Timmie Rogers
Who Timmie Rogers is
Timmie Rogers was a comedian, singer-songwriter, bandleader and actor from Detroit, often called the Jackie Robinson of comedy for being one of the first Black comedians allowed to address a white audience directly as himself, working solo, well dressed and never in blackface. He began in vaudeville in the dance team Timmie & Freddie, starred in CBS's Uptown Jubilee (1949), U.S. television's first Black prime-time show, and was a recurring guest on The Jackie Gleason Show for more than 12 years. He was inducted into the National Comedy Hall of Fame in 1993.
At a glance
- Born
- 1915
- Died
- 2006
- Style
- Stand-up without blackface
- On screen
- Uptown Jubilee, The Jackie Gleason Show and Sanford and Son
Specials, shows and podcasts
On screen
- Uptown Jubilee star, 1949, CBS
- The Jackie Gleason Show recurring guest, more than 12 years
- Sanford and Son Smiley Rogers, 1975
Comedians like Timmie Rogers
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- Paul Mooney also in Sanford and Son
- Redd Foxx also in Sanford and Son
- Richard Pryor also in Sanford and Son
Career timeline
- 1915Born
- 1949Uptown Jubilee (star, 1949, CBS) On screen
- 1975Sanford and Son (Smiley Rogers, 1975) On screen
- 2006Died
Questions about Timmie Rogers
What TV shows and films is Timmie Rogers in?
Uptown Jubilee, The Jackie Gleason Show and Sanford and Son.
Who are some comedians like them?
Paul Mooney (also in Sanford and Son), Redd Foxx (also in Sanford and Son) and Richard Pryor (also in Sanford and Son).
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with their place on the Legends ballots.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Timmie Rogers ↗ Birth and death years, Detroit, solo act without blackface, Timmie & Freddie, Uptown Jubilee, Jackie Gleason Show, Sanford and Son, National Comedy Hall of…
Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 27 September 2026