Emmy-winning actor Robert Guillaume, a veteran of the stage, film and television, died Oct. 24 from complications stemming from a 25-year battle with prostate cancer. He was 89 years old.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U5BlGf2jI64" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Guillaume, who had early sights on becoming a tenor with the Metropolitan Opera, earned acclaim as a respected actor. With a career spanning nearly 50 years, Guillaume's standout TV role was his portrayal of Benson DuBois — a witty butler-turned-lieutenant governor — on the sitcom "Soap" (1977–1981) and its spinoff, "Benson" (1979–1986). He earned Emmy Awards for his roles on each show.
More recently, he acted in series such as "Century City" (2004), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2008) and "Wanda Sykes Presents Hilarious" (2013).
Guillaume acted in a handful of feature films as well, including Seems Like Old Times (1980) starring Goldie Hawn, Lean On Me (1989) and The Big Fish (2003).
As a stage actor, Guillaume received a Tony nomination for his role in "Guys And Dolls." Other productions he appeared in included "Porgy And Bess," "The Phantom Of The Opera" and "Living In Paris."
In 1964 he recorded an LP, Just Arrived!, with the folk trio the Pilgrims alongside Angeline Butler and Millard Williams. Released on Columbia Records, the trio was loosely modeled after GRAMMY winners Peter, Paul And Mary. He was also a member of the Robert de Cormier Singers, a choral collective that performed in concert and on television.
In 1994 he voiced the character Rafiki for Disney's The Lion King, a role he would reprise in subsequent straight-to-video sequels and video game spinoffs. It was his related work for the film that would earn him a GRAMMY. Guillaume won Best Spoken Word Album For Children at the 37th GRAMMY Awards for The Lion King Read-Along.
"Robert Guillaume was a universally respected stage, television, and voice actor best known for his award-winning portrayal of Benson on the sitcom 'Soap' and its spinoff 'Benson,'" said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "His portrayal of a richly textured African-American character was a TV milestone and, added to his impressive screen and stage performances, made a significant impact on our creative community."
