In his three-hour Archive interview, Robert Guillaume (1927-2017) discusses his lengthy career in television, which began with guest appearances on the series Julia, All in the Family and The Jeffersons. He describes originating the character of "Benson DuBois" in the series Soap and continuing to play the role in the spin-off, Benson (1979-86). He speaks eloquently and openly about avoiding stereotypes in his portrayal of "Benson" and the evolution of the character from Soap to Benson. He details several other television performances, including his work in The Robert Guillaume Show (1989), and discusses his lengthy stage career, which included replacing Michael Crawford in Broadway's Phantom of the Opera. Guillaume also speaks of his then-current role in the ABC sitcom Sports Night which premiered in 1998 and the stroke that sidelined him during the series. Meryl Marshall conducted the interview in Encino, CA on March 24, 1999.
