Robert Guillaume

Even though Robert Guillaume was an accomplished and experienced Broadway musical performer, there was some controversy when he replaced the original Phantom (Michael Crawford) in the first Los Angeles company of Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical "The Phantom of the Opera," becoming the first black actor to play the role. Some tickets were returned to protest his selection as lead actor even before his first performance. His run was nonetheless popular with audiences and critics.

His stroke was paralleled on his television series Sports Night where his character, boss Isaac Jaffe, also was shown to have suffered a stroke, and where he was also shown to be missed and idolized by his television-staff colleagues.

Suffered a mild stroke on the set of his television series "Sports Night" on January 14, 1999.

Attended Saint Louis University and Washington University.

Was once engaged to actress Fay Hauser.

Father of Kevin Guillaume and Rachel Guillaume (born 1990).

Biography in: "Whos Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, pg. 198. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387

Was nominated for Broadways 1977 Tony Award a Best Actor for a revival of "Guys and Dolls".

Robert Guillaume was born as Robert Peter Williams (Guillaume is the French translation of William).

He was the producers first choice for the role of Tuvok on "Star Trek: Voyager" , which eventually went to Tim Russ. His "Benson" co-star Ethan Phillips was cast as Neelix on the series.

Along with James Garner , he was among the original cast for "The Powers That Be" in the TV Guide Fall Preview.

He was nominated for a 1976 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for "Benito Cereno" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

He was nominated for a 1977 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actor in a Principal Role in a Play for his performance in "Don Juan" at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.

Remains good friends with Missy Gold during and after "Benson" .

Best known by the public for his starring role as the title character on "Benson" .

Is the first African-American actor to win the Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. As of 2016, he is the only African-American performer to win both of them, and he was the only African-American to win any of the two awards until 2017 (when Donald Glover won Lead Actor in a Comedy Series). He still remains the only African-American to win an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series as of 2017.

Friends with: Marla Gibbs , Isabel Sanford , Sherman Hemsley , Charlotte Rae , Bea Arthur , Redd Foxx , Danny Thomas , James Garner , James Earl Jones , Bill Cosby , Norman Lear , Paul Junger Witt , Inga Swenson , Rene Auberjonois , Katherine Helmond , Richard Mulligan , James Noble , Whoopi Goldberg , Georg Stanford Brown Diahann Carroll , and Gavin MacLeod.

Acting mentor and friends with Missy Gold and Ethan Phillips.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6675 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on November 28, 1984 (two days before his 57th birthday).

He was awarded a Star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame on May 16, 1999.

Survived by his wife Donna, three daughters, Patricia Carpenter, Melissa, & Rachel, one son, Kevin, four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great great granddaughter.