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.
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as Leo
as Arnold
as Jesse
as President
as Captain Green
as Reginald
as Pastor Stevens
as Simon Helms
as Mr. Burke
as Mr. Porter
as Chief Keaton
as George Wright(2 eps)
as Nicodemus
as Charles Williams
as Mr. Bernard
as Gregory(2 eps)
as Chief of Police
as Philip Kaws(1 ep)
as Daniel Harrelson, Sr.(26 eps)
as John Harris
as Big Ears (voice)
as Dean Fairbanks(4 eps)
as Danny Quinn(1 ep)
as Mr. Duvet(2 eps)
as Ivan Tillinger(3 eps)
as Stark
as Big Ears (voice)
as Dr. James Coleman(1 ep)
as Jonathan Black
as Mesmer
as J.D. Pritchard(1 ep)
as Pastor Lovely
as Roscoe
as Detective Gaines(3 eps)
as President Silvanus Fabre(1 ep)
as General Murray(1 ep)
as Iklif
as Mayor Denny
as Larry Armstrong
as Vampire Actor #4 (voice)
as Dr. Howard Perkins
as Mesmer
as Ikliff
as Judge / Bibliobot (voice)
as Osiris
as Cliff
as Mr. Johnson
as Dr. Haskins
as Dr. Larry Cannon(1 ep)
as Detective Combs
as Doc(1 ep)
as Attorney Miller
as Narrator
as Craig
as David Gaffney(1 ep)
as Miguel
as Dan Gates(1 ep)
as Chief Ankamuti (voice)
as Zacharias
as Dr. Victor Rivers(2 eps)
as Senator Wells
as Band Leader
as Joe Banks(1 ep)
as Boko (voice)
as Jason(1 ep)
as Sgt. Moody
as Charles Henderson
as Dean Carl Cain
as Tony
as Singer (voice)(1 ep)
as Watch Store Salesman (voice)(1 ep)
as Attendant(1 ep)
as (voice)(1 ep)
as Chett
as Philip Hamilton(1 ep)
as Harold Nicholas
as Willie Long
as Berry Gordy(2 eps)
as Howard Green(8 eps)
as Lieutenant Wardell(1 ep)
as Willie Johnson
as Isom Dart
as Lamarr
as Brian Parish
as Jeffery
as Paul
as Cum Posey
as Prof. Thurman
as FBI Agent (uncredited)
as Interpreter
as Dr. Joseph Lennox(1 ep)
as Cezanne Brown(1 ep)
as Trinidad
as Director(1 ep)
as Carter Evans(1 ep)
as Charles Ellis(2 eps)
as Cornell
as Jerome Green
as Paul
as Sawyer
as Mongoose(1 ep)
as Jameson Walker(1 ep)
as Syd
as TV Anchor Man
as Gordy Berry(2 eps)
as Blink Willie
as Lieutenant Jamison(1 ep)
as The Face of Justice
as Raymond Watkins
as Bongo Drummer
as Frank Benning(1 ep)
as Backstage Man(1 ep)
as Zodzetrick
as Dancer
as Self - Dancer
