Credits

• 2024 · IF as Lewis (voice)
• 2023 · The Color Purple as Ol' Mister
• 2022 · Sidney as Self
• 2022 · Three Months as Benny
• 2021 · I Forgive as God (voice)
• 2019 · Watchmen as Old Man / Will Reeves
• 2019 · Supervized as Pendle
• 2017 · Undercover Grandpa as Mother
• 2017 · The Good Fight as Carl Reddick
• 2015 · The Spoils Before Dying as Duke Webster
• 2015 · The Book of Negroes as Daddy Moses
• 2014 · Madam Secretary as Laurent Vasseur
• 2014 · Extant as Quinn
• 2010 · Hawaii Five-0 as Lou's father
• 2010 · Why Did I Get Married Too? as Porter
• 2009 · The Perfect Game as Cool Papa Bell
• 2009 · Celebrity Ghost Stories as Self
• 2009 · Amazing Racer as Max Donovan
• 2008 · Delgo as King Zahn (voice)
• 2007 · Stories USA as Doc (segment "Club Soda")
• 2007 · Daddy's Little Girls as Willie
• 2006 · Psych as Lloyd Marr
• 2005 · Black in the 80s as Self
• 2004 · The Batman as Lucius Fox (voice)
• 2002 · Half & Half as Ray Willis
• 2002 · The Dead Zone as Pastor David Lewis
• 1999 · Y2K as Morgan
• 1999 · Family Guy as Drill Sargent (voice)
• 1998 · Hercules as Chiron (voice)
• 1998 · Legend of the Mummy as Corbeck
• 1997 · Stargate SG-1 as Gerak
• 1996 · Early Edition as Jim Matthews
• 1996 · Promised Land as Anderson Walker
• 1995 · Iron Eagle on the Attack as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
• 1994 · Touched by an Angel as Anderson Walker
• 1994 · ER as Leo Malcolm
• 1994 · Ellen as Sgt. Timko
• 1994 · Blue Chips as Father Dawkins (uncredited)
• 1993 · Return to Lonesome Dove as Isom Pickett
• 1993 · Monolith as Capt. MacCandless
• 1992 · Picket Fences as Rick Jennings
• 1992 · Diggstown as "Honey" Roy Palmer
• 1992 · Iron Eagle III as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
• 1991 · Toy Soldiers as Dean Parker
• 1990 · Captain Planet and the Planeteers as Commander Clash (voice)
• 1990 · El Diablo as Van Leek
• 1989 · The Punisher as Jake Berkowitz
• 1989 · Gideon Oliver as
• 1988 · Roots: The Gift as Fiddler
• 1988 · Iron Eagle II as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
• 1988 · American Experience as Narrator (voice)
• 1987 · The Principal as Jake Phillips
• 1986 · Firewalker as Leo Porter
• 1986 · Iron Eagle as Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
• 1985 · Enemy Mine as Jeriba 'Jerry' Shigan
• 1984 · Finders Keepers as Century
• 1983 · Jaws 3-D as Calvin Bouchard
• 1982 · The Powers of Matthew Star as Walter "Walt" Shepherd (D'Hai)
• 1982 · An Officer and a Gentleman as Sergeant Emil Foley
• 1982 · American Playhouse as
• 1980 · Palmerstown, U.S.A. as
• 1979 · Backstairs at the White House as Levi Mercer, Houseman
• 1978 · The Critical List as Lem Harper
• 1978 · To Kill a Cop as Everett Walker
• 1977 · The Deep as Henri Cloche
• 1977 · Please Turn the Page as Self
• 1977 · Roots as Fiddler
• 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
• 1975 · The Jeffersons as
• 1974 · The Rockford Files as Marcus Aurelius Hayes / O'Brien
• 1974 · The Rockford Files as Marcus Aurelius 'Gabby' Hayes
• 1974 · Harry O as Cleon Jackson
• 1974 · Little House on the Prairie as Henry Hill
• 1974 · Petrocelli as District Attorney Kurt Olson
• 1974 · Petrocelli as Kurt Olson, DA
• 1974 · Good Times as
• 1974 · The Six Million Dollar Man as O'Flaherty
• 1973 · The Laughing Policeman as Insp. James Larrimore SFPD
• 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
• 1973 · Police Story as
• 1972 · Travels with My Aunt as Wordsworth
• 1972 · The Rookies as
• 1971 · Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law as Lt. Carl Fellows
• 1971 · Alias Smith and Jones as
• 1970 · The Partridge Family as Sam Simon
• 1970 · The Young Rebels as
• 1970 · The Landlord as Copee Johnson
• 1970 · McCloud as
• 1969 · Love, American Style as Freddy
• 1969 · The Bill Cosby Show as Hurricane Smith
• 1969 · The Bold Ones: The New Doctors as Dr. Karnes
• 1968 · The Mod Squad as Smitty
• 1968 · The Mod Squad as Charley Jameson
• 1968 · The Mod Squad as Lloyd
• 1967 · Cowboy in Africa as Joseph Hemera
• 1967 · Cowboy in Africa as Fulah
• 1967 · The Invaders as Ollie
• 1966 · Daktari as Mkono
• 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
• 1962 · The Merv Griffin Show as Self
• 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self
• 1961 · A Raisin in the Sun as George Murchison
• 1959 · Bonanza as Buck Walter
• 1953 · The Oscars as Self
• 1948 · The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
• 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee
• 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Audience Member
• 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Presenter
• 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Host
• 1944 · Golden Globe Awards as Self - Nominee / Presenter
• Future · Unplugged as Amos Burton (voice)
• 2025 · Sin as Elijah
• 2023 · Outlaw Johnny Black as Reverend Tharrington (voice) (uncredited)
• 2022 · African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey as Self
• 2021 · Not to Forget as Pastor John
• 2020 · The Reason as Pastor Jim
• 2020 · The Cuban as Luis Garcia
• 2020 · Miracle in East Texas as Irving Tanner Jr.
• 2019 · Foster Boy as Judge George Taylor
• 2019 · The Gang Activists as Self
• 2019 · Hal as Self
• 2018 · Breaking Brooklyn as Miles Bryant
• 2017 · Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling Heart as Self
• 2017 · Double Play as Coco
• 2017 · King of the Dancehall as The Bishop
• 2016 · Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise as Self
• 2016 · A.C. Green: Iron Virgin as Himself
• 2015 · Boiling Pot as Detective Haven
• 2014 · The Dependables as Lou Jones
• 2014 · A Fighting Man as Cubby
• 2013 · Miracle at Gate 213 as Roy Peddington
• 2013 · Breaking at the Edge as Floyd
• 2012 · Smitty as Mr. Smith
• 2012 · The Undershepherd as Bishop Redford
• 2011 · Dog Jack as Grown up Jed
• 2011 · The Grace Card as George Wright
• 2009 · The Least Among You as Samuel Benton
• 2009 · Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy as Self
• 2008 · A Love Story of Today as Self
• 2008 · A Special Kind of Love as Self
• 2008 · Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth as Self
• 2008 · The Black List: Volume One as Self
• 2007 · Cover as Detective Hicks
• 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
• 2006 · Club Soda as Doc
• 2006 · Solar Attack as President Ryan Gordon
• 2006 · All In as Caps
• 2005 · Left Behind: World at War as President Geral Fitzhugh
• 2005 · Lackawanna Blues as Ol'lem Taylor
• 2003 · Jasper, Texas as R.C. Horn
• 2003 · Momentum as Raymond Addison
• 2002 · What About Your Friends: Weekend Get-Away as Dr. Barnes
• 2002 · Deceived as Col. David Garrett
• 2001 · For Love of Olivia as Daniel Stewart
• 2001 · Dr. Lucille as
• 2000 · The Color of Love: Jacey's Story as Lou Hastings
• 2000 · The Inspectors 2: A Shred of Evidence as Frank
• 2000 · The Highwayman as Phil Bishop
• 1999 · Strange Justice as Vernon Jordan
• 1999 · Love Songs as Reuben
• 1998 · The Inspectors as Inspector Frank Hughes
• 1998 · The Wall That Heals as Self - Host
• 1998 · Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood as Self
• 1997 · In His Father's Shoes as Frank Crosby / Richard
• 1997 · To Dance with Olivia as Daniel Stewart
• 1996 · Inside as Questioner
• 1996 · Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story as Bob Kersee
• 1996 · Captive Heart: The James Mink Story as James Mink
• 1996 · Managua as Paul
• 1995 · The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as Self
• 1995 · Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder as Ray Alexander
• 1995 · Zooman as Rueben Tate
• 1995 · A Father for Charlie as Walter Osgood
• 1995 · Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing as Narrator
• 1994 · Flashfire as Ben Durand
• 1994 · Curse of the Starving Class as Ellis
• 1994 · A Good Man in Africa as Prof. Sam Adekunle
• 1994 · Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice as Ray Alexander
• 1993 · Father & Son: Dangerous Relations as Leonard Clay
• 1992 · Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II as Reader (voice)
• 1992 · Gridiron Gang as Host
• 1991 · Keeper of the City as Det. James Dela
• 1991 · A Party For Richard Pryor as Self
• 1991 · Carolina Skeletons as James Bragg
• 1991 · The Josephine Baker Story as Sidney Williams
• 1991 · Cover-Up as Lou Jackson
• 1990 · Sudie and Simpson as Simpson
• 1990 · Zora is My Name! as
• 1988 · Goodbye, Miss 4th of July as Big John Creed
• 1988 · Sam Found Out: A Triple Play as Sam
• 1988 · Straight Up as Cosmo
• 1987 · The Father Clements Story as
• 1987 · Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood as Self
• 1987 · A Gathering of Old Men as Mathu
• 1984 · The Guardian as John Mack
• 1983 · Sadat as Anwar al-Sadat
• 1983 · The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don't Die as narrator
• 1982 · Benny's Place as Benny Moore
• 1982 · I Love Liberty as Self
• 1981 · Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige as Leroy 'Satchel' Paige
• 1980 · It Rained All Night the Day I Left as Leo Garcia
• 1979 · The Lazarus Syndrome as MacArthur St. Clair
• 1979 · The Lazarus Syndrome as Dr. MacArthur St. Clair
• 1979 · Lawman Without a Gun as Tom Hayward
• 1978 · To Kill a Cop as Everett Walker
• 1978 · The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots as Self
• 1977 · Freeman as Rex
• 1977 · The Choirboys as Calvin Motts
• 1977 · Little Ladies of the Night as Russ Garfield
• 1976 · J.D.'s Revenge as Rev. Elija Bliss
• 1976 · The River Niger as Dr. Dudley Stanton
• 1975 · Delancey Street: The Crisis Within as Otis James
• 1975 · Black Bart as Black Bart
• 1974 · The White Dawn as Portagee
• 1974 · Sidekicks as Jason O'Rourke
• 1974 · It's Good to Be Alive as Sam Brockington
• 1971 · Skin Game as Jason O'Rourke
• 1969 · The Bushbaby as Tembo
• 1960 · The New Girl as Mary's Brother
• Future · Forget to Remember as
• 1968 · Companions in Nightmare as Lt. Adam McKay
• Future · Crimes of Violence as Self - Host