Hollywood lost one of its most enduring actors yesterday (October 24) when Robert Guillaume died at age 89. The Los Angeles Times and other media outlets attribute his death to his ongoing struggle with prostate cancer.
The Root notes that Guillaume racked up a number of "firsts" in his decades-long stage, film and television career. His performance in the first all-Black Broadway adaptation of "Guys and Dolls" earned him a 1977 Tony nomination for "Best Actor in a Musical." Thirteen years later, he became the first Black actor to play the lead role in "The Phantom of the Opera."
Guillaume is best known for his role as Benson DuBois, the acerbic butler to powerful and dysfunctional White families, on the ABC television series "Soap" and its spin-off, "Benson." His portrayal earned him two Emmy awards: one in 1979 for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series" on "Soap," and another in 1985 for "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" on "Benson." He was the only Black man to win the latter award until this year, when Donald Glover earned it for his work on "Atlanta." Guillaume also headlined his own comedy series, "The Robert Guillaume Show," for one season in 1989.
His film resume includes performances in "Lean on Me," "Big Fish" and "The Lion King," in which voiced the wise Rafiki.
Black actors and directors paid tribute to Guillaume’s work and legacy on social media:
Giant of stage + screen. Also let’s remember that Robert Guillaume was among the first celebs to appear at AIDS fundraisers. Thank you, sir. pic.twitter.com/Zu1klgGAV3
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) October 24, 2017
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RIP to EmmyAward winning Army vet, star of stage & screen, Robert Guillaume. 1st black actor to play the title role in Phantom of the Opera pic.twitter.com/WA2aezsfQz
— jesse Williams. (@iJesseWilliams) October 24, 2017
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Sadly saying thank u & so long to 1 of our greatest: #RobertGuillaume comedic & dramatic brilliance. This is us in ’82 Kid w/the Broken Halo pic.twitter.com/kQf4lVhxzX
— Kim Fields (@KimVFields) October 25, 2017
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Class, Grace & Talent Personified!! RIP Robert Guillaume
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) October 25, 2017
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Wonderful actor!! More prolific than most know. Great man. Honored to have met him. RIP! https://t.co/zTlPCVwcsi
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) October 24, 2017
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Benson showed me that anything is possible. He went from butler to Lt. Governor IN JUST 5 YEARS! RIP Robert Guillaume! #underrated pic.twitter.com/jTpqhoPl1L
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) October 24, 2017
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Benson. Purlie. THE Rafiki. #RIP The one and only Robert Guillaume. pic.twitter.com/sezyXAoobg
— Khary Payton (@kharypayton) October 25, 2017