LeVar Burton
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.
70Credits40 TV · 30 films
1976–2026Years activefirst to latest
10.0 Highest ratedTransformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family
7.6 Average ratingacross 70 titles
Top TV shows 40best LeVar Burton shows
- 1
Star Trek: The Next GenerationLt. Commander Geordi LaForge · 1987–1994 · Action - 2
INVINCIBLESuit AI (voice) · 2 eps · 2021 - 3
Batman: The Animated SeriesHayden Sloane (voice) · 1 ep · 1992 - 4
Adventure TimeBubble (voice) · 1 ep · 2010 - 5
Weather HuntersFlexspecs (voice) · 1 ep · 2025 - 6
FuturamaUnlicensed Hologram of LeVar Burton (voice) · 1 ep · 1999 - 7
Reading RainbowExecutive Producer · 155 eps · 1983 - 8
ChristyDaniel Scott · 7 eps · 1994 - 9
ScorpionDirector · 1 ep · 2014 - 10
The Legend of Vox MachinaUndead Thordak (voice) · 2 eps · 2022 - 11
CharmedDirector · 3 eps · 1998 - 12
GargoylesAnansi/Poacher 2 (voice) · 1 ep · 1994 - 13
OK K.O.! Let's Be HeroesKwame · 1 ep · 2017 - 14
Deadly GamesMr. Metcalf · 1 ep · 1995 - 15
CommunityLeVar Burton · 2 eps · 2009 - 16
The Big Bang TheoryLeVar Burton · 3 eps · 2007 - 17
Star Trek: Deep Space NineDirector · 10 eps · 1993 - 18
PerceptionDean Paul Haley · 2012–2015 · Drama - 19
Star Trek: VoyagerCaptain Geordi La Forge · 1 ep · 1995 - 20
NCIS: HawaiʻiDirector · 4 eps · 2021 - 21
Pinky and the BrainMurray (voice) · 1 ep · 1995 - 22
Star Trek: EnterpriseDirector · 9 eps · 2001 - 23
Murder, She WroteReporter Dave Robinson · 1 ep · 1984 - 24
ExplainedNarrator (voice) · 1 ep · 2018 - 25
RootsKunta Kinte · 2 eps · 1977 - 26
Family GuyVern (voice) · 1 ep · 1999 - 27
Carol & the End of the World(voice) · 1 ep · 2023 - 28
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim JonesRichard Jefferson · 2 eps · 1980 - 29
Leverage: RedemptionMr. Blanche · 1 ep · 2021 - 30
NCIS: New OrleansDirector · 9 eps · 2014 - 31
JAGDirector · 1 ep · 1995 - 32
Transformers: Rescue BotsDoc Green (voice) · 104 eps · 2012 - 33
BeckerMr. Haller · 1 ep · 1998 - 34
Star Trek: PicardCommodore Geordi La Forge · 5 eps · 2020 - 35
Captain Planet and the PlaneteersKwame (voice) · 1990–1996 · Adventure - 36
Soul FoodDirector · 1 ep · 2000 - 37
Las VegasDirector · 1 ep · 2003 - 38
Strip Law(voice) · 1 ep · 2026 - 39
Miracle's BoysDirector · 1 ep · 2005 - 40
RootsEphraim · 1 ep · 2016
Top movies 30best LeVar Burton movies
- 1
Transformers: Rescue Bots - Rescue Family2017 - 2
Almos' a ManDave · 1976 - 3
And the Children Shall LeadGlenn Scott · 1985 - 4
BatteredAndrew Sinclair · 1978 - 5
Emergency RoomRay Walden · 1983 - 6
A Special FriendshipBen Sumner · 1987 - 7
DummyDonald Lang · 1979 - 8
The Jesse Owens StoryProfessor Preston · 1984 - 9
Billy: Portrait of a Street KidBilly Peoples · 1977 - 10BookerDavis · 1984
- 11
BrentwoodLeVar Burton · 2018 - 12
Star Trek: Picard - The IMAX Live Series Finale EventCommodore Geordi La Forge · 2023 - 13
Star Trek: First ContactLieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge · 1996 - 14
Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Best of Both WorldsLt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (archive footage) · 2013 - 15
Our Friend, MartinMartin at Age 26 (voice) · 1999 - 16
Roots: The GiftKunta Kinte · 1988 - 17
Superman/Batman: Public EnemiesBlack Lightning (voice) · 2009 - 18Grambling's White TigerCharles 'Tank' Smith · 1981
- 19
Secrets of Sacred ArchitectureNarrator (voice) · 2022 - 20
School of the Future2016 - 21
AliMartin Luther King, Jr. · 2001 - 22
Star Trek: GenerationsLt. Commander Geordi La Forge · 1994 - 23
Star Trek: InsurrectionLt. Commander Geordi La Forge · 1998 - 24
Looking for Mr. GoodbarCap Jackson · 1977 - 25
Star Trek: NemesisLt. Commander Geordi La Forge · 2002 - 26
One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore StoryRon LeFlore · 1978 - 27
LibertyRobert Johnson · 1986 - 28
BlizzardNight Watchman Elf (uncredited) · 2003 - 29
Smart HouseDirector · 1999 - 30
The HunterTommy Price · 1980
