| Oliver Litondo | |
| Birth Name: | Oliver Musila Litondo |
| Birth Date: | 1948 |
| Nationality: | Kenyan |
| Alma Mater: | Harvard University Stockholm University University of Iowa |
| Occupation: | Actor, Journalist and news anchor. |
| Spouse: | Beldina. |
| Awards: | AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Actor |
Oliver Musila Litondo (born 1948) is a Kenyan actor, journalist and news anchor.[1] He is known for portraying Kimani Maruge in the 2010 biographical film The First Grader. [2] For his portrayal as Maruge, Litondo won the AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Actor[3] [4] and the Black Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.[5] [6] [7] He was also nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in The First Grader.[4] [8]
Litondo's first known role is in Ragbir Singh's Mlevi (The Drunkard) (1968), the first feature length film in Swahili and considered the first locally produced Kenyan feature film. In a 2024 segment on KCB Channel 1 about the history of Kenyan film, Litondo said that he tried unsuccessfully to locate this pioneering film. [9] [10] [11]
Litondo is a graduate of the University of Iowa, Stockholm University and Harvard University.[12] He is married to Beldina.[13] Litondo is a recipient of the Kalasha Lifetime Achievement award.[13]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Mlevi | Film | ||
| 1975 | The Wilby Conspiracy | |||
| 1980 | The Bushtrackers | Johnny Kimathi | ||
| 1984 | Sheena | Harcomba | ||
| 1988 | The Lion of Africa | Sergeant | TV movie | |
| 1990 | Ivory Hunters | Kenneth | ||
| 2010 | The First Grader | Kimani Ng'ang'a Maruge | ||
| 2011 | The Rugged Priest | Catholic Bishop | ||
| 2022 | Birthday Live | Daudi | To Be Released |