Debbie Allen

Debbie Allen

Acting

Born January 16, 1950 · Houston, Texas, USA

37 films as director · Active 1982–2026

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

Known for

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

2005

Grey's Anatomy

Grey's Anatomy

2005

S.W.A.T.

S.W.A.T.

2017

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

1977

The Love Boat

The Love Boat

1977

The Jennifer Hudson Show

The Jennifer Hudson Show

2022

The Jennifer Hudson Show

The Jennifer Hudson Show

2022

Quantum Leap

Quantum Leap

1989

Directed(37)

Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square

2020Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square★ 5.8

The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

2014The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story

2006Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story★ 6.2

2001The Old Settler★ 3.8

Mariah Carey: Butterfly World Tour - Live at Tokyo Dome

1998Mariah Carey: Butterfly World Tour - Live at Tokyo Dome★ 8.1

Out-of-Sync

1995Out-of-Sync★ 4.5

Sinbad: Afros and Bellbottoms

1993Sinbad: Afros and Bellbottoms★ 5.3

Stompin' at the Savoy

1992Stompin' at the Savoy

Polly: Comin' Home!

1990Polly: Comin' Home!★ 8.5

Polly

1989Polly★ 8.2

1989The Debbie Allen Special

Acting(93)

2025Seen & Heard: The History of Black TelevisionSelf

2025A Murder in Oakland: Beauty is DeadlyDetective Foster

2023The Hidden Power of PurposeNarrator (voice)

2022The Jennifer Hudson ShowSelf

2022The Proud Family: Louder and ProuderMyrtle (voice)

2022Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens RisingSelf

2022JANET JACKSON.Self

2021Turning the Tables with Robin RobertsSelf

2021Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly GorgeousBetty Samson

2020Cardi TriesSelf

2020Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate NutcrackerHerself

2020Uprooted: The Journey of Jazz DanceSelf

2019Maurice Hines: Bring Them BackSelf

2019Tamron HallSelf - Guest

2018Black Hollywood: 'They've Gotta Have Us'Self

2018American TapSelf

2017S.W.A.T.Charice Harrelson

2017Raven's HomeGreat Aunt Maureen

2015Grace and FrankieDorothy

2014The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker

2014Jane the VirginBeverly Flores

2013A Star for RoseRose

2011A Place for Us: West Side Story's LegacySelf

2011Dance MomsSelf

2009Celebrity Ghost StoriesSelf

2009FameMs. Angela Simms

2009Next Day AirMs. Jackson

2008Bring Back... FameSelf

2007Tournament of DreamsRhonda Dillins

2006Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino StoryAmerican Idol Auditionee in Sunglasses

2005Everybody Hates Chris

2005Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony AwardsAnita (segment "West Side Story") (archive footage)

2005So You Think You Can Dance

2005Bring Back...Self - Lydia Grant

2005Grey's AnatomyCatherine Fox

2005Confessions of an Action StarSelf

2004AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the MoviesSelf

2002The 1st 13th Annual Fancy Anvil Awards Show Program Special: Live in StereoSelf (uncredited)

2002It's Black EntertainmentSelf

2001The PaintingBertha Lee Gilmore

2001All About YouRuth

2001The Old SettlerQuilly McGrath

2001The DivisionWanda

2000Everything's JakeDebbie Allen

1999Intimate Portrait: Josephine BakerHerself

1999Michael Jordan: An American HeroDeloris Jordan

1997Ships of Slaves: The Middle PassageNarrator

1996E! True Hollywood Story

1996C Bear and Jamal

1995Out-of-SyncManicurist

1995In the HouseJackie Warren

1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildPrecious (voice)

1994Touched by an AngelValerie Hill

1994Mona Must DieBetty

1994Blank CheckYvonne

1993Intimate PortraitSelf

1992Stompin' at the SavoyEstelle

1991Sunday in ParisSunday Chase

1991Sunday in Paris

1990Spike & Co.: Do It a Cappella

1990Spike & Co. Do It a-CappellaSelf

1989Quantum LeapJoanna Chapman

1989The Debbie Allen SpecialSelf

1987A Different WorldDr. Langhorne

1987Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf

1986Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is CallingMichelle

1986An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

1985Dancing in the WingsDebbie

1985Motown Returns to the Apollo

1985Night of 100 Stars IISelf

1985Disneyland's 30th Anniversary CelebrationSelf

1984The Cosby ShowEmma

1984CelebrityRegina Brown

1984The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic TeamSelf - Performer

1983Women of San QuentinCarol Freeman

1983The Kids from Fame: From the Royal Albert Hall LondonSelf

1982Alice at the PalaceRed Queen

1982FameLydia Grant

1981RagtimeSarah

1979The Fish That Saved PittsburghOla

1979Ebony, Ivory and JadeClaire 'Ebony' Bryant

1979Roots: The Next GenerationsNan Branch Haley

1978The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His RootsSelf

1977The Greatest Thing That Almost HappenedJulie Sutton

1977The Love BoatSelena Moore

19773 Girls 3Self

1976Battle of the Network Stars

1971Great PerformancesSelf

Broadway: The Next GenerationSelf

SplinterMrs. James