Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host. He played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries Roots (1977), and was the host of the PBS Kids educational television series Reading Rainbow for 23 years (1983–2006). Burton received 12 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award as host and executive producer of Reading Rainbow.
His other roles include Cap Jackson in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Donald Lang in Dummy (1979), Tommy Price in The Hunter (1980), which earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, and Martin Luther King Jr. in Ali (2001). Burton received the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards for his narration of the book The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. In 1990, he was honored for his accomplishments in television with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
From 2017 until 2024, Burton created and hosted the podcast LeVar Burton Reads, often described as "Reading Rainbow for adults". In October 2024, Burton appeared as the host of the Trivial Pursuit television game show broadcast on The CW network and streaming online.
Description above from the Wikipedia article about LeVar Burton, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
Self
2024
Trivial Pursuit
Self - Host · (16 episodes)
2024
Butterfly in the Sky
Self
2024
Carol & the End of the World
(voice) · (1 episode)
2023
100 Years of Warner Bros.
Self · (3 episodes)
2023
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event
Commodore Geordi La Forge
2023
Tom Swift
Barclay (voice) · (10 episodes)
2022
Secrets of Sacred Architecture
Narrator (voice)
2022
The Shuttlepod Show
Self · (1 episode)
2022
The Legend of Vox Machina
Undead Thordak (voice) · (2 episodes)
2022
The Problem with Jon Stewart
Self · (1 episode)
2021
Leverage: Redemption
Mr. Blanche · (1 episode)
2021
Beyond the Spotlight
(1 episode)
2020
Definition Please
LeVar Burton
2020
Star Trek: Picard
Commodore Geordi La Forge · (5 episodes)
2020
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self · (1 episode)
2019
Weird City
Dr. Negari · (4 episodes)
2019
The Ready Room
Self · (2 episodes)
2019
Brentwood
LeVar Burton
2018
Explained
Narrator (voice) · (1 episode)
2018
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Kwame · (1 episode)
2017
Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family
2017
School of the Future
2016
Roots
Ephraim · (1 episode)
2016
Lennon or McCartney
Self
2014
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con
Self
2014
PBS News Weekend
Himself (voice) · (1 episode)
2013
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
2013
Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
2012
Rise of the Zombies
Dr. Dan Halpern
2012
Stardate Revisited - The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
2012
Perception
Paul Haley · (35 episodes)
2012
The Eric Andre Show
Self · (1 episode)
2012
Finding Your Roots
(1 episode)
2012
Transformers: Rescue Bots
Doc Green (voice) · (104 episodes)
2012
Honest Trailers
Geordi LaForge (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2012
The Jensen Project
Kendrick
2010
Adventure Time
Bubble (voice) · (1 episode)
2010
Taken in Broad Daylight
Mike Timbrook
2009
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Black Lightning (voice)
2009
Community
LeVar Burton · (2 episodes)
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
Shatner's Raw Nerve
Self · (1 episode)
2008
Reach for Me
Nathanial
2008
The Big Bang Theory
LeVar Burton · (3 episodes)
2007
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Self · (1 episode)
2007
40 Years of Star Trek
Self
2006
Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool
Self
2005
Hell's Kitchen
Self - Restaurant Patron · (1 episode)
2005
Blizzard
Night Watchman Elf (uncredited)
2003
Star Trek: Nemesis
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
2002
Boomtown
Marvin Lloyd · (1 episode)
2002
Ali
Martin Luther King, Jr.
2001
Futurama
Unlicensed Hologram of LeVar Burton (voice) · (1 episode)
1999
Family Guy
Vern (voice) · (1 episode)
1999
Family Guy
LeVar Burton (voice) · (1 episode)
1999
Our Friend, Martin
Martin at Age 26 (voice) (as Levar Burton)
1999
Star Trek: Insurrection
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
1998
Becker
Mr. Haller · (1 episode)
1998
Trekkies
Self
1997
The View
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1997
Star Trek: First Contact
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
1996
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
1996
The Daily Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996
Yesterday's Target
Winstrom
1996
MADtv
Self · (1 episode)
1995
Deadly Games
Mr. Metcalf · (1 episode)
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
The Monk (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
Star Trek: Voyager
Captain Geordi La Forge · (1 episode)
1995
Star Trek: Generations
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
1994
Gargoyles
Anansi/Poacher 2 (voice) · (1 episode)
1994
Parallel Lives
Dr. Franklin Carter
1994
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
1994
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
1994
Christy
Daniel Scott · (7 episodes)
1994
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Gambit
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
1993
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Descent
Geordi La Forge
1993
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Birthright
Geordi La Forge
1993
Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland
Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
Geordi La Forge
1993
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
1992
Batman: The Animated Series
Hayden Sloane (voice) · (1 episode)
1992
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Time's Arrow
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge (archive footage)
1992
Star Trek: Federation Science
1992
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
1991
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Self
1991
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption
Geordi LaForge (archive footage)
1991
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Kwame (voice) · (113 episodes)
1990
Central Park
Self
1990
Roots: The Gift
Kunta Kinte
1988
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next
Self
1988
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Geordi La Forge · (176 episodes)
1987
A Special Friendship
Ben Sumner
1987
Houston Knights
Jason Evans · (1 episode)
1987
Star Trek: The Next Generation - electronic press kit
Self
1987
Liberty
Robert Johnson
1986
The Supernaturals
Pvt. Michael Osgood
1986
The Midnight Hour
Vinnie Davis
1985
And the Children Shall Lead
Glenn Scott
1985
Booker
Davis
1984
Murder, She Wrote
Reporter Dave Robinson · (1 episode)
1984
Jeopardy!
Self - Host · (5 episodes)
1984
The Jesse Owens Story
Professor Preston
1984
Emergency Room
Ray Walden
1983
Reading Rainbow
Self - Host · (155 episodes)
1983
I Love Liberty
Self
1982
Grambling's White Tiger
Charles 'Tank' Smith
1981
The Acorn People
Rodney
1981
The Hunter
Tommy Price
1980
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones
Richard Jefferson · (2 episodes)
1980
Trapper John, M.D.
(1 episode)
1979
Dummy
Donald Lang
1979
The Muppets Go Hollywood
Self
1979
Mickey's 50
Self
1978
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
Ron LeFlore
1978
Battered
Andrew Sinclair
1978
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Cap Jackson
1977
The Love Boat
Darnell Hall · (1 episode)
1977
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
Billy Peoples
1977
US Against the World
Self
1977
Roots
Kunta Kinte · (8 episodes)
1977
The Captain and Tennille
Self · (1 episode)
1976
Almos' a Man
Dave
1976
Scripps National Spelling Bee
Self - Host · (4 episodes)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962