Debbie Allen

Biography

Debbie Allen is an American film and television actress and director.

Personal Facts

Known For

Acting

Gender

female

Known Credits

114

Birth Date

1950-01-16 00:00:00

Birth Place

Houston, Texas, USA

Known For

• 

  Fame
• 

  Night of 100 Stars II
• 

  Splinter
• 

  The Hidden Power of Purpose
• 

  Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous
• 

  Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

Credits

• actors (69 credits)

  • Broadway: The Next Generation

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • Splinter

    Mrs. James

    actor

    actors
    2026
  • A Murder in Oakland: Beauty is Deadly

    Detective Foster

    actor

    actors
    2025
  • The Hidden Power of Purpose

    Narrator (voice)

    actor

    actors
    2023
  • Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2022
  • The Jennifer Hudson Show

    - Debbie Allen, Danielle Pinnock (2026) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Debbie Allen, J. Ivy (2025) ... Self actor actors

    - Debbie Allen (2023) ... Self actor actors
    2022
  • Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous

    Betty Samson

    actor

    actors
    2021
  • Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

    Herself

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz Dance

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2020
  • Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2019
  • Tamron Hall

    - Debbie Allen & Cameron Mathison (2021) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - LeAnn Rimes & Debbie Allen (2020) ... Self - Guest actor actors

    - Debbie Allen, Tim Gunn, André Leon Talley, Star Jones (2020) ... Self - Guest actor actors
    2019
  • American Tap

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2018
  • S.W.A.T.

    - Genesis (2023) ... Charice Harrelson actor actors

    - Safe House (2021) ... Charice Harrelson actor actors

    - Monster (2019) ... Charice Harrelson actor actors

    - Funny Money (2019) ... Charice Harrelson actor actors

    - Fire in the Sky (2019) ... Charice Harrelson actor actors
    2017
  • Raven's Home

    - Switch-or-Treat (2018) ... Great Aunt Maureen actor actors
    2017
  • Grace and Frankie

    - The Short Rib (2020) ... Dorothy actor actors
    2015
  • The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

    actor

    actors
    2014
  • Jane the Virgin

    - Chapter Forty-Three (2016) ... Beverly Flores actor actors
    2014
  • A Star for Rose

    Rose

    actor

    actors
    2013
  • A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2011
  • Fame

    Ms. Angela Simms

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • Next Day Air

    Ms. Jackson

    actor

    actors
    2009
  • Bring Back... Fame

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2008
  • Tournament of Dreams

    Rhonda Dillins

    actor

    actors
    2007
  • Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story

    American Idol Auditionee in Sunglasses

    actor

    actors
    2006
  • Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards

    Anita (segment "West Side Story") (archive footage)

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Confessions of an Action Star

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2005
  • Grey's Anatomy

    - Bridge Over Troubled Water (2026) ... Catherine Fox actor actors

    - (If You Want It) Do It Yourself (2026) ... Catherine Fox actor actors

    - Fortunate Son (2026) ... Catherine Fox actor actors

    - Heavy on Me (2026) ... Catherine Fox actor actors

    - Only the Strong Survive (2025) ... Catherine Fox actor actors
    2005
  • Everybody Hates Chris

    - Everybody Hates Minimum Wage (2007) ... actor actors

    - Everybody Hates Elections (2006) ... Mother actor actors
    2005
  • AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2004
  • The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Awards Show Program Special: Live in Stereo

    Self (uncredited)

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • It's Black Entertainment

    Self

    actor

    actors
    2002
  • The Painting

    Bertha Lee Gilmore

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • All About You

    Ruth

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • The Old Settler

    Quilly McGrath

    actor

    actors
    2001
  • The Division

    - Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (2003) ... Wanda actor actors
    2001
  • Everything's Jake

    Debbie Allen

    actor

    actors
    2000
  • Intimate Portrait: Josephine Baker

    Herself

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • Michael Jordan: An American Hero

    Deloris Jordan

    actor

    actors
    1999
  • The Middle Passage

    Narrator

    actor

    actors
    1997
  • Out-of-Sync

    Manicurist

    actor

    actors
    1995
  • Mona Must Die

    Betty

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Blank Check

    Yvonne

    actor

    actors
    1994
  • Touched by an Angel

    - Sins of the Father (1996) ... Valerie Hill actor actors
    1994
  • Intimate Portrait

    - Debbie Allen (1997) ... Self actor actors
    1993
  • Stompin' at the Savoy

    Estelle

    actor

    actors
    1992
  • Sunday in Paris

    Sunday Chase

    actor

    actors
    1991
  • Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1990
  • The Debbie Allen Special

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1989
  • Quantum Leap

    - Private Dancer (1991) ... Joanna Chapman actor actors
    1989
  • Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1987
  • A Different World

    - Honeymoon in L.A. (1) (1992) ... Debbie Allen (uncredited) actor actors

    - Twelve Steps of Christmas (1991) ... Dr. Langhorne actor actors

    - Ex-Communication (1991) ... Dr. Langhorne actor actors
    1987
  • Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

    Michelle

    actor

    actors
    1986
  • Dancing in the Wings

    Debbie

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Night of 100 Stars II

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1985
  • The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team

    Self - Performer

    actor

    actors
    1984
  • The Cosby Show

    - If the Dress Fits, Wear It (1988) ... Emma actor actors
    1984
  • Women of San Quentin

    Carol Freeman

    actor

    actors
    1983
  • The Kids from Fame: From the Royal Albert Hall London

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1983
  • Alice at the Palace

    Red Queen

    actor

    actors
    1982
  • Fame

    Lydia Grant

    actor

    actors

    - Baby, Remember My Name (1987) ... Lydia Grant actor actors

    - Alice Doesn't Work Here Anymore (1987) ... Lydia Grant actor actors

    - Of Cabbages and Kings (1987) ... Lydia Grant actor actors

    - Reggie and Rose (1987) ... Lydia Grant actor actors

    - The Lounge Singer Who Knew Too Much (1987) ... Lydia Grant actor actors
    1982
  • Ragtime

    Sarah

    actor

    actors
    1981
  • Fame

    Lydia

    actor

    actors
    1980
  • Ebony, Ivory and Jade

    Claire 'Ebony' Bryant

    actor

    actors
    1979
  • The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots

    Self

    actor

    actors
    1978
  • The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened

    Julie Sutton

    actor

    actors
    1977
  • The Love Boat

    - The Decision/Poor Little Rich Girl/Love Me, Love My Dog (1979) ... Selena Moore actor actors
    1977
  • Great Performances

    - Episode 6 (1990) ... Self actor actors
    1971

• crew (7 credits)

  • The Six Triple Eight

    choreographer

    crew
    2024
  • A Jazzman's Blues

    choreographer

    crew
    2022
  • Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

    choreographer

    crew
    2020
  • Forget Paris

    choreographer

    crew
    1995
  • The Debbie Allen Special

    choreographer

    crew
    1989
  • Quantum Leap

    - Private Dancer (1991) ... choreographer crew
    1989
  • Dancing in the Wings

    choreographer

    crew
    1985

• art (1 credits)

  • Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!

    creative director

    art
    2022

• directing (27 credits)

  • Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

    director

    directing
    2020
  • The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

    director

    directing
    2014
  • Jane the Virgin

    - Chapter Twenty (2015) ... director directing

    - Chapter Four (2014) ... director directing
    2014
  • How to Get Away with Murder

    - He Has a Wife (2014) ... director directing
    2014
  • Witches of East End

    - Boogie Knight (2014) ... director directing
    2013
  • The Client List

    - Heaven's Just a Sin Away (2013) ... director directing
    2012
  • Hellcats

    - Land of 1,000 Dances (2011) ... director directing

    - Pledging My Love (2010) ... director directing
    2010
  • Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story

    director

    directing
    2006
  • The Game

    - Oh, What a Night (2008) ... director directing
    2006
  • Grey's Anatomy

    - Between Two Lungs (2025) ... director directing

    - Only the Strong Survive (2025) ... director directing

    - How Do I Live (2025) ... director directing

    - This One's for the Girls (2024) ... director directing

    - If Walls Could Talk (2024) ... director directing
    2005
  • Everybody Hates Chris

    - Everybody Hates Ex-Cons (2008) ... director directing

    - Everybody Hates the BFD (2008) ... director directing

    - Everybody Hates the First Kiss (2008) ... director directing

    - Everybody Hates Bad Boys (2008) ... director directing

    - Everybody Hates Minimum Wage (2007) ... director directing
    2005
  • That's So Raven

    - Be Prepared (2006) ... director directing

    - Boyz 'N Commotion (2005) ... director directing

    - The Road To Audition (2004) ... director directing

    - A Goat's Tale (2004) ... director directing
    2003
  • The Twilight Zone

    - The Monsters Are on Maple Street (2003) ... director directing
    2002
  • The Old Settler

    director

    directing
    2001
  • Girlfriends

    - Stand and Deliver (2008) ... director directing

    - Adapt to Adopt (2008) ... director directing

    - Deck the Halls With Bags and Folly (2007) ... director directing

    - Where Did Lynn-digo? (2007) ... director directing

    - Baghdad, My Bad (2007) ... director directing
    2000
  • Mariah Carey: Butterfly World Tour - Live at Tokyo Dome

    director

    directing
    1998
  • Out-of-Sync

    director

    directing
    1995
  • Sinbad: Afros and Bellbottoms

    director

    directing
    1993
  • Stompin' at the Savoy

    director

    directing
    1992
  • Polly: Comin' Home!

    director

    directing
    1990
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

    - Bang the Drum, Ashley (1990) ... director directing

    - The Fresh Prince Project (1990) ... director directing
    1990
  • Polly

    director

    directing
    1989
  • The Debbie Allen Special

    director

    directing
    1989
  • Quantum Leap

    - Revenge of the Evil Leaper (2) (1993) ... director directing

    - Private Dancer (1991) ... director directing
    1989
  • A Different World

    - College Kid (1993) ... director directing

    - When One Door Closes... (2) (1993) ... director directing

    - Mind Your Own Business (1993) ... director directing

    - Happy Birthday to Moi (1993) ... director directing

    - To Whit, With Love (1993) ... director directing
    1987
  • Fame

    - Baby, Remember My Name (1987) ... director directing

    - Of Cabbages and Kings (1987) ... director directing

    - The Crimson Blade (1987) ... director directing

    - Stagefright (1986) ... director directing

    - The Inheritance (1986) ... director directing
    1982
  • Family Ties

    - The Play's the Thing (1988) ... director directing

    - Higher Love (1987) ... director directing
    1982

• production (7 credits)

  • Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

    executive producer

    production
    2020
  • Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back

    executive producer

    production
    2019
  • A Star for Rose

    producer

    production
    2013
  • The Middle Passage

    executive producer

    production
    1997
  • Amistad

    producer

    production
    1997
  • A Different World

    producer

    production

    - Great X-Pectations (1993) ... producer production

    - A Rock, a River, a Lena (1993) ... producer production

    - College Kid (1993) ... producer production

    - Homie, Don't Ya Know Me? (1993) ... producer production

    - Cabin in the Sky (1993) ... producer production
    1987
  • Dancing in the Wings

    producer

    production
    1985

• writing (3 credits)

  • The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

    writer

    writing
    2014
  • The Debbie Allen Special

    writer

    writing
    1989
  • Dancing in the Wings

    writer

    writing
    1985