Obba Babatundé
1951 (74 года)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.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An Evening with Liza Minnelli
Marty Callner
Liza Minnelli, Obba Babatundé
Liza Minnelli in concert at the New Orleans Theatre of the Performing Arts. This show was a combination of the two performances Minnelli did on November 24, 1979. Highlights include Minnelli singing "How Long Has This Been Going On?," "It's a Miracle," "True Love," "The Man I Love," "Some People," an old English folk ballad, and "Come in From the Rain". Liza also sings two songs from her recent Tony winning Broadway show "The Act" - a song and dance number called "Arthur in the Afternoon," with Roger Minami and the show-stopping "City Lights" with Minami and dancer Obba Babatunde. Another highlight is a medley of New York songs sung by Minnelli which culminates in one of signature songs "Theme from New York, New York". The evening concludes with Minnelli singing performing a scene from "Cabaret"; and singing "Cabaret," "Harvest Moon," and "The World Goes Round."
An Evening with Liza Minnelli
The Silence of the Lambs
Jonathan Demme
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
The Silence of the Lambs
Baryshnikov on Broadway
Dwight Hemion
Mikhail Baryshnikov, Liza Minnelli
Mikhail Baryshnikov and his guests perform numbers from over a dozen renowned Broadway musicals including Oklahoma!, Fiddler on the Roof, Can-Can, The King and I, Cabaret, Where's Charley, Hello Dolly, Ain't Misbehavin', Guys and Dolls, The Boyfriend, Kiss Me Kate and A Chorus Line.
Baryshnikov on Broadway
The Temptations
Allan Arkush
Charles Malik Whitfield, D.B. Woodside
The true story of The Temptations, the Soul vocal group of the 1960s, as seen from the viewpoint of the last surviving member, Otis Williams. Beginning from their humble origins in the late 50s and continuing through the 90s and the deaths of the other 4 members.
The Temptations
The Notebook
Nick Cassavetes
Rachel McAdams, Райан Гослинг
An epic love story centered around an older man who reads aloud to a woman with Alzheimer's. From a faded notebook, the old man's words bring to life the story about a couple who is separated by World War II, and is then passionately reunited, seven years later, after they have taken different paths.
The Notebook
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
Kent Hagen
Martin Luther King, Obba Babatundé
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War documents the work Martin Luther King did in attempting to bring peace to people during the turmoil of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. The film includes interviews with contemporaries such as Jesse Jackson, and military experts like Colin Powell.
King: Man of Peace in a Time of War
Black Dynamite
Scott Sanders
Майкл Джэй Уайт, Arsenio Hall
This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House...
Black Dynamite
Soul of the Game
Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Delroy Lindo, Mykelti Williamson
Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson are the greatest players in the Colored leagues, and everyone expects that one of them will make the leap to the Major Leagues, now that there is talk of integration. But, unexpectedly, it's the rookie with the army record, Jackie Robinson, that gets tapped to be the first.
Soul of the Game
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty
Ruth Adkins Robinson
Dorothy Dandridge, Obba Babatundé
Actor Obba Babatundé hosts this biopic showcasing the life of acclaimed African-American singer and actress Dorothy Dandridge, who overcame racism and personal tragedy to become one of the most acclaimed performers of Hollywood's golden age. The film combines rare historical footage of Dandridge, on and off the stage, and interviews with stars such as Laurence Fishburne, Jasmine Guy and Halle Berry discussing her powerful legacy.
Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty
Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle
Obba Babatundé
Between 1939 and 2002, Black actors and Actresses received a combined total of 30 Academy Award nominations - only a handful made the odyssey to the podium to possess the Golden Man. This special program is filled with rare footage, photographs and long lost trailers of performances in Oscar-recognized films from GONE WITH THE WIND to MONSTER'S BALL.
Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Halle
