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Debbie Allen
ACTOR

Debbie Allen

Known for Grey's Anatomy · How to Get Away with Murder · S.W.A.T.

Debbie Allen is an American film and television actress and director.

Snapshot 2026-10-13

Born
Jan 16, 1950
Birthplace
Houston, Texas, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

Debbie Allen is an American film and television actress and director.

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Known For

TVGrey's Anatomy
Grey's AnatomyCatherine Fox · 2005
★ 8.2
TVHow to Get Away with Murder
How to Get Away with MurderDirector · 2014
★ 7.8
TVS.W.A.T.
S.W.A.T.Charice Harrelson · 2017
★ 8.0
TVJane the Virgin
Jane the VirginBeverly Flores · 2014
★ 7.9
TVQuantum Leap
Quantum LeapJoanna Chapman · 1989
★ 8.0
TVThe Love Boat
The Love BoatSelena Moore · 1977
★ 6.2
TVTouched by an Angel
Touched by an AngelValerie Hill · 1994
★ 7.2
TVThe Jennifer Hudson Show
The Jennifer Hudson ShowSelf · 2022
★ 5.6

Filmography

Movies

The Greatest Thing That Almost HappenedJulie Sutton
1977
TS
The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His RootsSelf
1978
Ebony, Ivory and JadeClaire 'Ebony' Bryant
1979
The Fish That Saved PittsburghOla
1979
FameLydia
1980
RagtimeSarah
1981
Alice at the PalaceRed Queen
1982
TK
The Kids from Fame: From the Royal Albert Hall LondonSelf
1983
Women of San QuentinCarol Freeman
1983
The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic TeamSelf - Performer
1984
Dancing in the WingsDebbie
1985
Dancing in the WingsProducer
1985
Dancing in the WingsWriter
1985
Dancing in the WingsChoreographer
1985
Disneyland's 30th Anniversary CelebrationSelf
1985
MR
Motown Returns to the Apollo
1985
Night of 100 Stars IISelf
1985
AA
An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
1986
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is CallingMichelle
1986
Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf
1987
Superstars and their MomsSelf
1987
PollyDirector
1989
TD
The Debbie Allen SpecialSelf
1989
TD
The Debbie Allen SpecialDirector
1989
TD
The Debbie Allen SpecialWriter
1989
TD
The Debbie Allen SpecialChoreographer
1989
Polly: Comin' Home!Director
1990
Spike & Co. Do It a-CappellaSelf
1990
Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella
1990
Sunday in ParisSunday Chase
1991
Stompin' at the SavoyEstelle
1992
Stompin' at the SavoyDirector
1992
Sinbad: Afros and BellbottomsDirector
1993
Blank CheckYvonne
1994
MM
Mona Must DieBetty
1994
Forget ParisChoreographer
1995
Out-of-SyncManicurist
1995
Out-of-SyncDirector
1995
AmistadProducer
1997
Ships of Slaves: The Middle PassageNarrator
1997
Ships of Slaves: The Middle PassageExecutive Producer
1997
Mariah Carey: Butterfly World Tour - Live at Tokyo DomeDirector
1998
Intimate Portrait: Josephine BakerHerself
1999
Michael Jordan: An American HeroDeloris Jordan
1999
Everything's JakeDebbie Allen
2000
All About YouRuth
2001
The Old SettlerQuilly McGrath
2001
The Old SettlerDirector
2001
The PaintingBertha Lee Gilmore
2001
It's Black EntertainmentSelf
2002
The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Awards Show Program Special: Live in StereoSelf (uncredited)
2002
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the MoviesSelf
2004
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsAnita (segment "West Side Story") (archive footage)
2005
Confessions of an Action StarSelf
2005
Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino StoryAmerican Idol Auditionee in Sunglasses
2006
Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino StoryDirector
2006
Tournament of DreamsRhonda Dillins
2007
BB
Bring Back... FameSelf
2008
FameMs. Angela Simms
2009
Next Day AirMs. Jackson
2009
A Place for Us: West Side Story's LegacySelf
2011
A Star for RoseRose
2013
A Star for RoseProducer
2013
The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker
2014
The Hot Chocolate NutcrackerWriter
2014
The Hot Chocolate NutcrackerDirector
2014
AT
American TapSelf
2018
Maurice Hines: Bring Them BackSelf
2019
Maurice Hines: Bring Them BackExecutive Producer
2019
Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate NutcrackerHerself
2020
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the SquareDirector
2020
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the SquareChoreographer
2020
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the SquareExecutive Producer
2020
Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz DanceSelf
2020
Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly GorgeousBetty Samson
2021
A Jazzman's BluesChoreographer
2022
Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!Creative Director
2022
Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens RisingSelf
2022
The Hidden Power of PurposeNarrator (voice)
2023
The Six Triple EightChoreographer
2024
A Murder in Oakland: Beauty is DeadlyDetective Foster
2025
Broadway: The Next GenerationSelf
SplinterMrs. James

Television

Great PerformancesSelf · 1 eps
1971
Good Times2 eps
1974
Battle of the Network Stars1 eps
1976
3G
3 Girls 3Self · 1 eps
1977
The Love BoatSelena Moore · 1 eps
1977
The Love BoatReesa Marlowe · 2 eps
1977
Roots: The Next GenerationsNan Branch Haley · 1 eps
1979
FameLydia Grant · 136 eps
1982
FameDirector
1982
Family TiesDirector
1982
CelebrityRegina Brown · 3 eps
1984
The Cosby ShowEmma · 1 eps
1984
A Different WorldDr. Langhorne · 2 eps
1987
A Different WorldDebbie Allen (uncredited) · 1 eps
1987
A Different WorldDirector
1987
A Different WorldProducer
1987
The Bronx ZooDirector
1987
Quantum LeapJoanna Chapman · 1 eps
1989
Quantum LeapDirector
1989
Quantum LeapChoreographer
1989
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirDirector
1990
SI
Sunday in Paris1 eps
1991
Intimate PortraitSelf · 1 eps
1993
TS
The Sinbad ShowDirector
1993
Touched by an AngelValerie Hill · 1 eps
1994
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildPrecious (voice) · 1 eps
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildLola (voice) · 1 eps
1995
In the HouseJackie Warren · 26 eps
1995
C Bear and Jamal13 eps
1996
E! True Hollywood Story1 eps
1996
The Jamie Foxx ShowDirector
1996
Between BrothersDirector
1997
The ParkersDirector
1999
GirlfriendsDirector
2000
The DivisionWanda · 1 eps
2001
The Twilight ZoneDirector
2002
All of Us1 eps
2003
All of UsDirector
2003
That's So RavenDirector
2003
Bring Back...Self - Lydia Grant · 1 eps
2005
Everybody Hates Chris1 eps
2005
Everybody Hates ChrisMother · 1 eps
2005
Everybody Hates ChrisDirector
2005
Grey's AnatomyCatherine Fox · 56 eps
2005
Grey's AnatomyCatherine Avery · 44 eps
2005
Grey's AnatomyDirector
2005
So You Think You Can Dance1 eps
2005
So You Think You Can DanceSelf - Guest Judge · 2 eps
2005
The GameDirector
2006
Celebrity Ghost StoriesSelf · 1 eps
2009
HellcatsDirector
2010
Dance MomsSelf · 1 eps
2011
The Client ListDirector
2012
Witches of East EndDirector
2013
How to Get Away with MurderDirector
2014
Jane the VirginBeverly Flores · 1 eps
2014
Jane the VirginDirector
2014
EmpireDirector
2015
Grace and FrankieDorothy · 1 eps
2015
InsecureDirector
2016
Raven's HomeGreat Aunt Maureen · 1 eps
2017
S.W.A.T.Charice Harrelson · 12 eps
2017
Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us'Self · 3 eps
2018
The Tamron Hall ShowSelf - Guest · 3 eps
2019
Cardi TriesSelf · 1 eps
2020
The Ms. Pat ShowDirector
2021
Turning the Tables with Robin RobertsSelf · 1 eps
2021
JANET JACKSON.Self · 2 eps
2022
The Jennifer Hudson ShowSelf · 2 eps
2022
The Jennifer Hudson ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2022
The Proud Family: Louder and ProuderMyrtle (voice) · 2 eps
2022
Seen & Heard: The History of Black TelevisionSelf · 2 eps
2025
A Different WorldDr. Langhorne · 2 eps
2026
A Different WorldDirector
2026

Photos

Debbie Allen photo
Debbie Allen photo
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