Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Biography
  • Awards
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Robert Guillaume(1927-2017)

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Robert Guillaume in First Kid (1996)
An heiress who's been shut inside her apartment building for nearly two decades is forced to confront her fears after one of her neighbors is killed and a detective arrives to begin the investigation.
Play trailer2:29
Columbus Circle (2012)
33 Videos
65 Photos
Robert Peter Williams Guillaume was an actor from St. Louis, Missouri who was known for playing Rafiki from The Lion King, Benson DuBois from Soap and Benson, and Nathan Detroit from Guys and Dolls. He had five children from two marriages. He passed away in October 24, 2017 due to prostate cancer complications.
BornNovember 30, 1927
DiedOctober 24, 2017(89)
BornNovember 30, 1927
DiedOctober 24, 2017(89)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
    • 7 wins & 19 nominations total

Photos65

View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
View Poster
+ 59
View Poster

Known for

Robert Guillaume in Benson (1979)
Benson
7.2
TV Series
  • Benson DuBois
Matthew Broderick and James Earl Jones in The Lion King (1994)
The Lion King
8.5
  • Rafiki(voice)
  • 1994
Josh Charles, Felicity Huffman, Sabrina Lloyd, Robert Guillaume, Peter Krause, and Joshua Malina in Sports Night (1998)
Sports Night
8.3
TV Series
  • Isaac Jaffe
Lean on Me (1989)
Lean on Me
7.4
  • Dr. Frank Napier
  • 1989

Credits

IMDbPro

Actor

  • The Lion King Breakfast
    Video
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • 2019
  • Off the Beach
    Short
    • Dr. Black
    • 2013
  • Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious (2013)
    Wanda Sykes Presents Herlarious
    5.0
    TV Series
    • Historian
    • 2013
  • Columbus Circle (2012)
    Columbus Circle
    5.9
    • Howard Miles
    • 2012
  • Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom (2012)
    Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
    6.5
    Video Game
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • 2012
  • Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella in The Lion King Read-Along (2011)
    The Lion King Read-Along
    6.4
    Video
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • 2011
  • Melissa Joan Hart, Michael Cudlitz, and Robert Guillaume in Satin (2011)
    Satin
    4.5
    • Doc Bishop
    • 2011
  • Ted Danson, Marg Helgenberger, Jorja Fox, and William Petersen in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000)
    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
    7.7
    TV Series
    • Sonny Bridges
    • 2008
  • Robert Guillaume, Gavin MacLeod, Frankie Ryan Manriquez, Jansen Panettiere, Taylor Boggan, and Bailey Garno in The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry (2008)
    The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
    7.0
    • Mr. Barnes
    • 2008
  • Half-Life 2: Episode Two (2007)
    Half-Life 2: Episode Two
    9.1
    Video Game
    • Dr. Eli Vance (voice)
    • 2007
  • Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ (2007)
    Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
    9.2
    Video Game
    • Rafiki (voice: English version)
    • 2007
  • Half-Life 2: Episode One (2006)
    Half-Life 2: Episode One
    8.7
    Video Game
    • Dr. Eli Vance (voice)
    • 2006
  • Kingdom Hearts II (2005)
    Kingdom Hearts II
    9.3
    Video Game
    • Rafiki (voice: English version)
    • 2005
  • Half-Life 2 (2004)
    Half-Life 2
    9.4
    Video Game
    • Dr. Eli Vance (voice)
    • 2004
  • Rafiki's Challenge (2004)
    Rafiki's Challenge
    Video Game
    • Rafiki (voice)
    • 2004

Producer

  • Robert Guillaume and Wendy Phillips in The Robert Guillaume Show (1989)
    The Robert Guillaume Show
    7.2
    TV Series
    • executive producer
    • 1989
  • Candy Ann Brown and Robert Guillaume in John Grin's Christmas (1986)
    John Grin's Christmas
    7.9
    TV Movie
    • executive producer
    • 1986
  • The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins (1984)
    The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins
    5.4
    TV Movie
    • executive producer
    • 1984
  • The Kid with the 200 I.Q. (1983)
    The Kid with the 200 I.Q.
    5.2
    TV Movie
    • executive producer
    • 1983

Director

  • Candy Ann Brown and Robert Guillaume in John Grin's Christmas (1986)
    John Grin's Christmas
    7.9
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1986

Videos33

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:57
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:53
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:53
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:15
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 0:55
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:13
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition
Clip 1:04
The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride: Special Edition

Personal details

  • Alternative name
    • Bob Guillaume
  • Height
    • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
  • Born
    • November 30, 1927
    • St. Louis, Missouri, USA
  • Died
    • October 24, 2017
    • Los Angeles, California, USA(complications from prostate cancer)
  • Spouses
      Donna Brown GuillaumeSeptember 1985 - October 24, 2017 (his death, 1 child)
  • Children
      Kevin Guillaume
  • Relatives
      Jeanette Williams(Grandparent)
  • Other works
    TV commercial for Philip's Milk of Magnesia.
  • Publicity listings
    • 5 Articles
    • 1 Magazine Cover Photo

Did you know

  • Trivia
    Robert Guillaume was born as Robert Peter Williams (Guillaume is the French translation of William).
  • Quotes
    Racism may be as systemic as it always was. It is the great problem of America. It's the one stumbling block that I don't believe was ever smoothed over.
  • Trademarks
      Gravelly gregarious voice
  • Nickname
    • Bob
  • Salary
    • Benson
      (1979)
      $20,000 per 1/2 hour episode

Contribute to this page

Suggest an edit or add missing content
  • Learn more about contributing
Edit page

More to explore

Recently viewed

You have no recently viewed pages
Get the IMDb app
Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
Follow IMDb on social
Get the IMDb app
For Android and iOS
Get the IMDb app
  • Help
  • Site Index
  • IMDbPro
  • Box Office Mojo
  • License IMDb Data
  • Press Room
  • Advertising
  • Jobs
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMDb, an Amazon company

© 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.