Dennis Dexter Haysbert is an American actor, director, and producer. He began his acting career in film and television in 1978, with early guest roles in series such as Lou Grant, Growing Pains, Laverne & Shirley, The A-Team, and Dallas. In 1993, he appeared in Return to Lonesome Dove as Cherokee Jack Jackson.
Haysbert rose to prominence for his role as U.S. Senator David Palmer, who later became the first Black U.S. President within the show's narrative, on the first five seasons of 24.