Robert Guillaume facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Robert Guillaume
Guillaume at the premiere of Seems Like Old Times in 1980
Born	Robert Peter Williams (1927-11-30)November 30, 1927 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died	October 24, 2017(2017-10-24) (aged 89) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Washington University in St. Louis
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	1959–2014
Spouse(s)	Marlene Williams ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1984)​ Donna Brown-Guillaume ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	5

Robert Guillaume (born Robert Peter Williams; November 30, 1927 – October 24, 2017) was a talented American actor and singer. He was famous for playing the character Benson DuBois in the TV shows Soap and Benson. He also voiced the wise mandrill Rafiki in Disney's The Lion King movies.

Robert Guillaume worked in acting for over 50 years. He performed on stage, in movies, and on television. He won an Emmy Award twice for his role as Benson DuBois. He also won a Grammy Award for reading the audiobook version of The Lion King. Many people also know him as Eli Vance from the video game Half-Life 2.

Robert Guillaume's Early Life

Robert Guillaume was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He and his brothers and sisters were raised by their grandmother, Jeannette Williams. He went to Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis. Before becoming an actor, he served in the United States Army. He later chose the name Guillaume, which means "William" in French, as his stage name.

Robert Guillaume's Acting Career

Stage Performances

George Goodman, William Ray, Robert Guillaume and Olive Moorefield rehearsing Porgy and Bess in 1967.

After college, Robert Guillaume joined a theater group called the Karamu Players. He acted in musicals and operas. In 1959, he traveled the world with the musical Free and Easy.

He made his first appearance on Broadway in 1961 in a show called Kwamina. He also performed in other famous plays like Golden Boy with Sammy Davis Jr. and Guys and Dolls. For Guys and Dolls, he was nominated for a Tony Award, which is a very important award for theater actors.

In 1990, Robert Guillaume played the main role in The Phantom of the Opera in Los Angeles. He was the first Black actor to play this famous character.

Television Roles

As Benson in Soap, 1977.

Robert Guillaume appeared in many popular TV shows. He was a guest star on Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

His first regular role was on the ABC show Soap. He played Benson, a butler, from 1977 to 1979. Benson was so popular that he got his own show, Benson. This show ran for many years, from 1979 to 1986.

In 1985, Robert Guillaume played Frederick Douglass in the TV mini-series North and South. Frederick Douglass was a very important leader who fought against slavery.

He also starred in The Robert Guillaume Show and Pacific Station. Later, he played Isaac Jaffe in the show Sports Night. In 1999, he had a mild stroke while filming Sports Night. His character on the show also had a stroke, which was written into the story.

Robert Guillaume also used his voice for many cartoon characters. He was the voice of Rafiki in The Lion King movies and TV shows. He also voiced Mr. Thicknose in The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze and Eli Vance in the Half-Life 2 video game.

Robert Guillaume's Family Life

Robert Guillaume was married twice. His first marriage was to Marlene Williams in 1955. They had two sons, Kevin and Jacques. They divorced in 1984. He also had a daughter, Melissa, born in 1980, with Patricia.

In 1986, he married Donna Brown. They had a daughter named Rachel. Robert also had another daughter, Patricia, born in 1950, who was raised by her grandparents. Sadly, his son Jacques passed away at the age of 32 in 1990.

In 1999, Robert Guillaume had a stroke. It was a minor stroke and did not affect his speech much. He spent six weeks in the hospital and then worked on getting better with therapy.

Robert Guillaume's Passing

Robert Guillaume passed away on October 24, 2017, at his home in Los Angeles, California. He was 89 years old and had been battling prostate cancer.

Robert Guillaume's Awards and Honors

Robert Guillaume received many honors for his work. He has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame in his hometown. On November 28, 1984, he also received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame for his achievements in television.

Awards and Nominations

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Robert Guillaume para niños