ival ) ▁and ▁st arring ▁T all ul ah ▁Bank head ▁and ▁Tab ▁Hunter ▁in ▁his ▁only ▁stage ▁performance . ▁Im medi ately ▁there after , ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁he ▁origin ated ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Clay ▁in ▁Am iri ▁Bar aka ' s ▁Dutch man . ▁With ▁this ▁play , ▁on ▁the ▁advice ▁of ▁Ros co e ▁Lee ▁Brown , ▁Hook s ▁became ▁known ▁as , ▁Robert ▁Hook s . ▁He ▁also ▁origin ated ▁roles ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁stage ▁in ▁Where ' s ▁D addy ? ▁for ▁which ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Theatre ▁World ▁Award ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁Best ▁Male ▁Le ad ▁in ▁a ▁Musical ▁for ▁Halle lu j ah ▁Baby ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁simultaneously ▁st arring ▁in ▁David ▁Sus sk ind ' s ▁N . Y . P . D .— the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁lead ▁on ▁a ▁television ▁drama . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁Hook s ▁was ▁the ▁host ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁public ▁affairs ▁television ▁program , ▁Like ▁It ▁Is . ▁ ▁Hook s ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁Tony ▁for ▁his ▁lead ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁musical , ▁Halle lu j ah , ▁Baby !, ▁has ▁received ▁both ▁the ▁P ione er ▁Award ▁and ▁the ▁NA AC P ▁Image ▁Award ▁for ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement , ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Black ▁Fil mm akers ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame . ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁an ▁Em my ▁for ▁his ▁P BS ▁special , ▁Vo ices ▁of ▁Our