Dennis Haysbert

Dennis Dexter Haysbert played David Palmer on 24 and voiced the same character in 24: The Game.

Biography
Haysbert is the eighth of nine children. After high school, he was offered various sports scholarships, but instead he chose to study acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Haysbert has been acting in film and television since 1979 with a guest role in "The White Shadow". His television guest starring roles include "Lou Grant", "Laverne & Shirley", "The A-Team", "Magnum, P.I.", and "Duckman". In 1999, Haysbert starred with Eric Close in "Now and Again" (also featuring Chad Lowe and Reiko Aylesworth), which was canceled after one season. In 2005, he had a role in the TV series Empire together with Colm Feore.

In 1989, Haysbert portrayed Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo-practicing baseball player in the movie Major League, in which he uttered the memorable line: "It is very bad to drink Jobu's rum. It is very bad". He reprised the role in the two sequels. In 1992, Haysbert co-starred with Michelle Pfeiffer in Love Field, a film about the assassination and funeral of President John F. Kennedy. Other of his big screen roles have been in Absolute Power with Penny Johnson Jerald who would later play his wife Sherry Palmer in 24. He shared the screen with other alums of the show like Reiko Aylesworth, Kate Mara, and Christina Chang in Random Hearts, with Burt Bulos on The Thirteenth Floor, with Johnathan McClain in Far From Heaven, and with James Morrison in Jarhead.

In addition to television and film acting, Haysbert has also done voice work for various video games, most notably Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series and Call of Duty: Finest Hour. In 2004, Haysbert began appearing as the official spokesman for Allstate Insurance company during episodes of 24. His repeated phrase for the company's commercials is "Are you in good hands?".

On March 4, 2006, Haysbert guest starred on Saturday Night Live. He hosted a "Belated Black History Moment" segment, featuring fictional African-American cartoons which failed to make an impact in the 90's.

After 24, Haysbert took the role of Jonas "Snake Doctor" Blane, leader of a special foces team in CBS's drama "The Unit".

Haysbert is divorced and the father of two.

Selected filmography

 * The Unit (2006-)
 * Jarhead (2005)
 * Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow (2004) (Voice)
 * Love & Basketball (2000)
 * Random Hearts (1999)
 * Major League: Back to the Minors (1998)
 * Absolute Power (1997)
 * Waiting to Exhale (1995)
 * Heat (1995)
 * Major League II (1994)
 * Suture (1993)
 * Love Field (1992)
 * Mr. Baseball (1992)
 * Navy SEALs (1990)
 * Major League (1989)

24-related appearances

 * Haysbert provided DVD audio commentary for the episode Day 2 4:00am-5:00am (with Howard Gordon).