1 son, Ben, with first wife. 4 daughters (Kabara, Malaika, Naja and Karon) with current wife.
Although he played Georg Stanford Brown's father in "Roots" (1977), he is more than three years Brown's junior in real life. Similarly, he played the son of Leslie Uggams, who is likewise three years his senior, in the same production.
Ben is an ordained minister.
Ben met first wife Andrea Townsley when they were young and singing together at her father's Brooklyn church in the gospel choir. The marriage, which produced son Ben Jr., lasted only a few years. Andrea is now a pastor at her late father's church.
Ben's high school classmates were Glynn Turman, Michael Peters and Lester Wilson to name a few at the Performing Arts.
Ben's second wife Nancy Bruner was a dancer in the London production of "Golden Boy". Ben was Sammy Davis Jr.'s understudy at the time.
Born in Laurinburg, North Carolina.
Graduated from the New York's High School of the Performing Arts
He played Madge Sinclair's grandson in "Roots" (1977) and her husband in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987).
He was understudy for Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1964 Broadway musical "Golden Boy".
His Grandson Darryl is a Linebacker for the University of Tennessee Volunteers Football team.
In 1987 his daughter, Naja, was killed in a car accident at the age of 16.
In addition to starring in, Ben was also the acting coach on the movie Idlewild (2006) for such performers as André Benjamin (aka Andre 3000), Terrence Howard and Paula Patton.
In June of 1992, he suffered a stroke following a minor car accident in which he hit his head on the steering wheel earlier that day. He recovered and after extensive physical and occupational therapy, was able to dance again.
Is the godfather of singer/dancer/actor Usher Raymond.
Of modest beginnings, his father James was a factory worker and mother Pauline a maid and wardrobe mistress.
Played the character of E.L. "Tenspeed" Turner in the unrelated television shows "Tenspeed and Brown Shoe" (1980) and "J.J. Starbuck" (1987).
Tony Award winner for "Pippin"
Was named as "King of Brooklyn" at the Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival in 1985
When he was 21 years old, he learned while applying for a passport that he was adopted and that his birth name was Benjamin Augustus Middleton. It took many decades before he traced his mother, Essie May Middelton (Pearson), already deceased. However, he did meet his blood family, including an older sister living in New Haven, Connecticut.