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Obba Babatundé

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Obba Babatundé
Babatundé in 1969
Born
Donald Cohen

(1951-12-01) December 1, 1951 (age 73)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1969–present

Obba Babatundé listenⓘ (born Donald Cohen; December 1, 1951) is an American actor. A native of Queens, New York City,[1] he has appeared in more than seventeen stage productions, thirty theatrical films, sixty made-for-television films, and two prime-time series.

Early life and education

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Babatundé was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. As a child, he attended public schools. He was attracted early to theater and from a young age would sing, dance and act for his family. He attended Jamaica High School where he was a well-rounded student who, in addition to appearing in the Sing '68 school musical program, was a student aide and a member of both the track and cross country teams. After graduating from Jamaica High School in 1969, he started teaching at a private school for students of color. He also pursued acting jobs in New York, gaining some roles Off-Off-Broadway.[2]

Learning that his ancestry included people from Nigeria, he adopted a name made of Yoruba words: Obba, for "king", and Babatunde, meaning "father has returned again."[3]

Acting career

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Babatundé has said a breakthrough role was gaining a part in a 1976 touring company of Guys and Dolls, starring Leslie Uggams and Richard Roundtree. Since then he has performed in many other stage productions.[3]

His first Broadway performance was in Timbuktu! in 1978. He performed with Liza Minnelli in the documentary film “Liza In New Orleans” in 1980. He is known for starring as the original C.C. White in Dreamgirls, for which he was nominated for a 1982 Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Musical. After performing on Broadway in this role, he also toured for two years with the company.[4] He gradually moved into film and television work, and has had numerous roles in both genres.

Film

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His feature film appearances include Life as Willie, The Celestine Prophecy, Material Girls, After the Sunset, The Manchurian Candidate, The Notebook, a SWAT captain in John Q, an attorney in Philadelphia (1993), The Last Fall, If I Tell You I Have to Kill You, The Fallen Faithful, Trapped, Tension, and Kinky.

He also played Dean Cain in the film How High, as well as the role of Willie Long in Life, Lamar in That Thing You Do!, and Mayor Denny in Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups.

Television

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Babatundé has appeared in three prime-time series: CBS' Madam Secretary, as Barton Royce in the Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here (2017), and as Dean Fairbanks in Netflix's Dear White People (2017–2018).

Babatundé appeared in a recurring role on Kingdom and Amazon's Hand of God, as Bishop Bruce Congdon. He also appeared in Half & Half, as well as appearances on The Bold and the Beautiful, Boston Legal, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Cold Case, Strong Medicine, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Touched by an Angel, Chicago Hope, Any Day Now, Karen Sisco, Dawson's Creek, and Friends. In the 1998 miniseries, The Temptations, he played Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records.

Babatundé appeared as Daniel Harrelson Sr., the father of Shemar Moore's character in the 2017 series S.W.A.T..

Other ventures

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Voice acting

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Babatundé's voice acting roles in animated films and games include Lando Calrissian in Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike, and Disney Infinity 3.0 as well as Conroy in Rocket Power.[5] In the animated feature The Wild Thornberrys Movie, Babatundé voiced the character of Boko, and in the 2016 Air Bud Entertainment film Pup Star, he played the soul-singing Basset Hound, Big Ears.

Producer and director

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Babatundé was co-producer and director of Oscar's Black Odyssey, co-producer of Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty, and co-producer of TV in Black: The First 50 Years. He is associate producer of the horror film Voodoo Dolls and executive producer of Journey. Most recently, Babatundé directed and co-stars with Katt Williams in the Lionsgate Home Entertainment feature film American Bad Boy, and he produced and directed the short film Clarissa's Gift.

Babatundé also directed a version of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. He co-authored, directed, and produced In the Blink of an Eye.

Singing

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Some of his recorded works include singing the title track on the Onaje Allan Gumbs's album Sack Full of Dreams, and "The Gal That Got Away" on Over The Rainbow, the Harold Arlen soundtrack.

In 1982 Babatunde starred as Zodzetrick in the Houston Grand Opera's second production of Scott Joplin's opera Treemonisha. They had produced it first in 1976. After the opera was rediscovered, the world premiere was produced in 1972 by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Morehouse College chorus.

Awards and nominations

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In 2019, Babatundé was inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum.[6] In 2016, he received the Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series", as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Peachtree Village International Film Festival.

In 2010, Babatundé won NAACP Theatre Awards' "Best Lead Male" for his portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in the Old Globe production of the musical Sammy.[7]

Babatundé was nominated for an Emmy in the HBO film Miss Evers' Boys, an NAACP Image Award in the HBO film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and an Ovation Award and a Tony Award for his role as C.C. White in the original Broadway cast of Dreamgirls. He won an NAACP Image Award as "Best Actor" for his role as Sarge in A Soldiers Play.[8]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 Leonard Part 6 Bongo Drummer
1988 God Bless the Child Raymond Watkins Television film
Married to the Mob The Face of Justice
1989 Heart and Soul Also Taylor Television film
1990 Miami Blues Blink Willie the Informant
1991 The Silence of the Lambs TV Anchorman
Dead Again Syd
1992 The Importance of Being Earnest Lane
1993 Undercover Blues Lt. Sawyer
Necronomicon Paul (Part 3)
Philadelphia Jerome Green
1994 M.A.N.T.I.S. Cornell Television film
1995 Born to Be Wild Interpreter
The Net F.B.I. Agent
A Reason to Believe Professor Thurman
Fatal Pursuit Trinidad
1996 That Thing You Do! Lamarr
Soul of the Game Cum Posey Television film
Multiplicity Paul
Carpool Jeffery
The Tomorrow Man Brian Parish Television film
The Cherokee Kid Isom Dart Television film
1997 Miss Evers' Boys Willie Johnson Television film
1999 Life Willie Long
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Harold Nicholas Television film
The Apartment Complex Chett Television film
2000 The Visit Tony
2001 One Special Moment Television film
How High Dean Carl Cain
2002 John Q Sergeant Moody
Redeemer Charles Henderson Television film
The Wild Thornberrys Movie Boko Voice[9]
2003 The Great Commission Reverend Jesse
2004 The Notebook Band Leader
The Manchurian Candidate Senator Wells
After the Sunset Zacharias
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.! Chief Ankamuti Voice, direct-to-video[9]
Joy Road Dr. Howard Perkins
2005 Flip the Script Mr. Jones
2006 The Celestine Prophecy Miguel
Material Girls Craig
2007 April Fools Detective Combs Video
Cover Attorney Miller
2008 The Eye Dr. Haskins
2009 Black Dynamite Osiris
Why Am I Doing This? Cliff
I Do... I Did Mr. Johnson
2010 Trapped: Haitian Nights Ikliff
The Fallen Faithful Reverend Emmanuel
2011 All-Star Superman Judge Voice, direct-to-video[9]
Go Beyond the Lens Host Short
The Trap Door Mesmer Video
2012 Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire Vampire Actor #4 Voice, direct-to-video[9]
The Last Fall Larry Armstrong
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups Mayor Denny
2013 Dolls of Voodoo Iklif
2014 The Dead Sea Mayor
Lap Dance Roscoe
2015 American Bad Boy Pastor Lovely
Death's Door Mesmer
If I Tell You I Have to Kill You Jonathan Black
2016 Pup Star Big Ears Voice, direct-to-video[9]
The Watcher Stark
2017 Pup Star 2: Better Together Big Ears Voice[9]
'Til Death Do Us Part John Harris
D.P.W. Mayor McCann Television film
2018 The Choir Director Mr. Wilcox
Tennis, the Good Boy Armon Voice, short
Kinky Mr. Bernard
Jingle Belle Charles Williams Television film
Revival Nicodemus
City of Lies Police Chief
2019 Mather Mather Short
2020 Trigger Chief Keaton
The Millennial Mr. Burke
Kiss Me for Christmas Mr. Porter Television film
2021 I Heart LA Captain Ross Short
Little Vagabond Walter Short

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 America's Musical Theater Zodzetrick Episode: "Treemonisha"
1987 All My Children Rusty Bennett Episode: "Episode #1.46002"
1988 Matlock Backstage Man Episode: "The Magician"
CBS Summer Playhouse Terrence Quimby Episode: "Fort Figueroa"
1990 A Different World Frank Benning Episode: "Soldier Boy"
1992 The Human Factor Silky Wells 2 episodes
Tales from the Crypt Lieutenant Jamison Episode: "Maniac at Large"
Sisters Ben Episode: "Crash and Born"
1993 The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. Mongoose Episode: "A.K.A. Kansas"
1994 Getting By Episode: "The Rich Guy"
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Jameson Walker Episode: "Trading Places"
Tom Tanner Episode: "Pilot"
Thunder in Paradise Carl Episode: "Identity Crisis"
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Gordy Berry 2 episodes
Touched by an Angel Carter Evans Episode: "Fallen Angela"
1995 Under One Roof Ben Episode: "Pilot"
Sliders Cezanne Brown Episode: "Summer of Love"
Chicago Hope Charles Ellis 2 episodes
1997 Friends The Director Episode: "The One with All the Jealousy"
The Burning Zone Vince, Police Lieutenant Episode: "The Last Endless Summer"
Sparks Mr. Kirby Episode: "A Day in the Life II"
Spy Game Lieutenant Wardell Episode: "Lorne and Max Drop the Bell"
1998 The Temptations Berry Gordy Miniseries
1999 Xyber 9: New Dawn Additional voices
Linc's Army Vet Episode: "Dog Day Afternoon"
1999–00 Dawson's Creek Principal Howard Green Recurring cast: season 3
1999–04 Rocket Power Conroy Blanc, Additional voices Recurring cast
2000 The Outer Limits Dr. Joseph Lennox Episode: "The Beholder"
The Invisible Man Allardyce Episode: "The Value of Secrets"
Cover Me Sergeant Bonner Episode: "Bazooka Joe"
Max Steel Additional voices 2 episodes
2001 Any Day Now Judge Richards Episode: "It's Not Just a Word: Parts 1 & 2"
Family Law Philip Hamilton Episode: "Planting Seeds"
The Beast Mr. Lowry Episode: "The Price"
2001–02 Soul Food Benjamin Chadway 2 episodes
2001–03 Static Shock Watch Store Salesman, Scientist Voice, 2 episodes[9]
2002 NYPD Blue Kevin Dupree Episode: "Maya Con Dios"
2002–06 Half & Half Charles Thorne Recurring cast
2003–04 Karen Sisco Daniel Burden Recurring cast
2004 Soap Talk Himself
2005 Everwood Jason Episode: "Giving Up the Girl"
2007 Cold Case Dr. Octavius Leroy Episode: "Shuffle, Ball Change"
The Young and the Restless Carter Campbell Regular cast
Boston Legal Dr. Stanley Rivers / Dr. Victor Rivers 2 episodes
Girlfriends Attendant Episode: "Save the Last Dance"
2008 Psych David Gaffney Episode: "There's Something About Mira"
Saving Grace Doc Episode: "Do You Love Him?"
2009 NCIS Joe Banks Episode: "Knockout"
Grey's Anatomy Dan Gates Episode: "Sweet Surrender"
2010 Criminal Minds Sheriff Sanders Episode: "Solitary Man"
2011 Private Practice Dr. Larry Cannon Episode: "Heaven Can Wait"
Love That Girl! Jim Episode: "Happy Birthday, Bro"
Winx Club: Enchantix King Teredor Voice, episode: "The Wizard's Challenge"
2011–13 Winx Club King Teredor Voice, recurring cast: season 3-5
2013 Cult Quentin Farrow 2 episodes
2014 Enlisted General Murray Episode: "The General Inspection"
Kingdom Detective Gaines Recurring cast: season 1
2015 Hand of God Bishop Bruce Congdon Recurring cast: season 1
2015–20 The Bold and the Beautiful Julius Avant Main role
2017 Madam Secretary President Silvanus Fabre Episode: "The Detour"
The Last Tycoon Les Turpin Episode: "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar"
I'm Dying Up Here Barton Royce Recurring cast: season 1
2017–18 Detroiters Mr. Duvet Guest: season 1, recurring cast: season 2
2017–21 Dear White People Dean Fairbanks Recurring cast
2018 The Good Fight Danny Quinn Episode: "Day 492"
Forever Gregory Recurring cast
Ballers J.D. Pritchard Episode: "The Kids Are Alright"
2018–present S.W.A.T. Daniel Harrelson Sr. Recurring cast
2019 Corporate Cronker Wilson Recurring cast: season 2
For the People Philip Kaws Episode: "You Belong Here"
2020 Little Fires Everywhere George Wright Miniseries
2021 Chicago Med James Coleman Episode: "When Your Heart Rules Your Head"
Bronzeville Harry Davis Recurring cast
Goliath Ivan Tillinger Recurring cast: season 4 [10]

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Lando Calrissian Credited as Obba Baba Tunde[9]
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II – Rogue Leader Lando Calrissian [9]
2002 Rocket Power: Beach Bandits Conroy Le Blanc, Easter Island Head [9]
2002 The Wild Thornberrys Movie Boko [9]
2003 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike Lando Calrissian [9]
2006 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent Additional voices
2012 Kinect Star Wars Lando Calrissian Credited as Obba Babatunde[9]
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Lando Calrissian

Personal life

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He is the grandfather of NFL running back Tarik Cohen.[11] He is Jewish.

References

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  1. ^ S. Torriano Berry; Venise T. Berry (September 2, 2009). The A to Z of African American Cinema. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-7034-5. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  2. ^ "Folio '69 "Donald A. Cohen" (Jamaica High School, Jamaica, New York)". Ancestry.com. Generations Network. 1969. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Chika Udeh, "Everything You Must Know about Hollywood Icon Obba Babatunde", Buzz Nigeria, 2018
  4. ^ "Obba Babatunde", Broadway Productions, Internet Broadway Database, 2001–2019
  5. ^ Avalanche Software. Disney Infinity 3.0. Scene: Closing credits, 5:39 in, Featuring the Voice Talents of.
  6. ^ "Hall of Fame Inductees". National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  7. ^ "Babatunde, Gurira and Zambello Win NAACP Theatre Awards | Playbill". Playbill. September 3, 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  8. ^ "Kiss Me Kate Tops 2011 Ovation Award Nominations". September 19, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Obba Babatunde (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 20, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (February 21, 2020). "'Goliath' Adds Geoffrey Arend & Brandon Scott As Series Regulars, Two Recurring For Season 4". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  11. ^ Ware, Donal (April 17, 2017). "BOXTOROW HBCU NFL Draft Chronicles: Tarik Cohen". BoxToRow. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
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