LeVar Burton
Actor, host, and narrator known for iconic TV roles.
Levardis Robert Martyn Burton (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) and 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. He also received the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards for his narration of The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.
- born
- February 16, 1957
- field
- Actor, director, television host
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Kunta Kinte in Roots, host of
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Burton was born as Levardis Robert Burton Jr. on February 16, 1957, in Landstuhl, West Germany. His mother, Erma Gene, was a social worker, administrator, and educator; his father was a photographer for the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Raised Catholic in Sacramento, California, Burton entered St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Galt, California, intending to become a priest. At age 17, questioning the Catholic faith, he changed his vocation to acting. At age 19, while an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, he received a starring role in the 1977 television miniseries Roots as the young Kunta Kinte. Burton has described his first day playing Kunta as the start of his professional career, and he was nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series category. Burton hosted Reading Rainbow starting in 1983 for PBS, running for 23 seasons. After the show went off the air in 2006, Burton and his business partner Mark Wolfe acquired the global rights to the brand and formed RRKIDZ. On May 28, 2014, Burton launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring back Reading Rainbow, which raised more than $5 million, reaching triple its goal in only three days. In 1986, Gene Roddenberry approached Burton with the role of Lieutenant Junior Grade Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Burton also portrayed La Forge in subsequent feature films from Star Trek Generations (1994) to Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), and reprised the role in the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard (2023). From 2017 until 2024, Burton created and hosted the podcast LeVar Burton Reads, described as 'Reading Rainbow for adults.' Since October 2024, Burton has hosted the Trivial Pursuit game show on The CW.
Reader's Guide
LeVar Burton's career spans acting, hosting, and narration. His breakthrough role as Kunta Kinte in Roots (1977) earned him an Emmy nomination. When asked about the societal influence of Roots, Burton said: 'It expanded the consciousness of people. Blacks and whites began to see each other as human beings, not as stereotypes.' He hosted Reading Rainbow for 23 years, earning 12 Daytime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. His role as Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation began in 1986 when Gene Roddenberry approached him; the character is blind but uses a prosthetic VISOR. Burton directed two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and several episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise. In 1990, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He received the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards for his narration of The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. His podcast LeVar Burton Reads won the 2023 Webby Award for Best Art and Culture Podcast; Burton's five-word acceptance speech was: 'Be a better person. Read.' His Kickstarter campaign to revive Reading Rainbow raised more than $5 million in three days.
Did You Know?
- Burton was born in Landstuhl, West Germany, and was raised in Sacramento, California.
- He briefly studied for the priesthood at St. Pius X Minor Seminary in Galt, California before turning to acting at age 17.
- Burton's great-great grandfather, Hal B. Burton, was an African-American state legislator in Arkansas elected to represent Jefferson County in 1887.
- His Kickstarter campaign to revive Reading Rainbow raised more than $5 million, reaching triple its goal in only three days.
- Burton's five-word Webby Award acceptance speech for his podcast was: 'Be a better person. Read.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is LeVar Burton?
LeVar Burton is an American actor, director, and television host born on February 16, 1957. Over his career he has become one of the most recognizable faces in both dramatic television and children's educational programming.
What roles is LeVar Burton most famous for?
He is widely celebrated for playing Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and for portraying the young Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries Roots. He also spent 23 years hosting the PBS Kids series Reading Rainbow.
How long did LeVar Burton host Reading Rainbow?
Burton anchored the PBS Kids educational show Reading Rainbow for 23 years, making it one of the most enduring hosting runs in children's television.
What is LeVar Burton's full birth name?
His full name at birth is Levardis Robert Martyn Burton. He was born on February 16, 1957, in the United States.
What fields has LeVar Burton worked in?
In addition to acting, Burton has directed and served as a television host, giving him a versatile career that spans multiple branches of entertainment. He is American by nationality.
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