Biography
Obba Babatundé (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor of stage and screen, known for his Emmy-nominated performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys, a NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and a Tony Award-nominated role for his performance as C.C. White in the original cast of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls.
Babatundé was a protege of Sammy Davis, Jr., who said of him, "This is the only cat who can do everything I can do." Babatundé does dance, sing, play instruments, execute impersonations, including his portrayal of Davis, aided by their similarity in energy, size and talent, tap dancing and performing on multiple instruments. In fall 2009, Babatundé played Davis in the title role of "Sammy: Once in a Lifetime," a world premiere musical at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.
Early in 2000, Babatundé partnered with writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson for a series of TV projects including "TV in Black: The First 50 Years," "Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Hallie" and "Dorthy Dandridge: An American Beauty". The pair have projects that will take them through 2011.
His TV roles have often portrayed authority figures, such as a recurring guest-starring role as a high school principal on Dawson's Creek, an appearance as a judge in a two-part episode of Any Day Now, and as the father of the main characters on Half & Half. He also played Harvard college Dean Cain in the movie How High, as well as the role of Willie Long in the movie Life, and co-starred as an attorney in Philadelphia and as a senator in the 2004 reprise of The Manchurian Candidate. He also played the director in season 3 of Friends in an episode titled "The One with All the Jealousy". Other TV shows he has had recurring roles on include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Chicago Hope, Rocket Power, Static Shock, and Karen Sisco. He played a small but pivotal role as a doorman/bellhop in the film That Thing You Do! and also appeared in The Wild Thornberrys Movie as the voice of Boko. He played a famous producer known as Gordy Berry on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the 1998 miniseries, The Temptations, he played the founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy.
Babatundé is adept at American sign language and had used this talent in many roles including on one NYPD Blue.
His recorded work includes a performance with the New York pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs on the 2007 album Sack Full of Dreams. The actor/producer is also an avid horseman and is a highly regarded rider and trainer in the Rodeo Circuit, including the annual Bill Pickett Rodeol.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Filmography
all 103
Movies 75
TV Shows 28
Voice 7
self 2
Director 2
Writer 1
Narrator 1
Producer 1
Noble Intentions (2023)
The Millennial (2022)
Trigger (2020)
Little Fires Everywhere (2020)
Revival! (2019)
Jingle Belle (2018)
Kinky (2018)
Forever (2018)
City of Lies (2018)
For The People (2018)
S.W.A.T. (2017)
'Til Death Do Us Part (2017)
Pup Star: Better 2Gether (2017)
Dear White People (2017)
The Good Fight (2017)
Goliath (2016)
The Watcher (2016)
Pup Star (2016)
Chicago Med (2015)
If I Tell You I Have to Kill You (2015)
Death's Door (2015)
Ballers (2015)
American Bad Boy (2015)
Lap Dance (2014)
Kingdom (2014)
Dolls of Voodoo (2013)
Angels Around Me (2013)
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012)
The Last Fall (2012)
Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire (2012)
Joy Road (2011)
The Trap Door (2011)
All Star Superman (2011)
Trapped: Haitian Nights (2011)
Black Dynamite (2009)
I Do... I Did! (2009)
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History (2008)
The Eye (2008)
April Fools (2007)
Cover (2007)
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War (2007)
Material Girls (2006)
Psych (2006)
The Celestine Prophecy (2006)
Flip the Script (2005)
Grey's Anatomy (2005)
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.! (2004)
After the Sunset (2004)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
The Notebook (2004)
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years (2004)
Karen Sisco (2003)
Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle (2003)
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty (2003)
Half & Half (2002)
Everwood (2002)
John Q (2002)
Redeemer (2002)
How High (2001)
One Special Moment (2001)
The Visit (2001)
Static Shock (2000)
Max Steel (2000)
The Apartment Complex (1999)
Family Law (1999)
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999)
Life (1999)
The Temptations (1998)
The Temptations (1998)
Dawson's Creek (1998)
Miss Evers' Boys (1997)
The Cherokee Kid (1996)
That Thing You Do! (1996)
The Tomorrow Man (1996)
Carpool (1996)
Multiplicity (1996)
Soul of the Game (1996)
Born to Be Wild (1995)
The Outer Limits (1995)
Sliders (1995)
Fatal Pursuit (1995)
Friends (1994)
Chicago Hope (1994)
M.A.N.T.I.S. (1994)
Philadelphia (1993)
Necronomicon (1993)
Undercover Blues (1993)
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993)
The Importance of Being Earnest (1992)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Miami Blues (1990)
Tales from the Crypt (1989)
Married to the Mob (1988)
God Bless the Child (1988)
Leonard Part 6 (1987)
A Different World (1987)
Treemonisha (1982)
Baryshnikov on Broadway (1980)
An Evening with Liza Minnelli (1980)
The Temptations Le film de leur ascension vers la gloire
Start Without Me
Children of the Dead (Concept Trailer)
Ratings
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1951-12-01 (72 years old)
Birth PlaceJamaica, United States of America
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsObba Babatundè, Obba Babatunde
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