LeVar Burton
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 16, 1957
- Birthplace
- Landstuhl, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany
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. His other roles include Cap Jackson in Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977), Donald Lang in Dummy (1979), Tommy Price in The Hunter (1980), which earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, and Martin Luther King Jr. in Ali (2001). Burton received the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards for his narration of the book The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. In 1990, he was honored for his accomplishments in television with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From 2017 until 2024, Burton created and hosted the podcast LeVar Burton Reads, often described as "Reading Rainbow for adults". In October 2024, Burton appeared as the host of the Trivial Pursuit television game show broadcast on The CW network and streaming online.
Filmography
- Make-Up Man: The Michael Westmore Documentary
Make-Up Man: The Michael Westmore Documentary TBA
as Self
One Night Only 2026
as Rick
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: Voyager 2024
as Self
Butterfly in the Sky 2024
as Self
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale Event 2023
as Commodore Geordi La Forge
The Right to Read 2023
Executive Producer
Secrets of Sacred Architecture 2022
as Narrator (voice)
Definition Please 2020
as LeVar Burton
Brentwood 2018
as LeVar Burton
Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family 2017
Actor
School of the Future 2016
Actor
Lennon or McCartney 2014
as Self
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things... 2014
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-Con 2014
as Self
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Redemption 2013
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both Worlds 2013
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next Generation 2012
as Self
Rise of the Zombies 2012
as Dr. Dan Halpern
- Stardate Revisited - The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Stardate Revisited - The Origin of Star Trek: The Next Generation 2012
as Self
And They're Off 2011
as Self
The Jensen Project 2010
as Kendrick
Taken in Broad Daylight 2009
as Mike Timbrook
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies 2009
as Black Lightning (voice)
Reach for Me 2008
as Nathanial, Director
40 Years of Star Trek 2006
as Self
Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool 2005
as Self
Blizzard 2003
as Night Watchman Elf (uncredited), Director
Star Trek: Nemesis 2002
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Remembering Roots 2002
as Self
Ali 2001
as Martin Luther King, Jr.
Smart House 1999
Director
Our Friend, Martin 1999
as Martin at Age 26 (voice)
Star Trek: Insurrection 1998
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
The Tiger Woods Story 1998
Director
Trekkies 1997
as Self
Star Trek: First Contact 1996
as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond 1996
as Self
Yesterday's Target 1996
as Winstrom
Star Trek: Generations 1994
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Parallel Lives 1994
as Dr. Franklin Carter
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation 1994
as Self
Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland 1993
as Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the Scenes 1993
as Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of Command 1992
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: Federation Science 1992
as Self
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Unification 1991
as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Special 1991
as Self
Central Park 1990
as Self
Roots: The Gift 1988
as Kunta Kinte
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the Next 1988
as Self
A Special Friendship 1987
as Ben Sumner
Liberty 1986
as Robert Johnson
The Supernaturals 1986
as Pvt. Michael Osgood
The Midnight Hour 1985
as Vinnie Davis
And the Children Shall Lead 1985
as Glenn Scott
Booker 1984
as Davis
The Jesse Owens Story 1984
as Professor Preston
Emergency Room 1983
as Ray Walden
I Love Liberty 1982
as Self
- Grambling's White Tiger
Grambling's White Tiger 1981
as Charles 'Tank' Smith
The Acorn People 1981
as Rodney
The Hunter 1980
as Tommy Price
Dummy 1979
as Donald Lang
The Muppets Go Hollywood 1979
as Self (uncredited)
Mickey's 50 1978
as Self
Battered 1978
as Andrew Sinclair
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story 1978
as Ron LeFlore
Looking for Mr. Goodbar 1977
as Cap Jackson
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid 1977
as Billy Peoples
US Against the World 1977
as Self
Almos' a Man 1976
as Dave
Credits from TMDB.