| 2024 | Jim Henson Idea ManMovie | Self (archive footage) | 97 |
| 2024 | The Greatest Night in PopMovie | Self (archive footage) | 97 |
| 2024 | Hollywood BlackSeries | Self (archive footage) | 97 |
| 2023 | Max Roach: The Drum Also WaltzesMovie | Self | 96 |
| 2023 | Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed SullivanMovie | Self | 96 |
| 2022 | 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction CeremonyMovie | Self - Inductee (archive footage) | 95 |
| 2022 | Is That Black Enough for You?!?Movie | Self | 95 |
| 2020 | TV Story SuperstarSeries | Self (archive footage) | 93 |
| 2020 | Nana Mouskouri, Momente ihres LebensMovie | Self (archive footage) | 93 |
| 2020 | The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight ShowMovie | Self | 93 |
| 2018 | BlacKkKlansmanMovie | Jerome Turner | 91 |
| 2018 | Martin Luther King by Trevor McdonaldMovie | Self - Singer | 91 |
| 2017 | The Madding CrowdMovie | Self (archive footage) | 90 |
| 2017 | JFK: The Lost Inaugural GalaMovie | Self | 90 |
| 2017 | Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes / Feeling HeartMovie | Self | 90 |
| 2016 | Jackie RobinsonSeries | Self | 89 |
| 2016 | Året var 1966Movie | Self (archive footage) | 89 |
| 2015 | Marsha Hunt's Sweet AdversityMovie | Self | 88 |
| 2014 | Nat King Cole: Afraid of the DarkMovie | Self | 87 |
| 2013 | Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms MableyMovie | Self | 86 |
| 2013 | Sternstunde MusikSeries | Self | 86 |
| 2013 | JFK: The Private PresidentMovie | Self | 86 |
| 2012 | Tony Curtis: Driven to StardomMovie | Self | 85 |
| 2012 | Sing Your SongMovie | Self | 85 |
| 2012 | Hava Nagila: The MovieMovie | Self | 85 |
| 2011 | Hamburg JournalSeries | self | 84 |
| 2011 | The University of Sing SingMovie | Self | 84 |
| 2006 | BobbyMovie | Nelson | 79 |
| 2006 | When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four ActsSeries | Self | 79 |
| 2006 | Best Ever Muppet MomentsMovie | Self | 79 |
| 2005 | The Colbert ReportSeries | Self - Guest | 78 |
| 2004 | TV in Black: The First Fifty YearsMovie | Self (archive footage) | 77 |
| 2004 | Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On!Movie | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 77 |
| 2004 | Donald McKayle: Heartbeats of a DanceMakerMovie | self | 77 |
| 2003 | Menschen bei MaischbergerSeries | Self | 76 |
| 2002 | Gero von Boehm begegnet...Series | Self | 75 |
| 2000 | Altman on His Own TermsMovie | Self | 73 |
| 1999 | Swing VoteMovie | Will Dunn | 72 |
| 1999 | Paul Robeson: Here I StandMovie | Self | 72 |
| 1998 | Vivement dimancheSeries | Self | 71 |
| 1998 | Sabine ChristiansenSeries | Self | 71 |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell ShowSeries | Self | 69 |
| 1995 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildSeries | Magic Man (voice) | 68 |
| 1995 | Willemsens WocheSeries | Self | 68 |
| 1994 | Prêt-à-PorterMovie | Self | 67 |
| 1994 | The World of Jim HensonMovie | Self | 67 |
| 1992 | The PlayerMovie | Harry Belafonte | 65 |
| 1991 | Musik liegt in der LuftSeries | Self - Singer | 64 |
| 1991 | DAS!Series | Self | 64 |
| 1990 | Jim Henson's Memorial ServiceMovie | — | 63 |
| 1988 | FlitterabendSeries | Self - Singer | 61 |
| 1988 | Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday TributeMovie | Self | 61 |
| 1988 | The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday ConcertMovie | Self | 61 |
| 1988 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy HourSeries | — | 61 |
| 1988 | Nase vornSeries | Self | 61 |
| 1987 | Sacrée soiréeSeries | Self | 60 |
| 1986 | The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 YearsMovie | Self (archive footage) | 59 |
| 1986 | An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.Movie | — | 59 |
| 1985 | We Are the World: The Story Behind the SongMovie | Self | 58 |
| 1984 | Goldene KameraSeries | Self - Laudatio | 57 |
| 1983 | Bei BioSeries | Self | 56 |
| 1982 | Night of 100 StarsMovie | Self | 55 |
| 1981 | Wetten, dass..?Series | Self | 54 |
| 1981 | Grambling's White TigerMovie | Coach Eddie Robinson | 54 |
| 1980 | Heut' abendSeries | Self | 53 |
| 1979 | CBS News Sunday MorningSeries | Self | 52 |
| 1978 | The Kennedy Center HonorsSeries | Self | 51 |
| 1977 | Auf los geht's losSeries | Self | 50 |
| 1977 | The Royal Variety Performance 1977Movie | Self | 50 |
| 1976 | The Muppet ShowSeries | Self - Special Guest Star | 49 |
| 1976 | Club 2Series | Self | 49 |
| 1975 | Numéro unSeries | Self | 48 |
| 1974 | Uptown Saturday NightMovie | Geechie Dan Beauford | 47 |
| 1974 | Free to Be… You and MeMovie | Self | 47 |
| 1973 | The American Film Institute Salute to ...Series | Self | 46 |
| 1972 | Le Grand ÉchiquierSeries | Self | 45 |
| 1972 | Buck and the PreacherMovie | Preacher | 45 |
| 1972 | The Julie Andrews HourSeries | Self | 45 |
| 1972 | Nationtime: GaryMovie | Self | 45 |
| 1971 | V.I.P. SchaukelSeries | Self | 44 |
| 1970 | King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to MemphisMovie | Self (archive footage) | 43 |
| 1970 | The Flip Wilson ShowSeries | Self | 43 |
| 1970 | The Angel LevineMovie | Alexander Levine | 43 |
| 1968 | The Dick Cavett ShowSeries | Self - Guest | 41 |
| 1968 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InSeries | Self (uncredited) | 41 |
| 1967 | The Smothers Brothers Comedy HourSeries | Self | 40 |
| 1966 | ABC Stage 67Series | Self | 39 |
| 1966 | The Strolling '20sMovie | Self | 39 |
| 1963 | The Danny Kaye ShowSeries | Self | 36 |
| 1962 | The Merv Griffin ShowSeries | Self | 35 |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSeries | Self | 35 |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas ShowSeries | Self | 34 |
| 1959 | The World, the Flesh and the DevilMovie | Ralph Burton | 32 |
| 1959 | The Bell Telephone HourSeries | Self | 32 |
| 1959 | Odds Against TomorrowMovie | Johnny Ingram | 32 |
| 1957 | Aktuelle SchaubudeSeries | Self | 30 |
| 1957 | Island in the SunMovie | David Boyeur | 30 |
| 1956 | The Steve Allen ShowSeries | Self - Singer | 29 |
| 1955 | Was bin ich?Series | Self | 28 |
| 1954 | Carmen JonesMovie | Joe | 27 |
| 1953 | General Electric TheaterSeries | Vince | 26 |
| 1953 | The OscarsSeries | Self | 26 |
| 1953 | Bright RoadMovie | Mr. Williams - School Principal | 26 |
| 1950 | What's My Line?Series | Self - Mystery Guest | 23 |
| 1950 | The Colgate Comedy HourSeries | Self | 23 |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan ShowSeries | Self | 21 |
| 0 | Nat King Cole & Friends Unforgettable HitsMovie | Self (archive footage) | — |
