Dennis Haysbert is a noted American actor, known for his screen presence thanks to his deep resonant voice, muscular physique and towering height. He was born with a heart defect, but excelled in sports in his childhood. Later, he recovered from his ailment and was offered a sports scholarship, but he turned it down to become an actor. It was his dying brother who had urged him to enroll in the ‘American Academy of Dramatic Arts’ in Pasadena. After graduating from there at the age of 23, Haysbert began his career on stage and soon debuted in films and television. He played several sports-related roles on screen throughout the 1980s and received his first starring roles in the early 1990s. However, he had to wait for a few more years to get his biggest break as David Palmer in the television series ‘24’. Apart from acting, he has also done many commercials, and he was the official spokesman for the Allstate Insurance Company between 2003 and 2008.