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Debbie Allen

Highest Rated: 100% Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back (2019)

Lowest Rated: 9% Blank Check (1994)

Birthday: Jan 16, 1950

Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA

With notable credits on stage as an actress and on TV as an actor, producer, director and choreographer, Debbie Allen has become one of the more diversified talents in TV. The career of this dynamic, award-winning singer-dancer has been an inspirational beacon to Black women in the entertainment industry. On Broadway, Allen was a fiery Anita in the 1980 revival of "West Side Story" and a high-kicking prostitute with a heart of gold in Bob Fosse's 1986 revival of "Sweet Charity." She began appearing regularly on TV in the mid-1970s in guest shots, summer replacement series, variety specials and TV-movies. Featured as hard-driving dance teacher Lydia Grant in the film "Fame" (1980), she reprised the greatly expanded role on the critically acclaimed TV series (NBC, 1982-83; first-run syndication, 1983-87) which she also choreographed.

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Highest rated movies

100% Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
Watchlist
84% 77% Ragtime
Watchlist 78% 79% Amistad Watchlist 64% 51% Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square Watchlist
50% 81% Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling
Watchlist
23% 36% Fame
Watchlist
22% 31% Next Day Air
Watchlist
9% 35% Blank Check
Watchlist
100% Tournament of Dreams
Watchlist
56% Michael Jordan: An American Hero
Watchlist
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Debbie Allen

Debbie Allen Debbie Allen Debbie Allen at arrivals for HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER ATAS Event, Sunset Gower Studios, Hollywood, CA May 28, 2015. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection Debbie Allen at arrivals for 18th Annual Debbie Allen Dance Academy Fall Soiree Fundraising Celebration, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Beverly Hills, CA November 1, 2018. Photo By: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection Debbie Allen at arrivals for The Carousel of Hope 2018, The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA October 6, 2018. Photo By: Priscilla Grant/Everett Collection Debbie Allen at arrivals for HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER ATAS Event, Sunset Gower Studios, Hollywood, CA May 28, 2015. Photo By: Dee Cercone/Everett Collection FAME, Gene Anthony Ray, Debbie Allen, 1980 Grey's Anatomy, Debbie Allen (L), Chandra Wilson (R), 'I Bet It Stung', Season 10, Ep. #5, 10/17/2013, ©ABC So You Think You Can Dance, from left: Adam Shankman, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio, Mary Murphy, Nigel Lythgoe, 07/20/2005, ©FOX So You Think You Can Dance, from left: Adam Shankman, Debbie Allen, Tyce Diorio, Mary Murphy, Nigel Lythgoe, 'Las Vegas Callbacks', Season 9, Ep. #5, 06/20/2012, ©FOX View more photos

Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Motown Christmas Executive Producer - 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones Executive Producer - 2023
64% 51% Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square Director,
Executive Producer 		- 2020
100% No Score Yet Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back Self,
Executive Producer 		- 2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker Director - 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Star for Rose Rose (Character) - 2013
23% 36% Fame Principal Simms (Character) $22.5M 2009
22% 31% Next Day Air Ms. Jackson (Character) $10.0M 2009
No Score Yet 100% Tournament of Dreams Rhonda Dillins (Character) - 2007
No Score Yet 76% The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life Is Not a Fairy Tale Director - 2006
No Score Yet 81% All About You Ruth (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 91% The Painting Bertha Lee Gilmore (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet 83% Everything's Jake Librarian (Character) - 2000
No Score Yet 56% Michael Jordan: An American Hero Deloris Jordan (Character) - 1999
78% 79% Amistad Producer,
Original Song 		- 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Out of Sync Director - 1995
9% 35% Blank Check Yvonne (Character) $30.6M 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mona Must Die Betty (Character) - 1994
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stompin' at the Savoy Director - 1992
No Score Yet 95% Polly Director - 1989
50% 81% Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling Michelle (Character) $16.4M 1986
No Score Yet No Score Yet Women of San Quentin Carol Freeman (Character) - 1983
84% 77% Ragtime Sarah (Character) - 1981
No Score Yet No Score Yet Ebony, Ivory and Jade Claire `'Ebony'` Bryant (Character) - 1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened Julie Sutton (Character) - 1977

TV

Credit
84% 72% Grey's Anatomy Catherine Avery (Guest Star),
Executive Producer,
Director 		2010-2024
No Score Yet 11% The View Guest 2024
No Score Yet 66% S.W.A.T. Charice (Guest Star) 2018-2019 2021 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jennifer Hudson Show Guest 2023
No Score Yet No Score Yet Inside the Black Box Self 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet Soul of a Nation Self 2022
68% 95% Janet Jackson. Self 2022
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Ellen DeGeneres Show Guest 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2011 2015 2020
No Score Yet 54% The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest 2020
No Score Yet No Score Yet Home & Family Guest 2018-2019
No Score Yet No Score Yet Raven's Home Aunt Maureen (Guest Star) 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet They've Gotta Have Us Guest 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Step Up Director 2018
97% 82% Insecure Director 2016
100% 86% Jane The Virgin Beverly Flores (Guest Star),
Director 		2014-2016
No Score Yet No Score Yet FABLife Guest 2015
97% 76% Survivor's Remorse Director 2015
93% 72% Scandal Director 2014-2015
88% 85% How to Get Away With Murder Director 2014
No Score Yet 58% So You Think You Can Dance Guest,
Judge 		2007-2009 2012-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Mo'Nique Show Unknown (Character) 2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet Let's Stay Together Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet No Score Yet Army Wives Director 2013
68% 78% The Client List Director 2013
65% 44% Hellcats Director 2010-2011
96% 98% Everybody Hates Chris Mother (Guest Star),
Director 		2006-2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Game Director 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Girlfriends Director 2006-2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet All of Us Unknown (Guest Star),
Director 		2003-2007
No Score Yet No Score Yet That's So Raven Director 2006
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Parkers Director 2003
50% 77% The Twilight Zone Director 2003
70% No Score Yet Linc's Director 1998-2000
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Jamie Foxx Show Director 1997-1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cosby Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Unknown (Voice) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet In the House Unknown (Character) 1995-1996
No Score Yet 90% Quantum Leap Joanna Chapman (Guest Star),
Director 		1991 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Different World Unknown (Guest Star) 1991-1992
No Score Yet 91% The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Director 1990
No Score Yet 68% The Cosby Show Unknown (Guest Star) 1988
No Score Yet 89% Family Ties Director 1987-1988
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fame Lydia Grant (Character),
Director,
Producer 		1982-1987
No Score Yet No Score Yet Good Times Diana Buchanan (Guest Star) 1976