The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)
If names are destiny, then Geoffrey Butler (Joseph Marcell) was born to be a manservant, just as the family he served (the Banks family of The Fresh Prince) was destined for wealth. As a black butler, he’s often mistaken for Benson, though he’s more like Niles on The Nanny, often grousing about his low pay, his lack of a social life, and the shortcomings of his employers. As it turned out, Geoffrey was a man of considerable accomplishments (that’s why he was so sarcastic to the Bankses, whom he regarded as lazy and idle).
He was an Oxford graduate, an Olympic marathoner and had previously worked for Led Zeppelin and Chuck Norris. He also turns out to be a man of many secrets: he lost his gold medal when it was learned he cheated in his Olympic race, his middle name is Barbara, and he has a son named Frederick, born to an ex-lover, living back in London.
Still, for all his scorn, the Bankses regarded him as indispensible. No wonder Mrs. Banks named him as godfather to her youngest son, Nicky; after all, no one had been more devoted to the upbringing of Nicky and the other Banks kids than the man whom Will (Will Smith) had affectionately nicknamed “G.”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaKsC2AwFt0]