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.
1999 • TV
1999 • TV
2009 • TV
1996 • TV
1988 • Movie
2001 • Movie
as Kunta Kinte
as Martin Luther King, Jr.
as Charles 'Tank' Smith
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
as Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
as Tommy Price
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
as Rodney
as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
as Cap Jackson
as Davis
as Dr. Dan Halpern
as Winstrom
as Dave
as Black Lightning (voice)
as Martin at Age 26 (voice)
as Self
as Self
as Pvt. Michael Osgood
Director
Director
Director
Executive Producer
Director
as Vern (voice)
1 episodes
as LeVar Burton (voice)
1 episodes
as Self - Guest
1 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Bubble (voice)
1 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as Captain Geordi La Forge
1 episodes
as Geordi La Forge
176 episodes
as Self
1 episodes
as LeVar Burton
3 episodes
as Self - Guest
2 episodes
as Hayden Sloane (voice)
1 episodes
as Reporter Dave Robinson
1 episodes
as Self - Host
5 episodes
as Darnell Hall
1 episodes
as Self - Restaurant Patron
1 episodes
as LeVar Burton
2 episodes
as Commodore Geordi La Forge
5 episodes
as Anansi/Poacher 2 (voice)
1 episodes
as Paul Haley
35 episodes
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
Director
