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Robert Guillaume
ACTOR

Robert Guillaume

Known for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation · Saturday Night Live · The Outer Limits

Robert "Bob" Guillaume (November 30, 1927 – October 24, 2017) was an American stage and television actor, best known for his role as Benson Du Bois on the TV-series Soap and the spin-off Benson, voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and as Isaac Jaffe on Sports Night. In a career that spanned more than 50 years he worked extensively on stage (including a Tony Award nomination), television (including winning two Emmy Awards), and…

Snapshot 2026-10-15

Born
Nov 30, 1927
Died
Oct 24, 2017
Birthplace
St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Known For
Acting

Biography

Robert "Bob" Guillaume (November 30, 1927 – October 24, 2017) was an American stage and television actor, best known for his role as Benson Du Bois on the TV-series Soap and the spin-off Benson, voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and as Isaac Jaffe on Sports Night. In a career that spanned more than 50 years he worked extensively on stage (including a Tony Award nomination), television (including winning two Emmy Awards), and film.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Guillaume, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

TVCSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSonny Bridges · 2000
★ 7.6
TVSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1975
★ 6.9
TVThe Outer Limits
The Outer LimitsMr. Brown · 1995
★ 7.7
TVThe Love Boat
The Love BoatFrank Belloque · 1977
★ 6.2
TVTouched by an Angel
Touched by an AngelJudge Dawes · 1994
★ 7.2
TVJeopardy!
Jeopardy!Self · 1984
★ 6.9
TVDiagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: MurderFather Morrissey · 1993
★ 7.1
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1962
★ 7.6

Filmography

Movies

SW
S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S GershwinSelf
1972
Super Fly T.N.T.Jordan Gaines
1973
The Kid from Left FieldLarry Cooper
1979
Seems Like Old TimesFred
1980
The Donna Summer SpecialAn Angel
1980
PurliePurlie
1981
Magic with the StarsSelf - Host
1982
Night of 100 StarsSelf
1982
The Kid with the Broken HaloBlake
1982
The Kid with the 200 I.Q.Prof. Jason Mills
1983
The Kid with the 200 I.Q.Executive Producer
1983
The Fantastic World of D.C. CollinsExecutive Producer
1984
Prince JackMartin Luther King
1985
John Grin's ChristmasJohn Grin
1986
John Grin's ChristmasDirector
1986
Passion and MemoryHost
1986
Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous ScoundrelHarlan Wade
1987
They Still Call Me BruceV.A. Officer Johnson
1987
Wanted: Dead or AlivePhilmore Walker
1987
Friend to Friend: Armenian Earthquake ReliefSelf
1989
Lean On MeDr. Frank Napier
1989
TD
The Debbie Allen SpecialSelf
1989
The PenthouseEugene St. Clair
1989
Death WarrantHawkins
1990
Fire and RainCarter
1990
MastergateSenator Sellers
1992
You Must Remember ThisUncle Buddy
1992
The Meteor ManTed Reed
1993
Cosmic SlopGleason Golightly (segment 'Space Traders')
1994
GreyhoundsRobert Smith
1994
The Lion KingRafiki (voice)
1994
The Making of the Lion KingSelf - Host
1994
First KidWilkes
1996
Lamb Chop's Chanukah and Passover SurpriseRobert
1996
Panic in the Skies!Rob Barnes
1996
RF
Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers StoryReverend Devers
1996
Spy HardAgent Steve Bishop
1996
Merry Christmas, George BaileyMr. Gower
1997
His BodyguardGarrett
1998
The Easter Story KeepersBen (voice)
1998
The Lion King II: Simba's PrideRafiki (voice)
1998
Silicon TowersDetective Green
1999
The Land Before Time VIII: The Big FreezeMr. Thicknose (voice)
2001
13th ChildRiley
2002
Big FishDr. Bennett (senior)
2003
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and ThumbelinaBen (voice)
2003
T&
Timon & Pumba's Virtual SafariRafiki (voice) (archive audio)
2003
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003
The Lion King 1½Rafiki (voice)
2004
T&
Timon & Pumbaa Virtual Safari 2.0Rafiki (voice) (archive audio)
2004
T&
Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari 1.5Rafiki (voice) (archive sound)
2004
The Secrets of Jonathan SperryMr. Barnes
2008
Waking Sleeping BeautySelf (archive footage)
2010
SatinDoc Bishop
2011
Columbus CircleHoward Miles
2012
Broadway: Beyond the Golden AgeSelf
2021
Once Upon a StudioRafiki (voice) (archive sound)
2023

Television

Golden Globe AwardsSelf - Nominee · 1 eps
1944
The Bob Hope ShowThe Singer · 1 eps
1950
Tony AwardsSelf - Presenter · 2 eps
1956
Tony AwardsSelf - Performer · 1 eps
1956
Tony AwardsSelf (archive footage) · 1 eps
1956
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 8 eps
1961
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf - Co-Host · 1 eps
1961
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 3 eps
1962
Julia1 eps
1968
Marcus Welby, M.D.Aaron Carothers · 1 eps
1969
All in the FamilyDr. Franklin · 1 eps
1971
Great PerformancesSelf · 1 eps
1971
Sanford and Son1 eps
1972
Good Times1 eps
1974
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
The Jeffersons1 eps
1975
SoapBenson · 47 eps
1977
The Love BoatFrank Belloque · 2 eps
1977
The Love BoatAllan Curtis · 2 eps
1977
BensonBenson DuBois · 158 eps
1979
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell SistersSelf · 1 eps
1980
Hotel1 eps
1982
Reading RainbowSelf - Narrator (voice) · 1 eps
1983
Jeopardy!Self · 1 eps
1984
North and SouthFrederick Douglass · 5 eps
1985
L.A. LawEdward Rollins · 1 eps
1986
A Different WorldDean Winston · 2 eps
1987
A Different WorldProf. Murphy · 1 eps
1987
Crossbow2 eps
1987
The Robert Guillaume ShowEdward Sawyer · 12 eps
1989
The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirPete Fletcher · 1 eps
1990
Pacific StationBob Ballard · 13 eps
1991
Fish PoliceDet. Catfish (voice) · 6 eps
1992
Jack's Place1 eps
1992
Diagnosis: MurderFather Morrissey · 1 eps
1993
Saved by the Bell: The College YearsDr. Arthur Hemmings · 1 eps
1993
Burke's LawEugene Sayers · 1 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelJudge Dawes · 1 eps
1994
Children of the DustMossburger · 2 eps
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildNarrator (voice) · 39 eps
1995
The Outer LimitsMr. Brown · 1 eps
1995
Timon and PumbaaRafiki (voice) · 169 eps
1995
MoeshaArthur · 1 eps
1996
Pandora's ClockAmbassador Lee Lancaster · 2 eps
1996
Promised Land1 eps
1996
Sports NightIsaac Jaffe · 45 eps
1998
CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationSonny Bridges · 1 eps
2000
The Proud FamilyDr. Parker (voice) · 1 eps
2001
8 Simple RulesCody Grant · 1 eps
2002
Century CityJudge · 1 eps
2004

Photos

Robert Guillaume photo
Robert Guillaume photo
Robert Guillaume photo
Robert Guillaume photo
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