Benson Star Robert Guillaume: I Had an Ego

In the 1970s, as soap operas were at their ratings peak, there was one show that stood out: Soap. The nighttime satire followed the drama and intrigue of the Tate family and marked a groundbreaking moment in 1977 when it cast Billy Crystal as Jodie Dallas, one of TV's first openly gay character.

However, Billy wasn't the show's only breakout star. Robert Guillaume played the family's wise-cracking butler Benson, and he was so popular that he eventually landed his own TV show that lasted seven seasons!

Though Robert went on to have an illustrious career—having earned two Emmy Awards and a Tony nomination—the legendary actor says it hasn't been without regret. "When I look back on my life, I realize that I knew nothing, but I had an ego," he says. "It was really out of control, and probably still is to some extent."

Watch the above video as Robert talks about his life today, including what he learned from a stroke he suffered in 1999.