Robert X. Golphin (born Robert Bennett Xavier Golphin), is an American actor, writer/director, author, speaker and journalist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his role as Dunbar Reed in The Great Debaters.
Education Golphin holds an MFA in screenwriting from the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University, a B.A. in theater and film (magna cum laude) from St. Augustine's University and a diploma in creative writing from the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.
Career
Golphin's film roles include Remember the Daze, "Rounding First", Punch Me, "The Underground Kings" and "Essential". His television and new media credits include the HBO series The Wire, the HBO miniseries John Adams (2008), and "The Counterparts". Among his theatrical credits are "The Storm: An Original Pop-Rock Musical" (2012), "Englewood Boys: A Play on Portraiture"(2015), and "Bessie Smith: Empress of the Blues" (2019).
In 2020, Golphin made his feature length directorial debut with "Freshman Friday", which was released on Amazon Prime Video. He has also written, produced, and/or directed several award-winning short films that have screened at national and international film festivals. During his final semester of undergraduate studies at St. Augustine's University, he directed and produced an authorized stage medley of Spike Lee's School Daze.
Golphin's journalism background includes a four-year stint as an on-air correspondent for Reelblack TV, and published credits in The Philadelphia Inquirer 'First Take' Newspaper, The Philadelphia Sunday Sun, SCOOP USA Newspaper, The Manning Times, The Campbell Times, and Teen People Magazine among others.
He is also the author of the novellas, "Cold Night In A Warm Season" (2021) and "Abandoning Adam: Confessions of an HBCU Scholar" (2006).
Golphin is the Founder/CEO of Robert X. Golphin Entertainment.
Filmography
Acting (Film & TV) Year Title Role Notes2004Simply UntitledRoland2004Crackhead (uncredited)Episode: Back Burners2005Rounding FirstQuick Mart Clerk2005Track MarksMarkee Percy2006–09Reelblack TVOn Air CorrespondentVarious episodes2007Remember the DazeBoy 2Also known as "The Beautiful Ordinary"2007The Great DebatersDunbar Reed2008John AdamsMale SlaveEpisode: "Join or Die"2008Beautiful Man in the BuffDevaun Cheri Nominated-Best Actor In A Short, Downbeach Film Festival2011Un-PerfectDouglas Jr. 2011Punch MeSonNominated-Best Actor In A Short, Atlantic City CineFest2014The Underground KingsJavierPilot Episode2014The CounterpartsSeries RegularWeb Series 2017Right Song, Wrong C(h)ordJay2019#ThatMomentSeries RegularWeb Series 2019–presentRXG: ExclusivesHostWeb Series 2020EssentialShiloh Avery Sr.Best Actor win and nomination at film festivals2022How To Tie A TieDarnellBest Supporting Actor win on the film festival circuit2023ExuviaJ.R.film festivals2023The Good of Man Rodneyfilm festivals2025Chest CandyJace A. Collierfilm festivals2025American ZealotMoroccan Gang Member (post-production)
Film/TV (Crew) Year Title Role Notes1997Stricken: Teens Face AidsWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film1999LitWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2002Say Cheese, ElohimWriter-Producer-DirectorExperimental Film2002HackProduction Assistant (Set)CBS Television/Big Ticket Productions2004Simply UntitledWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2004AcrimonyDirector of PhotographyFeature/Also known as "Vengeance"2005Track MarksWriter-ProducerShort Film2005Private JetWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2005TiltedWriter-Producer-DirectorStudent Film2005White Men Can't Rap2nd 2nd Assistant Director, Script SupervisorFeature2008Beautiful Man in the BuffWriter-ProducerShort Film2009WriterShort Film2009InsecureWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2009Simply Untitled (Redux)Writer-Director-ProducerShort Film2009Inside of MeWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2011Punch MeWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2011Romeo and His JulietAssociate Producer, Script SupervisorShort Film2011Un-PerfectWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2012I Am ManWriter-Producer-DirectorShort Film2012"Sabrina" - Calloway1st Assistant DirectorMusic Video2013Pretentious: Skylar AvielleWriter/Executive ProducerNew Media2013African Genesis: The Journey of The Songhai PeopleCinematographerFeature Length Documentary2014The CounterpartsWriter, director, Co-Executive ProducerWeb Series2015Under the ThumbWriter, Co-Director, ProducerShort2016-2018Talking With JanetDirector, executive producerTalk Show - Hosted by Emmy Award-Winning Journalist Janet Conner-Knox (digital series)2017La Douleur ExquiseConsulting ProducerShort2019Voice of MajestyWriter, director, producerEpisodic2019The Things We Go ThroughCinematographerShort2019Making Movie MagicDirector, producerDocumentary (short)2019Making Movie Magic: Part DeuxDirector, producerDocumentary (short)2019–PresentRXG: ExclusivesDirector, executive producerTalk Show (award-winning digital series)2019#ThatMomentDirector, executive producerDigital Series2020EssentialWriter, director, producerShort2020The New Virtual NormalWriter, producerDigital Series2020Freshman FridayDirectorFeature2021Back In The FleshDirector, producerDocumentary (short)2022So Much HappyDirector, producerDocumentary (short)2023Still, And In The MomentDirector, ProducerDocumentary (short)2024Reset: A Reel Journey with First State & RSCTDirector, ProducerDocumentary (short)2025Synergy: Victor & Snookie Director, ProducerDigital Docu-series2025Cinematic Chaos: An RSCT Film Camp Sneak PeekDirector, ProducerDocumentary (short)2025Chest CandyDirector, ProducerShort
Theatre (Crew) Year Title Role Notes1999Sinners 7: Plane Ticket to HeavenWriter-Producer-DirectorDrama Ministry2000Sinners 7: Plane Ticket to HeavenWriter-Producer-DirectorCommunity Theatre2005My Breasts, My HairWriter-Producer-DirectorOne Act Play2006Spike Lee's School DazeDirector/ProducerAn authorized stage medley2011Sinners 7: Plane Ticket to HeavenWriterDrama Ministry
Books
Awards
Acting Year Presented by Award Category Role Result 2008 Downbeach Film Festival Best Actor In A Short "Devaun Cheri" in Beautiful Man in the Buff 2011 Atlantic City CineFest Best Actor In A Short "Son" in Punch Me 2020 Top Indie Film Awards Best Actor In A Short "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential" 2020 Screen Power Film Festival Best Actor In A Short "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential" 2021 Foreman Empire Productions International Film Festival Best Actor "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential" 2022 Foreman Empire Productions TV & Movie Awards Best TV Host Host of "RXG Exclusives" 2022Foreman Empire Productions TV & Movie Awards Best Supporting Actor "Darnell" in "How To Tie A Tie" 2023 East Coast Movie Awards Best Actor In A Drama "Shiloh Avery, Sr." in "Essential"
Filmmaking Year Award Category Film Result 1997 AALHOF: African American Legends Hall of Fame Legends of Tomorrow Stricken: Teens Face Aids 1998 NAACP: National Association for The Advancement of Colored People Act-So Competition, Film, 2nd Place Stricken: Teens Face Aids 1998 BEBASHI: Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health Issues Ujimaa Award (now the "John Allen Blue Award") Stricken: Teens Face Aids 1998 Philadelphia Please Touch Museum For Kids Great Friend To Kids Stricken: Teens Face Aids, LIT 2003 ABC Entertainment Television Group New Talent Development Program Finalist ("Recognition of Creative Excellence" Recipient) A screenplay (Finalist) 2007 Irene I. Parisi, Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Best Young Screenwriter A Feature Length Screenplay (2nd Place) 2008 Irene I. Parisi, Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Best Young Screenwriter A Feature Length Screenplay (Finalist)2008 Downbeach Film Festival, New Jersey Best Short Film Beautiful Man in the Buff 2009 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival & Marketplace Best Short Subject Beautiful Man in the Buff (Honorable Mention)2009 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival Best Narrative Short Inside of Me (Honorable Mention) 2009 Indie Short Film Competition Narrative Short Inside of Me (Finalist)2009 Trail Dance Film Festival Golden Drover Award for Best Short Drama Inside of Me 2010 The Accolade Competition Award of Merit-Short Film Inside of Me 2010 The Accolade Competition Award of Merit-Direction Inside of Me 2010 WorldFest-Houston Remi Bronze Award - Film and Video Productions (Women's Issues) Inside of Me 2010 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival & Marketplace Best "Short Subject - Honorable Mention Inside of Me 2010 Atlantic City Cinefest (Sponsored by Downbeach Film Festival) Best Local Short Inside of Me 2011 Black Maria Film + Video Festival Jury's Citation - 2nd Prize Punch Me 2011 Love Unlimited Film Festival and Art Exhibition Honorable Mention Punch Me 2011 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival & Market Silver Award for Best Short Subject Punch Me 2011 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival Best Narrative Short - Honorable Mention Un-Perfect 2011 FilmOut San Diego Best of LGBT Shorts Punch Me (Special Distinction) 2011 QBC: Queer Black Cinema Festival Best Narrative Short - Honorable Mention Punch Me 2011 Atlantic City CineFest Best Drama, Short Punch Me 2012 Los Angeles Movie Awards Honorable Mention, Narrative Short Punch Me 2013 Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Prime Time Award Original Teen Drama Television Pilot (Finalist) 2013 Set In Philadelphia Screenplay Competition Prime Time Award Original Television Crime Drama Pilot (Finalist) 2015 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival "Under the Thumb" Leigh Whipper Gold Award for Best Short Subject 2019 Philafilm: Philadelphia International Film Festival "Voice of Majesty" Leigh Whipper Gold Award for Best Short Subject 2020 Top Indie Film Awards "Essential" Best Director 2020 Top Indie Film Awards "Essential" Best Message 2020 Flight Deck Film Festival "Essential" Best Director 2020 Flight Deck Film Festival "Voice of Majesty" Best Filmmaker 2020 Direct Monthly Online Film Festival "Essential" Best Film of the Month 2020 UK Seasonal Short Film Festival "Essential" Best Film of the Month (Honorable Mention) 2020 ShortedFilms.com "Essential" Short of the Day 2025 The People's Film Festival "Chest Candy" Best Short Film (Honorable Mention) 2025 Black Indie Filmmakers Association Houston Film Festival "Chest Candy" Short Film (Honorable Mention) 2025 Newark Independent Film Festival "Chest Candy" Spirit Award 2025 Newark Independent Film Festival "Chest Candy" Committee's Choice Award
References
Philadelphia Tribune Philadelphia Tribune (Metro Edition) NJ.com Philadelphia Tribune, “Entertainment Now” Variety Philly Ad Club MovieBytes Philadelphia Tribune Feature Story IndieWire / Shadow and Act
External links Rounding First official website BlogTalkRadio interview on The Joy Keys Morning Show BlogTalkRadio interview on Solutions Radio BlogTalkRadio interview on AfterThoughts Radio BlogTalkRadio interview on Urban Film Radio J Blair Presents interview (2013) Screenwriting competition finalist listing Reelblack Presents Monthly Showcase PRLog press release I Am So Not Hollywood article
External links
Official Twitter Profile Official Fan Page on Facebook