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Started By
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RIP Rafiki, Robert Guillaume dies at 89
Posted on 10/24/17 at 5:05 pm
Posted on 10/24/17 at 5:05 pm
quote:
Robert Guillaume, the urbane actor who received two Emmy Awards for portraying the acidic butler Benson on a pair of ABC sitcoms, died Tuesday. He was 89.
Guillaume, a baritone who also starred on the stage and voiced the wise mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King (1994) and its related sequels, video games and TV series, died at his home in Los Angeles, his wife, Donna Brown Guillaume, told the Associated Press. He had been battling prostate cancer.
Guillaume's penchant for playing distinguished characters resolutely defied racial stereotypes — as he did on ABC's critically acclaimed Aaron Sorkin series Sports Night, on which he played Isaac Jaffe, the managing editor of a ESPN-style news program.
In 1999, Guillaume had a mild stroke while in his dressing room on the Sports Night set.
"I was fortunate in the sense that the stroke I suffered was not so debilitating that I could not move around with some degree of regularity," he said in a 2008 interview. "My wife Donna suggested to Aaron that perhaps we could incorporate the stroke into the series and he agreed … it allowed me to come back and not pretend that I had not had a stroke."
Guillaume's polished portrayal of the imperious family retainer Benson DuBois endured for nine years, first in three seasons on Soap (1977-80) and then on the spinoff Benson, which ran until April 1986. Both shows were created by Susan Harris.
Benson's personal arc went from butler/cook to state budget director and finally to lieutenant governor. He even ran for governor against his former boss, Eugene X. Gatling (John Noble), but that race — a season-ending cliff-hanger — went undecided because the show went off the air.
"When I got the role of Benson, I was not the happiest camper," Guillaume said on an installment of Oprah: Where Are They Now? that aired in January 2016. "I had reservations, because you're serving food, you're serving the family and all that sort of thing. … It's like nothing has changed since the 1800s.
"But the more I examined the role and read the script, I figured out a way to take some of the stench off the idea."
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Posted on 10/24/17 at 5:24 pm to Byron Bojangles III
Loved Benson as a kid but he'll always be Isaac Jaffey to me
Posted on 10/24/17 at 5:29 pm to Freauxzen
The six southern gentleman of Tennessee. RIP
Posted on 10/24/17 at 5:54 pm to Byron Bojangles III
frick. I loved Rafiki and Benson
Posted on 10/24/17 at 6:05 pm to LordSaintly
Posted on 10/24/17 at 6:19 pm to tiderider
Indeed 
Posted on 10/24/17 at 6:22 pm to Byron Bojangles III
Sad news.
Didn't realize he was that old.
Didn't realize he was that old.
Posted on 10/24/17 at 6:29 pm to Byron Bojangles III
RIP
Posted on 10/24/17 at 6:59 pm to Byron Bojangles III
A very underrated actor. RIP
Posted on 10/24/17 at 10:06 pm to Byron Bojangles III
You chose Rafiki over Benson? smh
That was his own show. RIP
That was his own show. RIP
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:01 am to Byron Bojangles III
Benson is a GOAT candidate sitcom character. Stole every scene he was in for SOAP. Then took that character, and completely pivoted for the spin off. He was the proto-Cosby in the spinoff.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 8:15 am to Byron Bojangles III
A tremendous actor. Not every dramatic actor can do comedy, not every comedic actor can do drama, but he could pull both off with ease.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 10:13 am to Arksulli
Posted on 10/25/17 at 10:30 am to Byron Bojangles III
The episode of Benson where he sang Oh Holy Night, really highlighted what a good singer he was, too. He was a consummate entertainer.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 10:59 am to cattus
quote:I'm a victim of my generation
You chose Rafiki over Benson? smh
That was his own show. RIP
Posted on 10/25/17 at 11:02 am to madmaxvol
quote:
The episode of Benson where he sang Oh Holy Night, really highlighted what a good singer he was, too. He was a consummate entertainer.
His reactions in SOAP to various racist and classist actions of his employers and others in the lilywhite town remain priceless. Gordon Jump playing Chief of Police Tinkler goes down a laundry list of murder suspects, with reasons, and gets to Benson. "Benson, you're a suspect, because, well, you're black." Guillaume, nodding the entire time says, "That's fair."
That same scene had Chuck (ventriloquist) and Bob (dummy) vouch for each other and Tinkler bought it.
Brilliant television.
This post was edited on 10/25/17 at 11:03 am
Posted on 10/25/17 at 11:03 am to Byron Bojangles III
Watching him on SOAP was a thing of beauty. Such a well written, perfectly cast show, and Guillaume was still a standout from the start.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 11:03 am to Fewer Kilometers
Man, I had no idea that was who played Rafiki. I guess I should have known that, but I never made the connection.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 11:37 am to CocomoLSU
A true great. Benson was huge when I was a kid, and that is his defining role for me, but... yeah... he's now Isaac Jaffe.
He was so great.
He was so great.
Posted on 10/25/17 at 11:59 am to Byron Bojangles III
Sad to hear...
Anyone else find this quote kind of odd, though?
Benson was a paid butler...not a slave for goodness sake. He was also the only really smart character in the whole show. When EVERYTHING'S racist, nothing is.
Check out Bruce Wayne's slave, y'all..
Anyone else find this quote kind of odd, though?
quote:
"When I got the role of Benson, I was not the happiest camper," Guillaume said on an installment of Oprah: Where Are They Now? that aired in January 2016. "I had reservations, because you're serving food, you're serving the family and all that sort of thing. … It's like nothing has changed since the 1800s.
"But the more I examined the role and read the script, I figured out a way to take some of the stench off the idea."
Benson was a paid butler...not a slave for goodness sake. He was also the only really smart character in the whole show. When EVERYTHING'S racist, nothing is.
Check out Bruce Wayne's slave, y'all..
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