Obba Babatundé
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
Known For
Credits
- 2023 · Noble Intentions as Pastor Stevens
- 2022 · The Millennial as Mr. Burke
- 2020 · Trigger as Chief Keaton
- 2020 · Little Fires Everywhere as George Wright
- 2019 · Revival! as Nicodemus
- 2018 · Jingle Belle as Charles Williams
- 2018 · Kinky as Mr. Bernard
- 2018 · Forever as Gregory
- 2018 · City of Lies as Chief of Police
- 2018 · For The People as Philip Kaws
- 2017 · S.W.A.T. as Daniel Harrelson, Sr.
- 2017 · 'Til Death Do Us Part as John Harris
- 2017 · Pup Star: Better 2Gether as Big Ears (voice)
- 2017 · Dear White People as Dean Fairbanks
- 2017 · The Good Fight as Danny Quinn
- 2016 · Goliath as Ivan Tillinger
- 2016 · The Watcher as Stark
- 2016 · Pup Star as Big Ears (voice)
- 2015 · Chicago Med as Dr. James Coleman
- 2015 · If I Tell You I Have to Kill You as Jonathan Black
- 2015 · Death's Door as Mesmer
- 2015 · Ballers as J.D. Pritchard
- 2015 · American Bad Boy as Pastor Lovely
- 2014 · Lap Dance as Roscoe
- 2014 · Kingdom as Detective Gaines
- 2014 · Enlisted as General Murray
- 2013 · Dolls of Voodoo as Iklif
- 2012 · Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups as Mayor Denny
- 2012 · The Last Fall as
- 2012 · Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire as Vampire Actor #4 (voice)
- 2011 · Joy Road as Dr. Howard Perkins
- 2011 · The Trap Door as Mesmer
- 2011 · Trapped: Haitian Nights as Ikliff
- 2011 · All Star Superman as Judge / Bibliobot (voice)
- 2009 · Black Dynamite as Osiris
- 2009 · I Do... I Did! as Mr. Johnson
- 2008 · Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History as Self
- 2008 · The Eye as Dr. Haskins
- 2007 · April Fools as Detective Combs
- 2007 · Cover as Attorney Miller
- 2007 · King: Man of Peace in a Time of War as Narrator
- 2006 · Material Girls as Craig
- 2006 · Psych as David Gaffney
- 2006 · The Celestine Prophecy as Miguel
- 2005 · Grey's Anatomy as Dan Gates
- 2004 · Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.! as Chief Ankamuti (voice)
- 2004 · After the Sunset as Zacharias
- 2004 · The Manchurian Candidate as Senator Wells
- 2004 · The Notebook as Band Leader
- 2004 · TV in Black: The First Fifty Years as Self
- 2003 · Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty as Host
- 2002 · Everwood as Jason
- 2002 · John Q as Sgt. Moody
- 2002 · Redeemer as Charles Henderson
- 2001 · How High as Dean Carl Cain
- 2001 · One Special Moment as
- 2001 · The Visit as Tony
- 2000 · Static Shock as Singer (voice)
- 2000 · Static Shock as Watch Store Salesman (voice)
- 2000 · Max Steel as (voice)
- 1999 · The Apartment Complex as Chett
- 1999 · Family Law as Philip Hamilton
- 1999 · Introducing Dorothy Dandridge as Harold Nicholas
- 1999 · Life as Willie Long
- 1998 · The Temptations as Berry Gordy
- 1998 · Dawson's Creek as Principal Howard Green
- 1997 · Miss Evers' Boys as Willie Johnson
- 1996 · The Cherokee Kid as Isom Dart
- 1996 · That Thing You Do! as Lamarr
- 1996 · The Tomorrow Man as Brian Parish
- 1996 · Carpool as Jeffery
- 1996 · Multiplicity as Paul
- 1996 · Soul of the Game as Cum Posey
- 1995 · The Net as FBI Agent
- 1995 · Born to Be Wild as Interpreter
- 1995 · The Outer Limits as Dr. Joseph Lennox
- 1995 · Sliders as Cezanne Brown
- 1995 · Fatal Pursuit as Trinidad
- 1994 · Friends as Director
- 1994 · Touched by an Angel as Carter Evans
- 1994 · Chicago Hope as
- 1994 · M.A.N.T.I.S. as
- 1994 · M.A.N.T.I.S. as Cornell
- 1993 · Philadelphia as Jerome Green
- 1993 · Necronomicon as Paul
- 1993 · Undercover Blues as Sawyer
- 1993 · The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. as Mongoose
- 1992 · The Human Factor as
- 1991 · The Silence of the Lambs as TV Anchor Man
- 1990 · The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Gordy Berry
- 1990 · Miami Blues as Blink Willie, Informant
- 1989 · Tales from the Crypt as Lieutenant Jamison
- 1988 · Married to the Mob as The Face of Justice
- 1987 · Leonard Part 6 as Bongo Drummer
- 1987 · A Different World as Frank Benning
- 1980 · Baryshnikov on Broadway as Dancer
- Future · The Temptations Le film de leur ascension vers la gloire as Berry Gordy
- 1988 · God Bless the Child as Raymond Watkins
- Future · People Not Places as
- 1992 · The Importance of Being Earnest as Lane
- 1982 · Treemonisha as Zodzetrick
- 1980 · An Evening with Liza Minnelli as Himself
- Future · Children of the Dead (Concept Trailer) as
- Future · Start Without Me as Leo