Origins & Early Life

Robert Guillaume (born Robert Peter Williams; November 30, 1927 – October 24, 2017) was an American actor and singer. He played Benson DuBois in the ABC television series Soap and its spin-off, Benson. He also voiced the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King, and played Isaac Jaffe in Aaron Sorkin's dramedy Sports Night. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Guillaume worked extensively on stage, television and film.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, and twice won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of the character Benson DuBois, once in 1979 on Soap and again in 1985 on Benson. He also won a Grammy Award in 1995 for his spoken-word performance of an audiobook version of The Lion King. Guillaume was the first African-American actor to portray the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Guillaume was born Robert Peter Williams in St. Louis to an alcoholic mother.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After she abandoned him and several siblings, they were raised by their grandmother, Jeannette Williams. He studied at Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis and served in the U.S. Army before pursuing...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Contemporary (Born in 1927) (1927): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Al Martino — Contemporary (Born in 1927) (1927): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Albert Uderzo — Contemporary (Born in 1927) (1927): Pioneering French comic artist, co-creator of the iconic Astérix series.
• Adam West — Contemporary (Died in 2017) (2017): American actor best known for portraying Batman in the 1960s and extensive voice work.
• Adnan Khashoggi — Contemporary (Died in 2017) (2017): Saudi businessman and arms dealer, known as 'The Great Gatsby of the Middle East'
• Alexei Abrikosov (physicist) — Contemporary (Died in 2017) (2017): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for low-temperature condensed matter physics.
• Alfonso Caso — Shared historical date (11-30 · Died) (1970): Pioneering Mexican archaeologist renowned for pre-Columbian studies.
• Ali Hassan al-Majid — Shared historical date (11-30 · Born) (1941): Notorious Iraqi military figure, cousin of Saddam Hussein, known for brutal repression.
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek — Shared historical date (10-24 · Born) (1632): Pioneering Dutch microscopist, known as the Father of Microbiology.
• Bahadur Shah Zafar — Shared historical date (10-24 · Born) (1775): The last Mughal Emperor of India and renowned Urdu poet.
• 1927 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1927
• November 30 (11-30) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on November 30
• 2017 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2017
• October 24 (10-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 24