LeVar Burton

Acting • 1957-02-16 • 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.

Known For

8.4

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Filmography

2026
One Night OnlyFilm
Rick
★ 6.4
2026
Strip LawTV
(voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
2025
Weather HuntersTV
Flexspecs (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 6.0
2025
Weather HuntersTV
Great Grandpa Wallace (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 6.0
2024
Butterfly in the SkyFilm
Self
★ 8.2
2024
Trivial PursuitTV
Self - Host • 46 episodes
★ 4.8
2024
To the Journey: Looking Back at Star Trek: VoyagerFilm
Self
★ 10.0
2023
Carol & the End of the WorldTV
(voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.3
2023
100 Years of Warner Bros.TV
Self • 3 episodes
★ 7.5
2023
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale EventFilm
Commodore Geordi La Forge
★ 7.8
2022
The Legend of Vox MachinaTV
Undead Thordak (voice) • 2 episodes
★ 8.2
2022
Tom SwiftTV
Barclay (voice) • 10 episodes
★ 4.2
2022
The Shuttlepod ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 10.0
2022
Secrets of Sacred ArchitectureFilm
Narrator (voice)
★ 7.0
2021
INVINCIBLETV
Suit AI (voice) • 2 episodes
★ 8.6
2021
Leverage: RedemptionTV
Mr. Blanche • 1 episodes
★ 7.1
2021
The Problem with Jon StewartTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
2020
Star Trek: PicardTV
Commodore Geordi La Forge • 5 episodes
★ 7.2
2020
Definition PleaseFilm
LeVar Burton
★ 3.2
2020
Beyond the SpotlightTV
2019
The Kelly Clarkson ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 6.2
2019
The Tamron Hall ShowTV
Self - Guest • 1 episodes
★ 4.7
2019
Weird CityTV
Dr. Negari • 4 episodes
★ 6.1
2019
The Ready RoomTV
Self • 2 episodes
★ 4.0
2018
ExplainedTV
Narrator (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.4
2018
BrentwoodFilm
LeVar Burton
★ 8.0
2017
OK K.O.! Let's Be HeroesTV
Kwame • 1 episodes
★ 8.0
2017
Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue FamilyFilm
★ 10.0
2016
RootsTV
Ephraim • 1 episodes
★ 6.9
2016
School of the FutureFilm
★ 7.0
2014
Lennon or McCartneyFilm
Self
★ 5.3
2014
A Star Is Drawn: Rob Simone's Look Inside Comic-ConFilm
Self
★ 2.0
2014
Star Trek: The Next Generation - All Good Things...Film
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
2013
PBS News WeekendTV
Himself (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 5.0
2013
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both WorldsFilm
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage)
★ 7.7
2013
Star Trek: The Next Generation - RedemptionFilm
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
2012
PerceptionTV
Paul Haley • 35 episodes
★ 7.2
2012
The Eric Andre ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.9
2012
Transformers: Rescue BotsTV
Doc Green (voice) • 104 episodes
★ 7.3
2012
Finding Your RootsTV
★ 6.2
2012
Rise of the ZombiesFilm
Dr. Dan Halpern
★ 4.2
2012
Reunification - 25 Years After Star Trek: The Next GenerationFilm
Self
★ 7.0
2012
Stardate Revisited - The Origin of Star Trek: The Next GenerationFilm
Self
★ 5.5
2011
And They're OffFilm
Self
★ 4.1
2010
Adventure TimeTV
Bubble (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 8.5
2010
The Jensen ProjectFilm
Kendrick
★ 5.5
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenTV
Self - Guest • 1 episodes
★ 4.9
2009
CommunityTV
LeVar Burton • 2 episodes
★ 8.0
2009
Superman/Batman: Public EnemiesFilm
Black Lightning (voice)
★ 7.1
2009
Taken in Broad DaylightFilm
Mike Timbrook
★ 5.1
2008
Reach for MeFilm
Nathanial
★ 2.8
2008
Shatner's Raw NerveTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 4.0
2007
The Big Bang TheoryTV
LeVar Burton • 3 episodes
★ 7.9
2007
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!TV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
2006
40 Years of Star TrekFilm
Self
★ 3.8
2005
Hell's KitchenTV
Self - Restaurant Patron • 1 episodes
★ 6.9
2005
Steve McQueen: The Essence of CoolFilm
Self
★ 5.9
2003
BlizzardFilm
Night Watchman Elf (uncredited)
★ 6.0
2002
Star Trek: NemesisFilm
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
★ 6.3
2002
BoomtownTV
Marvin Lloyd • 1 episodes
★ 6.5
2002
Remembering RootsFilm
Self
2001
AliFilm
Martin Luther King, Jr.
★ 6.7
1999
Family GuyTV
Vern (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.4
1999
Family GuyTV
LeVar Burton (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.4
1999
FuturamaTV
Unlicensed Hologram of LeVar Burton (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 8.4
1999
Our Friend, MartinFilm
Martin at Age 26 (voice)
★ 7.1
1998
Star Trek: InsurrectionFilm
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
★ 6.5
1998
BeckerTV
Mr. Haller • 1 episodes
★ 7.2
1997
The ViewTV
Self - Guest • 2 episodes
★ 4.3
1997
The ViewTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 4.3
1997
TrekkiesFilm
Self
★ 6.3
1996
The Daily ShowTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 6.4
1996
Star Trek: First ContactFilm
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
★ 7.3
1996
Yesterday's TargetFilm
Winstrom
★ 4.0
1996
Star Trek: 30 Years and BeyondFilm
Self
★ 5.6
1995
Star Trek: VoyagerTV
Captain Geordi La Forge • 1 episodes
★ 7.8
1995
Pinky and the BrainTV
Murray (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 7.7
1995
MADtvTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.1
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildTV
The Monk (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 6.3
1995
Deadly GamesTV
Mr. Metcalf • 1 episodes
★ 7.0
1994
GargoylesTV
Anansi/Poacher 2 (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 8.1
1994
Star Trek: GenerationsFilm
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
★ 6.5
1994
ChristyTV
Daniel Scott • 7 episodes
★ 8.4
1994
Journey's End - The Saga of Star Trek: The Next GenerationFilm
Self
★ 7.0
1994
Parallel LivesFilm
Dr. Franklin Carter
★ 5.7
1993
Firestorm: 72 Hours in OaklandFilm
Fire Chief J. Allan Mather
★ 5.3
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Behind the ScenesFilm
Geordi La Forge
★ 5.3
1992
Batman: The Animated SeriesTV
Hayden Sloane (voice) • 1 episodes
★ 8.6
1992
Star Trek: The Next Generation - Chain of CommandFilm
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
★ 9.5
1992
Star Trek: Federation ScienceFilm
Self
★ 1.0
1991
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary SpecialFilm
Self
★ 5.9
1991
Star Trek: The Next Generation - UnificationFilm
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
★ 8.0
1990
Captain Planet and the PlaneteersTV
Kwame (voice) • 113 episodes
★ 7.0
1990
Central ParkFilm
Self
★ 7.5
1988
Roots: The GiftFilm
Kunta Kinte
★ 7.3
1988
The Star Trek Saga: From One Generation to the NextFilm
Self
★ 3.8
1987
Star Trek: The Next GenerationTV
Geordi La Forge • 176 episodes
★ 8.4
1987
Houston KnightsTV
Jason Evans • 1 episodes
★ 5.5
1987
A Special FriendshipFilm
Ben Sumner
★ 9.0
1986
The SupernaturalsFilm
Pvt. Michael Osgood
★ 4.2
1986
LibertyFilm
Robert Johnson
★ 6.0
1985
The Midnight HourFilm
Vinnie Davis
★ 5.9
1985
And the Children Shall LeadFilm
Glenn Scott
★ 9.0
1984
Jeopardy!TV
Self - Host • 5 episodes
★ 6.9
1984
Jeopardy!TV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 6.9
1984
Murder, She WroteTV
Reporter Dave Robinson • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1984
The Jesse Owens StoryFilm
Professor Preston
★ 8.1
1984
BookerFilm
Davis
★ 8.0
1983
Reading RainbowTV
Self - Host • 155 episodes
★ 8.4
1983
Emergency RoomFilm
Ray Walden
★ 9.0
1982
I Love LibertyFilm
Self
1981
The Acorn PeopleFilm
Rodney
★ 3.7
1981
Grambling's White TigerFilm
Charles 'Tank' Smith
★ 7.0
1980
The HunterFilm
Tommy Price
★ 5.9
1980
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim JonesTV
Richard Jefferson • 2 episodes
★ 7.3
1979
Trapper John, M.D.TV
★ 6.6
1979
The Muppets Go HollywoodFilm
Self (uncredited)
★ 6.2
1979
DummyFilm
Donald Lang
★ 8.8
1978
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore StoryFilm
Ron LeFlore
★ 6.1
1978
Mickey's 50Film
Self
★ 9.0
1978
BatteredFilm
Andrew Sinclair
★ 9.0
1977
The Love BoatTV
Darnell Hall • 1 episodes
★ 6.3
1977
RootsTV
Kunta Kinte • 2 episodes
★ 7.4
1977
Looking for Mr. GoodbarFilm
Cap Jackson
★ 6.3
1977
Billy: Portrait of a Street KidFilm
Billy Peoples
★ 8.0
1977
Roots: The Complete MiniseriesTV
Kunta Kinte • 1 episodes
1977
US Against the WorldFilm
Self
1976
The Captain and TennilleTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.5
1976
Almos' a ManFilm
Dave
★ 10.0
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonTV
Self • 1 episodes
★ 7.6

Known For

Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Big Bang Theory

Star Trek: Picard

Perception

Captain Planet and the Planeteers

Star Trek: First Contact

Fan Club

From Nerdspin

Filmography