Obba Babatundé
Born
December 1, 1951 (73 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Queens, New York City, New York, USA
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
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Captain Green
2025
Noble Intentions
Pastor Stevens
2023
The Millennial
Mr. Burke
2022
Trigger
Chief Keaton
2020
Little Fires Everywhere
George Wright · (2 episodes)
2020
Revival!
Nicodemus
2019
Jingle Belle
Charles Williams
2018
Kinky
Mr. Bernard
2018
Forever
Gregory · (2 episodes)
2018
City of Lies
Chief of Police
2018
For The People
Philip Kaws · (1 episode)
2018
S.W.A.T.
Daniel Harrelson, Sr. · (26 episodes)
2017
'Til Death Do Us Part
John Harris
2017
Pup Star: Better 2Gether
Big Ears (voice)
2017
Dear White People
Dean Fairbanks · (4 episodes)
2017
The Good Fight
Danny Quinn · (1 episode)
2017
Goliath
Ivan Tillinger · (3 episodes)
2016
The Watcher
Stark
2016
Pup Star
Big Ears (voice)
2016
Chicago Med
Dr. James Coleman · (1 episode)
2015
If I Tell You I Have to Kill You
Jonathan Black
2015
Death's Door
Mesmer
2015
Ballers
J.D. Pritchard · (1 episode)
2015
American Bad Boy
Pastor Lovely
2015
Lap Dance
Roscoe
2014
Kingdom
Detective Gaines · (3 episodes)
2014
Madam Secretary
President Silvanus Fabre · (1 episode)
2014
Enlisted
General Murray · (1 episode)
2014
Dolls of Voodoo
Iklif
2013
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
Mayor Denny
2012
The Last Fall
Larry Armstrong
2012
Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire
Vampire Actor #4 (voice)
2012
Joy Road
Dr. Howard Perkins
2011
The Trap Door
Mesmer
2011
Trapped: Haitian Nights
Ikliff
2011
All Star Superman
Judge / Bibliobot (voice)
2011
Black Dynamite
Osiris
2009
Why Am I Doing This?
Cliff
2009
I Do... I Did!
Mr. Johnson
2009
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
Self
2008
The Eye
Dr. Haskins
2008
Private Practice
Dr. Larry Cannon · (1 episode)
2007
April Fools
Detective Combs
2007
Cover
Attorney Miller
2007
Breaking the Silence: Picture-in-Picture Commentary
TV Anchor Man
2007
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
Narrator
2007
Material Girls
Craig
2006
Psych
David Gaffney · (1 episode)
2006
The Celestine Prophecy
Miguel
2006
Grey's Anatomy
Dan Gates · (1 episode)
2005
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.!
Chief Ankamuti (voice)
2004
After the Sunset
Zacharias
2004
The Manchurian Candidate
Senator Wells
2004
The Notebook
Band Leader
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self
2004
NCIS
(1 episode)
2003
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty
Host
2003
Everwood
Jason · (1 episode)
2002
John Q
Sgt. Moody
2002
Redeemer
Charles Henderson
2002
How High
Dean Carl Cain
2001
One Special Moment
2001
The Visit
Tony
2001
Static Shock
Watch Store Salesman (voice) · (1 episode)
2000
Static Shock
Singer (voice) · (1 episode)
2000
Max Steel
(voice) · (1 episode)
2000
The Apartment Complex
Chett
1999
Family Law
Philip Hamilton · (1 episode)
1999
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
Harold Nicholas
1999
Life
Willie Long
1999
The Temptations
Berry Gordy · (2 episodes)
1998
Dawson's Creek
Principal Howard Green · (8 episodes)
1998
Spy Game
Lieutenant Wardell · (1 episode)
1997
Miss Evers' Boys
Willie Johnson
1997
The Cherokee Kid
Isom Dart
1996
That Thing You Do!
Lamarr
1996
The Tomorrow Man
Brian Parish
1996
Carpool
Jeffery
1996
Multiplicity
Paul
1996
Soul of the Game
Cum Posey
1996
The Net
FBI Agent
1995
Born to Be Wild
Interpreter
1995
The Outer Limits
Dr. Joseph Lennox · (1 episode)
1995
Sliders
Cezanne Brown · (1 episode)
1995
Fatal Pursuit
Trinidad
1995
Friends
Director · (1 episode)
1994
Touched by an Angel
Carter Evans · (1 episode)
1994
Chicago Hope
(1 episode)
1994
M.A.N.T.I.S.
Cornell
1994
Philadelphia
Jerome Green
1993
Necronomicon
Paul
1993
Undercover Blues
Sawyer
1993
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Mongoose · (1 episode)
1993
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Jameson Walker · (1 episode)
1992
The Importance of Being Earnest
Lane
1992
The Human Factor
(1 episode)
1992
The Silence of the Lambs
TV Anchor Man
1991
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Gordy Berry · (2 episodes)
1990
Miami Blues
Blink Willie
1990
Start Without Me
Leo
Tales from the Crypt
Lieutenant Jamison · (1 episode)
1989
God Bless the Child
Raymond Watkins
1988
Leonard Part 6
Bongo Drummer
1987
People Not Places
Children of the Dead (Concept Trailer)
Married to the Mob
The Face of Justice
1988
Treemonisha
Zodzetrick
1982
An Evening with Liza Minnelli
Himself
1980
Run
Mississippi Scholar
Reginald
A Different World
Frank Benning · (1 episode)
1987
Baryshnikov on Broadway
Dancer
1980