LEVAR BURTON

LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton
Gender: Male
Known for: Acting
Birthday: February 16, 1957
Place of Birth: Landstuhl, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany

Biography

Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr. (born February 16, 1957) is an American actor, director, and television host. He played Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries Roots (1977), and was the host of the PBS Kids educational television series Reading Rainbow for 23 years (1983–2006). Burton received 12 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award as host and executive producer of Reading Rainbow.

Filmography

Starring

2026·
Strip Law
(voice)
2026·
One Night Only
2025·
Weather Hunters
Great Grandpa Wallace (voice), Flexspecs (voice)
2024·
Trivial Pursuit
Self - Host
2024·
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager
Self
2024·
Butterfly in the Sky
Self
2023·
Carol & the End of the World
(voice)
2023·
100 Years of Warner Bros.
Self
2023·
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event
Commodore Geordi La Forge
2022·
The Legend of Vox Machina
Undead Thordak (voice)
2022·
The Shuttlepod Show
Self
2022·
Secrets of Sacred Architecture
Narrator (voice)
2021·
INVINCIBLE
Suit AI (voice)
2020·
Beyond the Spotlight
2020·
Definition Please
LeVar Burton
2019·
Weird City
Dr. Negari
2019·
The Ready Room
Self
2019·
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2018·
Explained
Narrator (voice)
2018·
Brentwood
LeVar Burton
2017·
OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Kwame
2017·
Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family
2016·
Roots
Ephraim
2016·
School of the Future
2014·
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
2014·
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command
2014·
Lennon or McCartney
Self
2014·
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con
Self
2013·
PBS News Weekend
Himself (voice)
2013·
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
2013·
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification
2013·
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
2012·
Finding Your Roots
2012·
The Eric Andre Show
Self
2012·
Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
2012·
Rise of the Zombies
Dr. Dan Halpern
2012·
Stardate Revisited - The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
2011·
And They're Off
Self
2010·
Adventure Time
Bubble (voice)
2010·
The Jensen Project
Kendrick
2009·
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009·
Taken in Broad Daylight
Mike Timbrook
2009·
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
Black Lightning (voice)
2008·
Shatner's Raw Nerve
Self
2008·
Reach for Me
Nathanial
2007·
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Self
2006·
40 Years of Star Trek
Self
2005·
Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool
Self
2003·
Blizzard
Night Watchman Elf (uncredited)
2002·
Star Trek: Nemesis
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
2001·
Ali
Martin Luther King, Jr.
1999·
Futurama
Unlicensed Hologram of LeVar Burton (voice)
1999·
Our Friend, Martin
Martin at Age 26 (voice)
1998·
Becker
Mr. Haller
1998·
Star Trek: Insurrection
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
1997·
The View
Self, Self - Guest
1997·
Trekkies
Self
1996·
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond
Self
1996·
Yesterday's Target
Winstrom
1996·
Star Trek: First Contact
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
1995·
Pinky and the Brain
Murray (voice)
1995·
Deadly Games
Mr. Metcalf
1995·
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
The Monk (voice)
1994·
Christy
Daniel Scott
1994·
Parallel Lives
Dr. Franklin Carter
1994·
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Self
1994·
Star Trek: Generations
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
1993·
Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland
Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
1993·
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes
Geordi La Forge
1992·
Star Trek: Federation Science
1991·
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special
Self
1990·
Central Park
Self
1988·
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next
Self
1988·
Roots: The Gift
Kunta Kinte
1987·
A Special Friendship
Ben Sumner
1986·
Liberty
Robert Johnson
1986·
The Supernaturals
Pvt. Michael Osgood
1985·
And the Children Shall Lead
Glenn Scott
1985·
The Midnight Hour
Vinnie Davis
1984·
Jeopardy!
Self, Self - Host
1984·
Booker
Davis
1984·
The Jesse Owens Story
Professor Preston
1983·
Emergency Room
Ray Walden
1982·
I Love Liberty
Self
1981·
Grambling's White Tiger
Charles 'Tank' Smith
1981·
The Acorn People
Rodney
1980·
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones
Richard Jefferson
1980·
The Hunter
Tommy Price
1979·
The Muppets Go Hollywood
Self
1979·
Dummy
Donald Lang
1978·
Mickey's 50
Self
1978·
Battered
Andrew Sinclair
1978·
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story
Ron LeFlore
1977·
Roots: The Complete Miniseries
Kunta Kinte
1977·
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid
Billy Peoples
1977·
US Against the World
Self
1977·
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Cap Jackson
1962·
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
TBA·
Scripps National Spelling Bee
Self - Host
2022·
Tom Swift
Barclay (voice)
2021·
The Problem with Jon Stewart
Self
2021·
Leverage: Redemption
Mr. Blanche
2020·
Star Trek: Picard
Commodore Geordi La Forge
2019·
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest
2012·
Perception
Paul Haley
2012·
Transformers: Rescue Bots
Doc Green (voice)
2009·
Community
LeVar Burton
2007·
The Big Bang Theory
LeVar Burton
2005·
Hell's Kitchen
Self - Restaurant Patron
2002·
Boomtown
Marvin Lloyd
2002·
Remembering Roots
Self
1999·
Family Guy
LeVar Burton (voice), Vern (voice)
1996·
The Daily Show
Self
1995·
MADtv
Self
1995·
Star Trek: Voyager
Captain Geordi La Forge
1994·
Gargoyles
Anansi/Poacher 2 (voice)
1992·
Batman: The Animated Series
Hayden Sloane (voice)
1990·
Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Kwame (voice)
1987·
Houston Knights
Jason Evans
1987·
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Geordi La Forge
1984·
Murder, She Wrote
Reporter Dave Robinson
1983·
Reading Rainbow
Self - Host
1979·
Trapper John, M.D.
1977·
The Love Boat
Darnell Hall
1977·
Roots
Kunta Kinte
1976·
The Captain and Tennille
Self
1976·
Almos' a Man
Dave

Production

2023·
The Right to Read
Executive Producer
2021·
NCIS: Hawaiʻi
Director
2016·
Roots
Co-Executive Producer
2014·
Scorpion
Director
2014·
NCIS: New Orleans
Director
2012·
Perception
Director
2008·
Reach for Me
Director
2005·
Miracle's Boys
Director
2003·
Las Vegas
Director
2003·
Blizzard
Director
2001·
Star Trek: Enterprise
Director
2000·
Soul Food
Director
1999·
Smart House
Director
1998·
Charmed
Director
1998·
The Tiger Woods Story
Director
1995·
JAG
Director
1995·
Star Trek: Voyager
Director
1993·
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Director
1987·
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Director
1983·
Reading Rainbow
Executive Producer