Dennis Haysbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dennis Haysbert
Haysbert in 2015
Born	Dennis Dexter Haysbert (1954-06-02) June 2, 1954 (age 71) San Mateo, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Elena Simms ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1984)​ Lynn Griffith ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2001)​
Children	2

Dennis Dexter Haysbert (born June 2, 1954) is an American actor. He is famous for his deep, commanding voice and for playing important leaders on screen. Many people know him as President David Palmer in the TV show 24. He also played the baseball player Pedro Cerrano in the Major League movies.

Haysbert has appeared in many other roles. He was Sergeant Major Jonas Blane in the military show The Unit. More recently, he played the part of God on the Netflix series Lucifer. You might also recognize his voice from commercials for Allstate Insurance, where he asks, "Are you in good hands?"

Early Life and Education

Dennis Haysbert was born in San Mateo, California. His mother, Gladys, was a homemaker, and his father, Charles Sr., was a deputy sheriff. He was the eighth of nine children in his family. Growing up, his family was part of the Baptist church.

Haysbert graduated from San Mateo High School in 1972. He was very tall at 6 feet 5 inches, so colleges offered him scholarships to play sports. However, he decided to study acting instead. He attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts to follow his dream of becoming an actor.

Acting Career

Haysbert began his acting career in 1978. He appeared in many popular TV shows and movies over the years. His powerful presence and voice have made him a memorable actor.

Famous Television Roles

One of Haysbert's most famous roles was on the TV series 24. He played David Palmer, a U.S. Senator who becomes the first Black president in the show's story. This role made him very well-known. He was nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance. Haysbert has said that playing President Palmer was an honor. He believes the character may have helped people imagine a Black president in real life, before Barack Obama was elected.

From 2006 to 2009, he starred in the action series The Unit. He played Sergeant Major Jonas Blane, the leader of a special forces team. He also played God in the final seasons of the show Lucifer.

Haysbert has also done voice acting for cartoons. He was the voice of the Green Lantern member Kilowog in the Justice League animated series.

Movie Career

Haysbert in 1998

In 1989, Haysbert played one of his first major movie roles. He was the slugger Pedro Cerrano in the baseball comedy Major League. He returned for the sequels, Major League II and Major League: Back to the Minors.

He has appeared in many other films, including:

• Love Field with Michelle Pfeiffer
• Heat with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro
• Far from Heaven, where he played a gardener and won several awards for his role.
• Jarhead, a movie about the military.

Haysbert has also lent his voice to animated movies. He was the voice of Master Storming Ox in Kung Fu Panda 2 and General Hologram in Wreck-It Ralph. In 2014, he took over the role of the tough character Manute in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Commercials and Other Work

Many people recognize Haysbert's voice from his work in commercials. Since 2003, he has been the spokesman for Allstate Insurance. His famous line is, "That's Allstate's stand. Are you in good hands?"

He has also done voice work for video games. He played Irving Lambert in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow and was the narrator for Call of Duty: Finest Hour. In 2010, he performed on Broadway in a play called Race.

Personal Life

Dennis Haysbert has been married twice and has two children. In 2009, he announced that he was starting his own production company to create new film and television projects.

Selected Filmography

Here are some of the well-known movies and TV shows Dennis Haysbert has been in.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Dennis Haysbert para niños