Robert Guillaume: Remembering “Benson” and much more

He may have been the most versatile butler on TV – servant, friend, surrogate father, and eventually budget director and candidate for state governor.

But Robert Guillaume was much more than “Benson”, with a variety of characters on TV and in movies, usually playing the wise sage or mentor.

When he passed away awhile back, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed Robert Guillaume, and how often he made me laugh, and even cry a little.

The butler did it

Robert Guillaume first attracted attention as the butler of the Tate family in “Soap”, a comedy and satirical spoof of soap operas.

He always seemed to be one step ahead of Jessica Tate, his dim-witted boss, and her philandering husband Chester, and always seemed to be the one in charge.

Even when the doorbell rang, every time he would say, “You want me to get that?”

However, as much as he obviously disliked Chester Tate, he was fiercely loyal to Jessica and her children Billy, Corrinne and Eunice. The best example was when he led the rescue of Billy when he was being held captive by a cult called “The Sunnys”.

Soon, Benson would take his talents to the state capital, to work for another member of Jessica’s family.

Yes, governor

Gene Gatling was a newly-elected state governor, widower, single dad, and cousin of Jessica Tate’s. To say he needed some help managing his household was an understatement.

So Benson went to work for the governor, and the sitcom “Benson” was spun off from “Soap”.

Initially, Benson was the head of household affairs, but he quickly developed a bond with the governor and his daughter Katie, and became much more. He was a surrogate parent – to both Katie and the governor, a confidante, and he would come to the governor’s aid on numerous occasions. Soon, he became budget director for the state.

One of the most stirring episodes I recall was when it became clear the governor was being pushed out of his own party, and they were going to nominate someone else as their candidate for governor. He was sad and dejected, and felt abandoned.

Benson got in his face and challenged him. If he wanted to be governor, than run as an independent.

He did and won re-election. Benson became lieutenant governor too, and eventually ran for governor himself.

The winner is…

Robert Guillaume would go on to critical success for his role as Benson. He won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1979 for the role of Benson on “Soap”.

Once he got his own show, Guillaume was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985 when he finally won the award.

What’s in a name

Initially, Benson only had one name. All through “Soap” he was only referred to as “Benson”. Somewhere along the line in the show of the same name he acquired a last name – DuBois. I can find little mention of this online. However, when I re-watched all four seasons of “Soap” on DVD, Benson never had a last name. (It was the same with MacGyver, who over the years acquired the first name “Angus”, although that was never mentioned through much of the run of that 1980s TV series).

The “Kid” movies

Over a period of about five years, Robert Guillaume made a series of movies with Gary Coleman. They each played different characters in each movie, but the relationship was still pretty much the same. Guillaume was the adult mentor and Coleman was the overachieving, gifted or just plain mischievous child. There were three in total, and I enjoyed them all.

It started with “The Kid from Left Field” which was actually aired in 1979, but I saw it several times thereafter. Coleman plays a boy who seemingly knows everything about the San Diego Padres and baseball generally. In part as a publicity stunt, the Padres make him their manager. In the end, we discover the real genius is the boy’s father, played by Guillaume, who takes over the Padres and manages them to victory.

“The Kid with the Broken Halo” followed in 1982 where Coleman plays an angel-in-training needing continual advice from his guide on earth, played by Guillaume, who is frustrated and none to eager to help.

A year later, in 1983, came “The Kid with the 200 IQ”, where Coleman played a genius trying to fit in at a university, with Guillaume playing the professor who brought him.

History comes alive

One of the most popular mini-series of the 1980s was “North and South”, which chronicled two friends who met in military college and were on opposite sides of the U.S. Civil War.

Guillaume  played historical figure, and black leader Frederick Douglass, who was an abolitionist and social reformer.

Educating Robert

Guillaume  closed out the decade by playing the superintendent who hired firebrand principal Joe Clark in the movie “Lean on Me”. Guillaume turned in an amazing performance. Clark, played by Morgan Freeman, was a harsh taskmaster who yelled, screamed and at times bullied even those who agreed with and supported him. Guillaume played the man who was able to reel in Clark, make him listen to reason, and help him ultimately succeed. He also was a fearless defender of Clark to the principal’s critics.

The years after

Robert Guillaume would keep on acting in TV and movies, including a turn as the voice of Rafiki in “The Lion King” in 1994, a television executive in the TV drama “Sports Night” from 1998 to 2000, and much more. He suffered a stroke during the run of “Sports Night” and not only did he return to his role afterwards, but his stroke was worked into the plot of the show.

Parting thoughts

What always made an episode of Benson so good was that it would go from almost farcical comedy to dead serious for just a minute or two. The governor, or one of his staff would get into some kind of trouble, or face some sort of predicament, and Benson would save the day. He had a genuine bond with the governor, affection for the governor’s daughter Katie, and loyalty towards the staff including the ones he did not always get along with. It was that whole package that was so endearing.

Beyond that, in his other TV work, he played the role of the elder statesman, teacher, mentor and guide perfectly. Each character offered a certain wisdom.

All in all, Robert Guillaume was always likeable and engaging.

It felt like, even as a viewer, he had your back, even if he made fun of you while being there.