-NUY 40+ In Memoriam- ROBERT GUILLAUME, Award Winning Star of "BENSON" and Disney's "The Lion King", Passes Away at Age 89

Emmy & Grammy Award Winning Actor Robert Guillaume as "Benson"

On Tuesday, the Associated Press has learned that Emmy Award-winning actor Robert Guillaume, best known as the title character in the TV sitcom “Benson,” passed away at age 89. He died of complications from prostate cancer in the home he shared with his wife Donna Brown Guillaume.

Known for playing sarcastic, but ultimately endearing characters like Benson Du Bois, a part first originated on the 1977 series “Soap", Guillaume spun off into his own sitcom, "Benson", which followed dry-humored Benson DuBois's journey as a domestic staffer in the Governor's mansion who eventually works his way into state politics. For seven years, American audiences followed Benson's role in the daily happenings of the State Capitol - first behind the scenes as a domestic staffer at the Governor's home, moving up through the years into an official political capacity as Lt. Governor. Rober Guillaume won Emmys both for “Soap” (as  Best Supporting Actor) and “Benson” (as Best Lead Actor).

Guillaume was also a Grammy© award winner for spoken word recording as the voice of Rafiki in “The Lion King”.  Guillaume was the original voice of Rafiki in the 1994 Disney film that went on to spur one of the most popular stage musicals in theatre history- a musical that still plays in Germany nearly 18 years after it was first introduced to audiences in the port city of Hamburg. Robert Guillaume's other acting credits include but are not limited to subsequent roles in Disney's "Lion King" film series, CSI: Vegas, and a host of classic American sitcoms such as Good Times, Sanford & Son, The Jeffersons, All in The Family, A Different World, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.  The Tony award nominated actor and St. Louis native, who had an equally robust stage career in productions of Phantom of the Opera and Porgy and Bess, is survived by his wife Donna and four children.  Below we share a peek into the actor's reflections on his career, and a clip from his most iconic TV role on ABC Television.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Guillaume.