While a student at New York's High School of Art and Design, Orman made his theatrical debut in the 1962 topical revue "If We Grow Up." He was an early member of the Free Southern Theater for two years in the mid-1960s and a founding member of Harlem, New York's New Lafayette Theatre, where he acted in and directed numerous plays. His many other stage appearances have included roles in "Julius Caesar" and "Coriolanus" at Joseph Papp's Public Theater, the Broadway production of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Fences", and Matt Robison's one-man play "The Confessions of Stepin Fetchit" at the American Place Theatre. Orman is the recipient of an Audelco Theatre Award and a five-time nominee. He made his feature film debut in the title role of Universal Studios' 1974 drama, Willie Dynamite and has also appeared in such films as F/X, Striking Distance, New Jersey Drive, Follow That Bird, Twilight's Last Gleaming,The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, and "Jeremy Fink And The Meaning of Life". His television credits include work on such shows as All My Children, Kojak, Sanford and Son, Cosby, Sex and the City, The Wire, andLaw & Order. He most recently appeared on episode 5 of the Garry Trudeau/Amazon streaming production Alpha House. In June 2006, Orman's memoir Sesame Street Dad: Evolution of An Actor was released. In September 2007, his children's book Ricky and Mobo was released. On October 8, 2008, he became the Chief Storyteller of AudibleKids.com (a service of Audible.com), a website for parents, teachers, and children to connect with one another and download and listen to audiobooks oniPods, MP3 players, and computers. In his role as Chief Storyteller, Orman narrates audiobooks and communicates with children, parents and teachers online and at community, literacy and library events, lectures and conferences, and via other media to encourage the use of audiobooks to help build an interest in reading and develop literacy skills. He commented on being Chief Storyteller on October 8, 2008: “When Sesame Streetbegan, television was a new and even controversial medium. But we showed how that technology, if used correctly, could become a powerful learning tool...I see the same kind of opportunity emerging today as parents and educators increasingly view iPods with skepticism. With AudibleKids.com, I believe we can help turn these players into magnificent storytellers, tools for learning, and a way to promote a lifelong love of stories and language.” His new role was announced at a community event at The Educational Alliance Boys & Girls Club in New York City, where Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office commended Orman’s life work and willingness to embrace new technology to help encourage children to read books, by naming October 8, 2008 AudibleKids Day in New York City. Orman is a resident of New Jersey. He has four children, Rasheda, Solana, Miles, and Cheyenne. His son, Miles Orman, was on Sesame Street playing Gordon and Susan's adopted son Miles Robinson from the mid-1980s into the early 1990s.

Filmography

• 2026Original Sound — Fred
• 2020The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special — Gordon
• 2020You Can't Take My Daughter — McDevitt
• 2019All These Small Moments — Dr. Rogers
• 2019Holiday Rush — Reginald Miller
• 2019Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration — Gordon
• 2019Sesame Street: 50 Years and Counting — Gordon Robinson (archive footage)
• New Amsterdam — Rodger Conway
• The Night Of — Jury Foreman
• 2015Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo! — Gordon
• Alpha House — Randall
• 2012Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life — Dr. Grady
• 2012Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Numbers — Roscoe
• 2011Sesame Street: Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures
• 2010Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days — Gordon (uncredited) (archive footage)
• 2010Sesame Street: C Is for Cookie Monster
• 2010Sesame Street: P is for Princess — Gordan Robinson
• 2009Sesame Street: Bedtime with Elmo — Gordon Robinson
• 2009Sesame Street: Elmo and Friends: The Letter Quest and Other Magical Tales
• 200630 Days — Jo Jo
• 2006A Sesame Street Christmas Carol — Gordon (archive footage)
• 2006Sesame Street: Elmo's Potty Time — Gordon
• 2004Sesame Street: Elmo's World: The Street We Live On! — Gordon
• 2004Sesame Street: What's the Name of That Song? — Gordon
• 2002Sesame Street: Elmo's World: Happy Holidays!
• The Wire — Off. Oscar Requer
• 2000American Pimp — Willie Dynamite
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Bryant Davis, Jerome Howard
• 1999Sesame Street: Kids' Favorite Songs — Gordon
• 1999The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland — Gordon
• 1999The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland: Sing and Play — Gordon (archive footage)
• 1998Sesame Street: Elmopalooza! — Gordon
• Sex and the City — Train Waiter
• 1996Sesame Street: Elmo Saves Christmas — Gordon
• 1995New Jersey Drive — Judge
• 1994Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever! — Gordon
• 1993Sesame Street Stays Up Late! — Gordon
• 1993Striking Distance — Sid
• Law & Order — Mr. Cameron, Trial Judge
• 1988Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie — Gordon
• 1987Sesame Street: Sing Along — Gordon
• 1986F/X — Captain Wallenger
• 1986Sesame Street: Sleepytime Songs & Stories — Gordon Robinson
• 1985Follow That Bird — Gordon
• 1983Don't Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art — Gordon
• 1979A Walking Tour of Sesame Street — Gordon (uncredited)
• 1979Coriolanus — Adrian
• 1978Christmas Eve on Sesame Street — Gordon
• 1974Willie Dynamite — Willie
• Kojak — Lieutenant Connors
• Sanford and Son
• 1969Harlem Theater
• Sesame Street — Gordon Robinson
• Sesame Street: Big Bird's Favorite Party Games — Gordon

Appearances as themselves (5)

• 2024Jim Henson Idea Man — Self (archive footage)
• 2022Is That Black Enough for You?!? — Self
• 2021Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street — Self
• 2015I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story — Self
• 1989Sesame Street: 20 Years & Still Counting! 1969-1989 — Self – Gordon Robinson