People, Locations, Episodes

LeVar Burton, Actor, and Author born

LeVar Burton

*On this date in 1957, Levar Burton was born. He is a Black Actor and author.

From Landstuhl, Germany, Burton left the Catholic seminary in 1974, moved to Southern California, and was a 19-year-old USC drama student when his acting career began. In 1977, he made his professional debut as young Kunta Kinte of the classic TV miniseries Roots. Other performances include One in a Million, The Ron LeFlore Story 1978, and Dummy 1979. Burton’s other TV credits include Grambling's White Tiger, The Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones, Battered, Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid, A Roots Christmas: Kunta Kinte's Gift, and the miniseries Liberty.

Since 1983, Burton has hosted the chores of PBS' Reading Rainbow. Also, from 1987 to 1992, he had a regular role as Lieutenant Geordi LaForge on the syndicated Star Trek: The Next Generation. He has continued playing Lt. LaForge in the movie versions of Star Trek. Other feature film credits are "Looking for Mr. Goodbar, The Hunter, and The Supernaturals. He recently starred in the ABC made-for-television movie "Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland" and the upcoming Showtime movie "Parallel Lives."

Burton is also a published author who, in 1977, wrote “Aftermath,” a novel about an apocalyptic America.  Burton married Stephanie Cozart-Burton, a professional make-up artist, in 1992. He and his wife currently live in Sherman Oaks, California.  Burton has two children, a daughter Michaela "Mica," with his wife, and a son, Eian Burton (born 1980), from a previous relationship.

To become an Actor or Actress.