Obba Babatundé
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.
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Movies (84)
Love the Skin You're In
2025 · Arnold
The Christmas Showdown
2025 · Jesse
Run
2025 · President
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
2025 · Captain Green
Mississippi Scholar
2024 · Reginald, Writer
Noble Intentions
2023 · Pastor Stevens, Writers' Assistant
All The Men In My Life
2022 · Simon Helms
The Millennial
2022 · Mr. Burke
Kiss Me for Christmas
2020 · Mr. Porter
Trigger
2020 · Chief Keaton
Revival!
2018 · Nicodemus
Jingle Belle
2018 · Charles Williams
Kinky
2018 · Mr. Bernard
La Ciudad de las Mentiras
2018 · Chief of Police
'Til Death Do Us Part
2017 · John Harris
Pup Star: Juntos es mejor
2017 · Big Ears (voice)
The Watcher
2016 · Stark
Pup Star
2016 · Big Ears (voice)
If I Tell You I Have to Kill You
2015 · Jonathan Black, Executive Producer
Death's Door
2015 · Mesmer
American Bad Boy
2015 · Pastor Lovely, Director
Lap Dance
2014 · Roscoe
Dolls of Voodoo
2013 · Iklif
Angels Around Me
2013 · Additional Writing
Santa Paws 2: los cachorros de Santa
2012 · Mayor Denny
The Last Fall
2012 · Larry Armstrong
Scooby-Doo! Música de Vampiros
2012 · Vampire Actor #4 (voice)
Joy Road
2011 · Dr. Howard Perkins
The Trap Door
2011 · Mesmer
Trapped: Haitian Nights
2011 · Ikliff
All Star Superman
2011 · Judge / Bibliobot (voice)
Black Dynamite
2009 · Osiris
Why Am I Doing This?
2009 · Cliff
I Do... I Did!
2009 · Mr. Johnson
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History
2008 · Self
El ojo del mal
2008 · Dr. Haskins
April Fools
2007 · Detective Combs
Cover
2007 · Attorney Miller
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
2007 · Narrator
Material Girls
2006 · Craig
The Celestine Prophecy
2006 · Miguel
Kangaroo Jack: G'Day, U.S.A.!
2004 · Chief Ankamuti (voice)
Al Caer La Noche
2004 · Zacharias
El embajador del miedo
2004 · Senator Wells
Diario de una pasión
2004 · Band Leader
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004 · Self
Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle
2003 · Director
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty
2003 · Host
Los Thornberrys: la película
2002 · Boko (voice)
John Q: Situación extrema
2002 · Sgt. Moody
Redeemer
2002 · Charles Henderson
Se les subieron los humos
2001 · Dean Carl Cain
One Special Moment
2001
The Visit
2001 · Tony
The Apartment Complex
1999 · Chett
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
1999 · Harold Nicholas
Life
1999 · Willie Long
Miss Evers' Boys
1997 · Willie Johnson
The Cherokee Kid
1996 · Isom Dart
That Thing You Do!
1996 · Lamarr
The Tomorrow Man
1996 · Brian Parish
Carpool
1996 · Jeffery
Multiplicity
1996 · Paul
Soul of the Game
1996 · Cum Posey
A Reason to Believe
1995 · Prof. Thurman
The Net
1995 · FBI Agent (uncredited)
Born to Be Wild
1995 · Interpreter
Fatal Pursuit
1995 · Trinidad
M.A.N.T.I.S.
1994 · Cornell
Philadelphia
1993 · Jerome Green
Necronomicon
1993 · Paul
Undercover Blues
1993 · Sawyer
The Importance of Being Earnest
1992 · Lane
Dead Again
1991 · Syd
The Silence of the Lambs
1991 · TV Anchor Man
Miami Blues
1990 · Blink Willie
Married to the Mob
1988 · The Face of Justice
God Bless the Child
1988 · Raymond Watkins
Leonard Part 6
1987 · Bongo Drummer
Treemonisha
1982 · Zodzetrick
Baryshnikov on Broadway
1980 · Dancer
An Evening with Liza Minnelli
1980 · Self - Dancer
Start Without Me
· Leo
People Not Places
TV shows (39)
Pequeños fuegos por todas partes
2020 · George Wright
Forever
2018 · Gregory
For The People
2018 · Philip Kaws
S.W.A.T.
2017 · Daniel Harrelson, Sr.
Dear White People
2017 · Dean Fairbanks
The Good Fight
2017 · Danny Quinn
Detroiters
2017 · Mr. Duvet
Goliat: Poder y debilidad
2016 · Ivan Tillinger
Chicago Med
2015 · Dr. James Coleman
Ballers
2015 · J.D. Pritchard
Kingdom
2014 · Detective Gaines
Madam Secretary
2014 · President Silvanus Fabre
Enlisted
2014 · General Murray
Private Practice
2007 · Dr. Larry Cannon
Saving Grace
2007 · Doc
Psych
2006 · David Gaffney
Grey's Anatomy
2005 · Dan Gates
Justicia Ciega
2004 · Dr. Victor Rivers
NCIS
2003 · Joe Banks
Everwood
2002 · Jason
Static Shock
2000 · Singer (voice), Watch Store Salesman (voice)
Girlfriends
2000 · Attendant
Max Steel
2000 · (voice)
Family Law
1999 · Philip Hamilton
The Temptations
1998 · Berry Gordy
Dawson's Creek
1998 · Howard Green
Spy Game
1997 · Lieutenant Wardell
The Outer Limits
1995 · Dr. Joseph Lennox
Sliders
1995 · Cezanne Brown
Friends
1994 · Director
Touched by an Angel
1994 · Carter Evans
Chicago Hope
1994 · Charles Ellis
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
1993 · Mongoose
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
1992 · Jameson Walker
The Human Factor
1992
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
1990 · Gordy Berry
Tales from the Crypt
1989 · Lieutenant Jamison
A Different World
1987 · Frank Benning
Matlock
1986 · Backstage Man