Beyond the Reading Rainbow, Roots and Star Trek with LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton sits down to reflect on a journey that shaped generations, from the cultural impact of Roots, to opening minds and imaginations on Reading Rainbow, to boldly going into the future with Star Trek. It’s a candid, thoughtful look at the moments, choices, and experiences that defined his…
Two moments from this episode
Sorvino Reads His New Script
While guest starring on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Paul Sorvino stopped by Brent's trailer to borrow the phone. When he hung up, he explained he was joining Perry Mason, and described the character he'd been sent: a man who could sing, was handsome, was loved by women and could cook. His conclusion was immediate.
“He goes, oh, my God, it's me.”
Sidney Poitier's Dinner Party Speech
Brent lived next door to Leslie Bricusse and Evie, who invited him and Lori to dinner. The table was set for six, and when Brent was asked to answer the doorbell, Sidney Poitier was standing there. Over the evening Poitier asked, gently and gentlemanly, whether he could read them the speech he had written for the Oscars, then wondered aloud whether anyone would come to a one-man show like the one Cary Grant was doing.
“would you mind if I read you the speech that I'm going to do at the Oscars?”
Names dropped in this episode
52 names come up in this episode, in the order they are mentioned. Tap a timestamp to jump straight to that moment.
LeVar Burton
4:09Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and host of Reading Rainbow Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Super Festivals · CC BY 2.0
Steve McQueen
6:36American actor Wikipedia ↗
Ali McGraw
7:04American actress Wikipedia ↗
Eli Wallach
8:03American film, television, and stage actor from New York City Wikipedia ↗
Ben Johnson
8:15American actor, stuntman, and professional rodeo cowboy Wikipedia ↗
Richard Wright
9:14American author of novels, short stories, poems, and non-fiction Wikipedia ↗
Richard Kiley
10:31American stage, film, and television actor and singer Wikipedia ↗
Billy Martin
18:24Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, who, in… Wikipedia ↗
Norm Cash
18:32American Major League Baseball first baseman who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers Wikipedia ↗
Al Kaline
18:33Albert William Kaline , nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who… Wikipedia ↗
Amy Poehler
18:56American actress, comedian, and podcaster Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 2.0
Will Arnett
18:57Canadian and American actor and comedian Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Bryan Berlin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pete Gray
19:06American professional baseball outfielder who played for the St. Louis Browns of Major League Baseball… Wikipedia ↗
Jim Abbott
19:48American former professional baseball pitcher Wikipedia ↗
Photo: John Traub / Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball… · CC BY-SA 3.0
Raymond Burr
24:24Canadian actor who had a lengthy Hollywood film career and portrayed the title roles in the television… Wikipedia ↗
Mira Sorvino
25:32Mira Katherine Sorvino September 28, 1967) is an American actress Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Steven Friederich · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gena Rowlands
26:21Virginia Cathryn "Gena" Rowlands was an American actress, whose career in film, stage, and television… Wikipedia ↗
Ben Gazzara
26:28Biagio Anthony "Ben" Gazzara was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television Wikipedia ↗
Liza Minnelli
26:46American actress, singer, and dancer Wikipedia ↗
Photo: The Heart Truth · CC BY-SA 2.0
Ally Sheedy
26:55American actress, author and teacher Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Bridget Laudien · CC BY-SA 3.0
Molly Ringwald
27:05American actress, writer, and translator Wikipedia ↗
Photo: PhilipRomanoPhoto · CC BY-SA 4.0
George Benson
28:00American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Angela George · CC BY-SA 3.0
B.B. King
28:03Riley B. King , known professionally as B. B. King, was an American blues guitarist, singer… Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Marco Tambara / Lightversus · CC BY-SA 3.0
Stevie Wonder
28:12Stevland Hardaway Morris , known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter… Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0
Frank Sinatra
29:59American singer, conductor, and actor Wikipedia ↗
Frank Sinatra Jr.
30:54Francis Wayne Sinatra , known professionally as Frank Sinatra Jr., was an American jazz and big band… Wikipedia ↗
JFK Jr.
32:18John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. , also referred to as JFK Jr., was an American businessman, attorney… Wikipedia ↗
Photo: John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dean Devlin
34:13American screenwriter, producer, director, and actor of film and television Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 3.0
Alex Trebek
43:07Canadian and American game show host and television personality Wikipedia ↗
Photo: The Peabody Awards · CC BY 2.0
Craig Ferguson
44:29Scottish and American actor, comedian, writer and television host Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Gage Skidmore · CC BY-SA 2.0
Sidney Poitier
45:21Bahamian-American actor, film director, activist, and diplomat Wikipedia ↗
Anthony Newley
46:03English actor, director, comedian, singer, and composer Wikipedia ↗
Cary Grant
48:34English-American actor Wikipedia ↗
Barack Obama
49:24American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 Wikipedia ↗
Michelle Obama
49:24American attorney and author who served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 as the… Wikipedia ↗
John Wayne
49:54Marion Robert Morrison , known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor Wikipedia ↗
Carol Burnett
49:54American comedian, actress, singer and writer Wikipedia ↗
Photo: Dennis115 · CC BY 3.0
Lucille Ball
49:54Comedy legend and studio head of Desilu Wikipedia ↗
Desi Arnaz
49:54Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III , known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-American actor, musician… Wikipedia ↗
John Amos
50:10American actor Wikipedia ↗
Photographs from Wikimedia Commons.
Listen anywhere
Apple Podcasts · Spotify · YouTube · Audible