Trivia

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 (1995), which eventually went to Tim Russ. His Benson (1979) co-star Ethan Phillips was cast as Neelix on the series.

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

Suffered a mild stroke on the set of his television series Sports Night (1998) on January 14, 1999.

Remained good friends with Missy Gold during and after Benson (1979).

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 Webber's 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.

Attended Saint Louis University and Washington University (of St. Louis).

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.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1977 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for the 1976 Broadway revival of "Guys and Dolls" (with an all-black cast) at the Broadway Theatre, which ran for 239 performances.

Along with James Garner, he was among the original cast for The Powers That Be (1992) in the TV Guide Fall Preview.

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.

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

Was once engaged to actress Fay Hauser.

He was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame at 6640 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri on May 16, 1999.

Best known by the public for his starring role as the title character on Benson (1979).

Biography in "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith, p. 198. New York: Facts on File (1992). ISBN 9780816023387.

Robert Guillaume passed away on October 24, 2017, one month away from what would have been his 90th birthday on November 30. He was cremated after death, and his ashes were given to his widow.

He was up for the role of Gordon Robinson on Sesame Street (1969) (1974). The role eventually went to Roscoe Orman.

Has two sons, Kevin and Jacques Guillaume, and three daughters Melissa, Patricia, and Rachel.

Grandson of Jeanette Williams.

Was four months and eight days older than James Garner.