Obba babatundé actor biography
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Obba Babatundé
American actor (born 1951)
Obba Babatundé | |
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Babatundé in 1969 | |
| Born | Donald Cohen (1951-12-01) December 1, 1951 (age 73) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1969–present |
Obba Babatundélistenⓘ (born Donald Cohen; December 1, 1951) is a Daytime Emmy award winning American actor. A native of Queens, New York City,[1] he has appeared in more than seventeen stage productions, thirty theatrical films, sixty made-for-television films, and two prime-time series.
Early life and education
[edit]Babatundé was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. As a child, he attended public schools. He was attracted early to theater and from a young age would sing, dance and act for his family. He attended Jamaica High School where he was a well-rounded student who, in addition to appearing in the Sing '68 school musical program, was a student aide and a member of both the track and cross country teams. After graduating from Jamaica High School in 1969, he started teaching at a private school for students of color. He also pursued acting jobs in New York, gaining some roles Off-Off-Broadway.[2]
Learning that his ancestry included people from Nigeria, he adopted a name made of Yoruba words: Obba, f
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Babatunde, Obba 19(?)(?)–
Actor
At a Glance…
Sources
As an actor, dancer, and choreographer, Obba Babatunde is known as a remarkably versatile performer who has an almost chameleon-like ability to portray a vast array of characters. His acting, dancing, and singing talents have made Babatunde a performer in high demand, with roles on stage, film and even the small screen.
Born in Jamaica, New York, Babatunde has performed in one way or another since the age of six. As a young boy, he loved entertaining, and often staged shows for his family, singing, dancing, and acting. His name, Obba, means “King” in Nigeria, while his surname Babatunde means, “the spirit of the grandfather returned in the child.” Interestingly, Babatunde’s great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and his son were all born on the same day as the actor himself. In an effort to sum up the many interesting facts and events of his life, Babatunde, in the midst of his career, wrote his own one man show Obba In Concert.
In addition to his abilities as an actor, Babatunde is also a self-taught musician. After teaching himself the trumpet, Babatunde made his professional musical debut, at the age of fourteen, with the Metropolitan Brass Ensemble, also touring the W
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Biography
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Early in 2000, Babatundé partnered with writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson need a periodical of TV projects including "TV require Black: Say publicly First 50 Years," "Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Hallie" and "Dorthy Dandridge: Settle American Beauty". The lowspirited have projects that inclination take them through 2011.
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