Roger Robinson (actor) facts for kids

Roger Robinson (born May 2, 1940 – died September 26, 2018) was a talented American actor. He was well-known for his amazing performances on stage, in movies, and on TV. Roger won a special award called the Tony Award in 2009 for his role in the play Joe Turner's Come and Gone. This award is one of the highest honors for actors in live theater.

Roger Robinson's Acting Journey

Roger Robinson was born in Seattle, Washington. He started his acting career on Broadway, which is a famous theater district in New York City, in 1969. His very first Broadway play was Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, where he acted alongside the famous actor Al Pacino.

Stage Performances

Roger performed in many other plays, including Amen Corner, The Iceman Cometh, and Seven Guitars. His role in Seven Guitars was so good that it earned him his first nomination for a Tony Award.

He also appeared in six of August Wilson's ten plays. August Wilson was a very important writer who wrote about the lives of African-American people in the 20th century. Roger believed that August Wilson's writing was incredibly powerful.

Roger Robinson was the first African American actor to receive the Richard Seff Award. This award is given each year to an actor who is 50 years old or older and has done a great job in a supporting role in a Broadway or off-Broadway play.

Movies and TV Shows

Roger also had many roles in movies. Some of his film credits include Believe in Me (1971), Willie Dynamite (1974), and Meteor (1979). He also appeared in Brother to Brother (2004), which earned him an award for best actor at the LA Outfest film festival. He was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his supporting role in that movie.

On television, Roger was in the TV miniseries King. He also had a recurring role on the show Kojak after appearing in the TV movie The Marcus-Nelson Murders. He made guest appearances on many popular shows like Ironside, Starsky and Hutch, The Jeffersons, Law & Order, ER, and NYPD Blue. Later in his career, he played Mac Harkness, the father of Annalise Keating (played by Viola Davis) on the ABC show How to Get Away With Murder. Roger also helped write material for Martin Lawrence Presents: 1st Amendment Stand-Up.

Roger Robinson's Film Roles

Roger Robinson appeared in many films throughout his career. Here is a list of some of his movie roles: