for best-spoken word album for children. His film credits include Seems Like Old Times (1980) with Goldie Hawn, Lean on Me (1989) with Morgan Freeman, and Death Warrant (1990) with Jean-Claude Van Damme. He lent his voice to the 2004 video game Half-Life 2.

PERSONAL
Robert Guillaume died on October 24, 2017, at the age of 89. His official cause of death was prostate cancer. He passed away at his home in Los Angeles. His 90th birthday was only a month away. Guillaume was married to his first wife ‘Marlene Williams’ from 1955 to 1984. He was once engaged to the actress ‘Fay Hauser’. His second wife was television producer ‘Donna Brown Guillaume’. Their union lasted from 1986 until his death. He had a total of 5 children, Jacques (d. 1990). Patricia, Kevin, Melissa, and Rachel. Guillaume was 5ft 10in tall and he was of African-American descent. His net worth was estimated at $5 million prior to his death. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984.

Robert Guillaume Real Name, Birthday, Wiki

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