Roscoe Orman
Roscoe Orman has been known to millions for nearly thirty years as 'Gordon' on the highly acclaimed PBS children's television series Sesame Street. Born and raised in the Bronx, Orman began his acting studies at the Circle In The Square Theatre School with Michael Kahn. Since making his professional debut with the Next Stage Theatre Company's 1962 production of If We Grow Up, Roscoe has achieved a long and distinguished list of theatre credits. As an early member of the Free Southern Theater in New Orleans, Roscoe toured throughout the South for two years and served as the company's artistic director for one season. As a founding member of Harlem's New Lafayette Theatre, he appeared prominently in most of that company's productions for over five years, including Whose Got His Own, We Righteous Bombers, The Duplex, The Devil Catchers and The Fabulous Miss Marie.
As a director, Orman has staged productions of plays such as Goin'a Buffalo, Clara's Ole Man, How Do You Do, and House Party. He is a five time nominee and a recipient of an Audelco Theatre Award for his performance in the 1997 production of Do Lord Remember Me at Manhattan's Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse.
Orman made his feature film debut in the title role of Universal Pictures' Willie Dynamite in 1973. His other films include Follow That Bird, FX, Striking Distance, New Jersey Drive, Drive By, The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, Full Court Press, and Twilight.
Television audiences have seen Roscoe Orman on programs such as Sanford and Son, Kojak, All My Children, A Man Called Hawk, Law and Order, Cosby, Sex and the City, and for three decades on PBS' award winning Sesame Street. He has narrated the documentary films Langston Hughes: The Dreamkeeper on PBS, Lifeline on Discovery Channel, and Heritage of the Black West on National Geographic. Orman has hosted many child related events, including national telethons for the prevention of both child abuse and violence among children as well as the Children's Defense Fund's "Stand For Children" and New York City's "Kid's Day." Roscoe has also toured extensively with his various Gordon of Sesame Street concerts and with Matt Robinson's highly acclaimed one man play The Confessions of Stepin Fetchit.
As a writer, Orman has penned many poems and songs, was a contributing associate editor of Black Theatre Magazine during the 1970s. Most recently, Orman's memoir, Sesame Street Dad: Evolution of an Actor was published in June 2006 by Inkwater Press. Orman's children's book Ricky & Mobo which he wrote and illustrated was also published by Inkwater Press.
