Robert Guillaume Dead At 89: Hollywood Reacts To Death Of ‘Benson’ Star
Robert Guillaume, the Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actor known for his role as the butler Benson on two ABC sitcoms in the 1970s and ’80s, has died at age 89. Guillaume passed away at his California home after a battle with prostate cancer, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
While Robert Guillaume had a storied career as a stage and screen actor, his portrayal of Benson DuBois was his best-known television role. The actor played Benson for a total of nine years, for three seasons on the late night soap opera spoof Soap (1977-80) and then on the spin-off Benson, which ran from 1979 to 1986. Robert earned two Emmy Awards for the role, one for Soap and one for Benson, and later scored a Grammy Award for voicing The Lion King‘s Rafiki on a spoken-word album for kids.
With such a long career in Hollywood, Robert Guillaume had many fans and friends in the business. After news of his death was announced, fans were devastated over the loss of the iconic and versatile star. In addition, many Hollywood stars took to social media to pay tribute to the beloved actor who touched so many with his humor and big heart.
Director Ava DuVernay took to Twitter to write that while the legendary actor was a star of stage and screen, Robert Guillaume was also “among the first celebs to appear at AIDS fundraisers.” DuVernay thanked Guillaume in her post.
Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams wrote that Guillaume was an ” Emmy Award-winning Army vet” and also the first black actor to play the title role in Phantom of the Opera. And many other stars, including Robert’s Sports Night co-stars Josh Charles and Josh Malina, paid tribute to the late actor on social media, with Malina revealing that it was Guillaume who inspired him to become an actor after he saw him in a Broadway show in the 1970s.
Check out more celebrity reaction to the death of Robert Guillaume below.
Robert Guillaume radiated such warmth, light, dignity, and above all, class. That smile and laugh touched us all. RIP to the best boss ever.
— Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) October 24, 2017
RIP Robert Guillaume….he was the first Phantom of the Opera I ever saw when it came to Los Angeles. Great actor.
— josh groban (@joshgroban) October 24, 2017
The tv show SOAP was a big part of my childhood – which means #RobertGuillaume and #Benson helped shape my sense of humor. RIP to a legend. https://t.co/Lu3jb3fW3R
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) October 24, 2017
R.I.P. Robert Guillaume. Saw him play Nathan Detroit on Broadway in 1976. Made me want to be an actor. It was a thrill to work w him on SN.
— (((Jew))) (@JoshMalina) October 24, 2017
Another light has left us. Robert Guillaume, you were beloved across America and brought laughter always with you. https://t.co/ktUaCNaQIB
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 25, 2017
While Robert Guillaume clearly influenced many of his peers, the actor once revealed that his greatest influences as an actor were Sydney Poitier and Sammy Davis Jr.
Take a look at Robert Guillaume as his signature character, Benson DuBois, in the video below.
[Featured Image by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images]
