Robert Guillaume
Known for
An American actor and singer of stage and screen, celebrated as a pioneering Black performer in television comedy. Born in St. Louis, he won two Emmys for the sardonic butler Benson DuBois on 'Soap' and its spinoff 'Benson'. To later audiences he was the voice of the wise hornbill Zazu in Disney's 'The Lion King' (1994) and appeared in Tim Burton's 'Big Fish' (2003). A warm, dignified and versatile actor with roots in musical theatre, he worked steadily until his death in 2017.
Robert Guillaume
28 Movies
24 Series
An American actor and singer of stage and screen, celebrated as a pioneering Black performer in television comedy. Born in St. Louis, he won two Emmys for the sardonic butler Benson DuBois on 'Soap' and its spinoff 'Benson'. To later audiences he was the voice of the wise hornbill Zazu in Disney's 'The Lion King' (1994) and appeared in Tim Burton's 'Big Fish' (2003). A warm, dignified and versatile actor with roots in musical theatre, he worked steadily until his death in 2017.
Movies
Plays Rafiki (voice)
The Lion King
1994
Plays Rafiki (voice)
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
1998
Plays Dr. Bennett (senior)
Big Fish
2003
Plays Rafiki (voice)
The Lion King 1½
2004
Plays Agent Steve Bishop
Spy Hard
1996
Plays Hawkins
Death Warrant
1990
Plays Mr. Thicknose (voice)
The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze
2001
Plays Doc Bishop
Satin
2011
Plays Wilkes
First Kid
1996
Plays Senator Sellers
Mastergate
1992
Plays Howard Miles
Columbus Circle
2012
Plays Riley
13th Child
2002
Plays Dr. Frank Napier
Lean On Me
1989
Plays Philmore Walker
Wanted: Dead or Alive
1987
Plays Fred
Seems Like Old Times
1980
Plays Ted Reed
The Meteor Man
1993
Plays Ben (voice)
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina
2003
Plays Ben (voice)
The Easter Story Keepers
1998
Plays V.A. Officer Johnson
They Still Call Me Bruce
1987
Plays Mr. Barnes
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
2008
Plays Jordan Gaines
Super Fly T.N.T.
1973
Plays Gleason Golightly (segment 'Space Traders')
Cosmic Slop
1994
Plays Blake
The Kid with the Broken Halo
1982
Plays Purlie
Purlie
1981
Plays Detective Green
Silicon Towers
1999
TV Shows
Plays Rafiki (voice)
Timon and Pumbaa
1995
Plays Benson DuBois
Benson
1979
Plays Isaac Jaffe
Sports Night
1998
Plays Narrator (voice)
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
Plays Bob Ballard
Pacific Station
1991
Plays Edward Sawyer
The Robert Guillaume Show
1989
Plays Det. Catfish (voice)
Fish Police
1992
Plays Frederick Douglass
North and South
1985
Plays Frank Belloque
The Love Boat
1977
Plays Dean Winston
A Different World
1987
Plays Mossburger
Children of the Dust
1995
Plays Ambassador Lee Lancaster
Pandora's Clock
1996
Plays Dr. Arthur Hemmings
Saved by the Bell: The College Years
1993
Plays Eugene Sayers
Burke's Law
1994
Plays Sonny Bridges
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Plays Edward Rollins
L.A. Law
1986
Plays Pete Fletcher
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990
Plays Dr. Franklin
All in the Family
1971
Plays Aaron Carothers
Marcus Welby, M.D.
1969
Plays Father Morrissey
Diagnosis: Murder
1993
Plays Arthur
Moesha
1996
Plays Cody Grant
8 Simple Rules
2002
Plays Mr. Brown
The Outer Limits
1995
Plays Dr. Parker (voice)
The Proud Family
2001
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Columbus Circle
Full Filmography
Columbus Circle
Howard Miles
2012
Film
Satin
Doc Bishop
2011
Film
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
Mr. Barnes
2008
Film
The Lion King 1½
Rafiki (voice)
2004
Film
Big Fish
Dr. Bennett (senior)
2003
Film
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina
Ben (voice)
2003
Film
13th Child
Riley
2002
Film
8 Simple Rules
Cody Grant · 1 episode
2002–
TV
The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze
Mr. Thicknose (voice)
2001
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Robert Guillaume still alive?
Robert Guillaume passed away on October 24, 2017 at age 89.
What are the most famous roles of Robert Guillaume?
Robert Guillaume is best known for roles in The Lion King, Big Fish, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride.
How many movies has Robert Guillaume been in?
Over a 45-year career (since 1972), Robert Guillaume has appeared in 28 movies and 23 TV shows.
What was Robert Guillaume's first movie?
The career of Robert Guillaume began with S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin (1972).
What is Robert Guillaume's most recent movie or series?
Robert Guillaume's most recent release is Columbus Circle, which premiered on March 5, 2012.
What TV shows has Robert Guillaume appeared in?
On television, Robert Guillaume has appeared in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Timon and Pumbaa, Saturday Night Live.
Robert Guillaume
1927-11-30 · St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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.Robert Guillaume, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.