Obba Babatundé
Actor, Producer, Director, Writer
December 1, 1951 (74 years)
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
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
Movies & Shows on Plex
Known For
Filmography
| 2026 | Master of Dreams · as Dr. Rameses Farrow, Phd |
| 2025 | Love the Skin You're In · as Arnold |
| 2025 | The Christmas Showdown · as Jesse |
| 2025 | Run · as President |
| 2025 | Wrong Place, Wrong Time · as Captain Green |
| 2022 | Noble Intentions · as Pastor StevensOn Plex |
| 2022 | |
| 2022 | A Polished Soul · as Solomon |
| 2020 | Kiss Me for Christmas · as Mr. PorterOn Plex |
| 2020 | Trigger · as Chief Keaton |
| 2020 | Little Fires Everywhere · as George Wright |
| 2018 | City of Lies · as Chief Of Police |
| 2018 | Revival · as Nicodemus |
| 2018 | Jingle Belle · as Charles Williams |
| 2018 | Kinky · as Mr. Bernard |
| 2018 | Forever (2018) · as Gregory |
| 2018 | For the People (2018) · as Philip Kaws |
| 2018 | Corporate · as Cronker Wilson |
| 2018 | Tennis, the Good Boy · as Armon |
| 2017 | S.W.A.T. (2017) · as Daniel Harrelson, Sr. |
| 2017 | Til Death Do Us Part · as John HarrisOn Plex |
| 2017 | Pup Star: Better 2Gether · as Big Ears (voice)On Plex |
| 2017 | I'm Dying Up Here · as Barton Royce |
| 2017 | Dear White People · as Dean Fairbanks |
| 2017 | The Good Fight · as Danny Quinn |
| 2017 | Detroiters · as Mr. Duvet |
| 2016 | The Watcher · as Stark |
| 2016 | Goliath · as Ivan Tillinger |
| 2016 | Pup Star · as Big Ears (voice)On Plex |
| 2016 | The Last Tycoon · as Les Turpin |
| 2015 | Chicago Med · as Dr. James Coleman |
| 2015 | If I Tell You I Have to Kill You · as Jonathan BlackOn Plex |
| 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 (2014) · as Detective Gaines |
| 2014 | Madam Secretary · as President Silvanus Fabre |
| 2014 | Hand of God · as Bishop Bruce Congdon |
| 2014 | The Dead Sea · as Mayor |
| 2014 | Enlisted · as General Murray |
| 2013 | Dolls of Voodoo · as Iklif |
| 2013 | Cult · as Quentin Yarrow |
| 2012 | Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups · as Mayor Denny |
| 2012 | Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire · as Vampire Actor #4 (voice) |
| 2012 | The Last Fall · as Larry Armstrong |
| 2011 | The Trap Door · as Mesmer |
| 2011 | All-Star Superman · as Judge / Bibliobot (voice) |
| 2010 | Are We There Yet? · as GrandpaOn Plex |
| 2010 | Trapped: Haitian Nights · as Ikliff |
| 2010 | Love That Girl! · as Jim |
| 2009 | Black Dynamite · as Osiris |
| 2009 | I Do... I Did! · as Mr. Johnson |
| 2009 | Why Am I Doing This? · as CliffOn Plex |
| 2008 | The Eye · as Dr. HaskinsOn Plex |
| 2007 | Private Practice · as Dr. Larry Cannon |
| 2007 | April Fools · as Detective Combs |
| 2007 | Saving Grace (2007) · as Doc |
| 2007 | Cover · as Attorney Miller |
| 2007 | King: Man of Peace in a Time of War · as Narrator |
| 2006 | Material Girls · as Craig |
| 2006 | The Celestine Prophecy · as Miguel |
| 2006 | Psych · as David Gaffney |
| 2005 | Criminal Minds · as Sheriff Frank Sanders |
| 2005 | Flip the Script · as Mr. Jones |
| 2005 | Grey's Anatomy · as Dan Gates |
| 2004 | Joy Road · as Dr. Howard Perkins |
| 2004 | Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.! · as Chief Ankamuti (voice) |
| 2004 | After the Sunset · as Zacharias |
| 2004 | Boston Legal · as Dr. Victor Rivers |
| 2004 | The Manchurian Candidate · as Senator Wells |
| 2004 | The Notebook · as Band Leader |
| 2004 | Winx Club · as King Teredor |
| 2003 | Karen Sisco · as Daniel Burden |
| 2003 | Cold Case · as Dr. Octavius Leroy |
| 2003 | NCIS · as Joe Banks |
| 2003 | Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty · as Host |
| 2002 | The Wild Thornberrys · as Boko |
| 2002 | Half & Half · as Charles Thorne |
| 2002 | Everwood · as Jason |
| 2002 | Redeemer · as Charles Henderson |
| 2002 | John Q · as Sgt. Moody |
| 2001 | How High · as Dean Carl Cain |
| 2001 | The Beast (2001) · as Mr. Lowry |
| 2000 | The Visit · as Tony |
| 2000 | Static Shock · as Singer (voice) |
| 2000 | Girlfriends · as Attendant |
| 2000 | Soul Food · as Benjamin Chadway |
| 2000 | The Invisible Man · as Allardyce |
| 2000 | Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family · as Sergeant Bonner |
| 2000 | Max Steel · as (voice) |
| 1999 | The Apartment Complex · as Chett |
| 1999 | Xyber 9: New Dawn · as Cast |
| 1999 | Family Law · as Philip Hamilton |
| 1999 | Introducing Dorothy Dandridge · as Harold Nicholas |
| 1999 | Rocket Power · as Conroy |
| 1999 | Life · as Willie Long |
| 1998 | The Temptations · as Berry GordyOn Plex |
| 1998 | Any Day Now · as Judge Richards |
| 1998 | Linc's · as Army Vet |
| 1998 | Dawson's Creek · as Principal Howard GreenOn Plex |
| 1997 | Spy Game · as Lieutenant Wardell |
| 1997 | Miss Evers' Boys · as Willie Johnson |
| 1996 | The Cherokee Kid · as Isom Dart |
| 1996 | The Burning Zone · as Vince, Police Lieutenant |
| 1996 | The Tomorrow Man · as Brian Parish |
| 1996 | Sparks · as Mr. Kirby |
| 1996 | Carpool · as Jeffery |
| 1996 | Multiplicity · as Paul |
| 1996 | Soul of the Game · as Cum Posey |
| 1996 | That Thing You Do! · as Lamarr |
| 1995 | A Reason to Believe · as Prof. Thurman |
| 1995 | The Net · as Fbi Agent |
| 1995 | Born to Be Wild · as Interpreter |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits (1995) · as Dr. Joseph Lennox |
| 1995 | Sliders · as Cezanne Brown |
| 1995 | Under One Roof · as Ben |
| 1995 | Fatal Pursuit · as Trinidad |
| 1994 | Friends · as Director |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel · as Carter Evans |
| 1994 | Chicago Hope · as Charles Ellis |
| 1994 | Thunder in Paradise · as Carl |
| 1994 | Tom · as Tanner |
| 1994 | M.A.N.T.I.S. · as Cornell |
| 1993 | Philadelphia · as Jerome Green |
| 1993 | Necronomicon: Book of Dead · as Paul |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue · as Kevin Dupree |
| 1993 | Undercover Blues · as Sawyer |
| 1993 | The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. · as Mongoose |
| 1993 | Getting By · as Cast |
| 1992 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper · as Jameson Walker |
| 1992 | The Importance of Being Earnest · as Lane |
| 1991 | Dead Again · as Syd |
| 1991 | Sisters · as BenOn Plex |
| 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 |
| 1989 | Tales from the Crypt · as Lieutenant Jamison |
| 1988 | Married to the Mob · as The Face Of Justice |
| 1988 | God Bless the Child · as Raymond Watkins |
| 1987 | Leonard Part 6 · as Bongo Drummer |
| 1987 | A Different World (1987) · as Frank Benning |
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse · as Terrence Quimby |
| 1987 | The Bold and the Beautiful · as Julius AvantOn Plex |
| 1986 | Matlock · as Backstage Man |
| 1980 | Baryshnikov on Broadway · as Dancer |
| 1973 | The Young and the Restless · as Carter Campbell |
| 1970 | All My Children · as Rusty Bennett |
| 1968 | One Life to Live · as Clay (2005) |
| 2018 | Mr. Soul! · as Self |
| 2018 | King of Stage: The Woodie King Jr. Story · as SelfOn Plex |
| 2014 | Unsung Hollywood · as Self |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2005 | Before, During and 'After the Sunset' · as Self |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty Years · as SelfOn Plex |
| 1999 | Independent Lens · as Self |
| 1997 | The 49th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self |
| 1980 | An Evening with Liza Minnelli · as Self - Dancer |
| 2025 | Love the Skin You're In · as Executive Producer |
| 2022 | A Polished Soul · as Executive Producer |
| 2015 | If I Tell You I Have to Kill You · as Executive ProducerOn Plex |
| 2015 | American Bad Boy · as Executive Producer |
| 2004 | |
| 2003 |
| 2022 | Noble Intentions · as Writers' AssistantOn Plex |
| 2013 | Dolls of Voodoo · as Script |
| 2013 | Angels Around Me · as Additional WriterOn Plex |