LeVar Burton

Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, Germany), professionally known as LeVar Burton, is an actor and director who first came to prominence playing Kunta Kinte in the 1977 award winning television miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley.

Related Topics:
February 16 - 1957 - Landstuhl - Germany - Actor - Director - Kunta Kinte - 1977 - Roots - Alex Haley

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Burton is a graduate of University of Southern California's School of Theatre.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He later played the role of Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge in the ' television series and the series' movies. He has directed numerous episodes of the series, as well as episodes of ', ' and '. He is also the host of the long-running children's television show Reading Rainbow (1983- Current) on PBS, which extols the virtues of literacy. He also played the voice of a character named Kwame in the cartoon series Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990-1993) and The New Adventures of Captain Planet (1993-1996). At one point in his career before Star Trek he appeared on a music video called "Word Up!" by R'n'B band Cameo.

Related Topics:
Geordi La Forge - Reading Rainbow - 1983 - PBS - Captain Planet and the Planeteers - 1990 - 1993 - The New Adventures of Captain Planet - Star Trek - Word Up! - R'n'B - Cameo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Burton got his start in television from 1976-1979, as the host of Rebop. In the 2001 film Ali, he played Martin Luther King, Jr..

Related Topics:
1976 - 1979 - Rebop - Ali - Martin Luther King, Jr.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Currently residing in California, he and his wife have worked to raise awareness on infertility.

Related Topics:
California - Infertility

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~