
William Jackson Harper, an American actor and playwright, portrayed Danny Rebus in the PBS series The Electric Company. Harper gained acclaim for his role as Chidi Anagonye in the NBC comedy series The Good Place (2016–2020), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Harper's other notable roles include Midsommar, Paterson, Romeo & Juliet, and After the Blast.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of actor | William Jackson Harper |
| Actor's height | 5'8" (1.73 m) |
| Actor's date of birth | February 8, 1980 |
| Actor's birthplace | Dallas, Texas, USA |
| Actor's notable works | The Good Place, Midsommar, Dark Waters, All the Way, Uncle Vanya |
| Danny Rebus's role in Electric Company | Prankster, antagonist |
| Danny Rebus's characteristics | Suave, sophisticated, sensitive, dramatic, touchy, proud, scowling, grudge-holding |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- William Jackson Harper played Danny Rebus in the TV series *The Electric Company*
- Danny Rebus is a Prankster who can turn sentences into rebus puzzles
- Danny Rebus is a sensitive, sophisticated, and dramatic high school student
- Danny Rebus is one of the three secondary antagonists of the 2009 revival of *The Electric Company*
- William Jackson Harper is an American actor and playwright, also known for his role as Chidi in the comedy series *The Good Place*

William Jackson Harper played Danny Rebus in the TV series *The Electric Company*
William Jackson Harper is an American actor and playwright, born in Dallas, Texas, on February 8, 1980. He is best known for his role as Chidi Anagonye in the NBC comedy series *The Good Place* (2016–2020), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Before his career gained momentum, Harper made his New York theatre debut in the 2006 Vital Theatre Company production of *Full Bloom*, a play about teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality. In 2008, he performed in the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Lynn Nottage's play, *Ruined*, which won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
From 2009 to 2011, William Jackson Harper played Danny Rebus in the PBS series *The Electric Company*. Danny Rebus is a Prankster who can turn any sentence into a rebus, and most of his messages are aimed at making fun of the Electric Company. Danny is a sensitive, sophisticated, and dramatic high school student who gets offended by minor perceived slights. He is calm and suave, setting him apart from the other Pranksters, and he doesn't always behave like one. However, when he does, he is determined to get back at the Electric Company, no matter how big or small the retaliation.
Despite his antagonistic role, Danny Rebus has a softer side. In "Revenge of the Zeros," he and Annie Scrambler admire and compliment each other while plotting to ruin Paul the Gorilla's banana party, indicating a mutual crush. In "Oh, Danny Boy," he forms a bond with Hector when they team up for a ping-pong tournament, and he displays his love for dogs in the episode "Pies for Puppies." In addition to his sensitive and dramatic personality, Danny also has a strong interest in theatre. In "The Wordball is My Oyster," he takes his role seriously, rehearsing his lines diligently and getting exasperated when his fellow actors forget theirs.
William Jackson Harper's performance as Danny Rebus in *The Electric Company* showcased his versatility as an actor and contributed to his successful career, which includes notable roles in both television and theatre.
Electric Company Options for Auburn, KY: Who's Available?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Danny Rebus is a Prankster who can turn sentences into rebus puzzles
Danny Rebus is a Prankster and one of the three secondary antagonists of the 2009 revival of The Electric Company. He is portrayed by William Jackson Harper, who was 28 years old when the series began and 31 when it ended.
Danny Rebus is a suave and sophisticated high school student with a very sensitive side. He is calm and collected, which sets him apart from the other Pranksters. However, he can be overly dramatic and holds grudges, especially against the Electric Company, which he often accuses of making him look bad.
Danny's power is that he can turn sentences into rebus puzzles. For example, he spells his last name as "Re+🚌". A rebus is a puzzle that combines pictures, letters, and symbols to represent words or phrases. They challenge the solver to decipher the underlying message. For instance, the word "been" can be depicted as a bumblebee next to a plus sign and the letter "n". Rebus puzzles can also be made up of solely letters, such as "CU" for "see you," which is known as a gramogram or letteral word.
Danny uses his powers to create taunting rebuses about the Electric Company when most of its members are out of town. He also employs them for harmless mischief or pranks, such as when he stole a magic book and sent a letter with a spell on it, accidentally turning himself into a turtle. Despite his antagonistic role, Danny does have a soft side. He forms a bond with Hector in "Oh Danny Boy" and is shown to be a dog-lover in "Pies for Puppies." He also has a crush on Annie Scrambler, as seen in "Revenge of the Zeros."
Electric Company Options in Marion, Kansas: Who's Available?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$37.93 $49.99

Danny Rebus is a sensitive, sophisticated, and dramatic high school student
Danny Rebus, portrayed by William Jackson Harper, is a sensitive, sophisticated, and dramatic high school student. He is a Prankster who can turn any sentence into a rebus, and most of his messages are made to make fun of the Electric Company. He is very proud and often accuses the Electric Company of making him look bad, prompting revenge.
Danny is calm and suave, setting him apart from the other Pranksters. However, once he behaves as a Prankster, he is determined to get back at the Electric Company, regardless of the scale of their perceived transgressions. He is a constant grudge-holder and can be disillusioned when things do not go his way. For example, in "The Orangachoke (Episode)," he stole Skeleckian Lottie's Orangachoke because she mistakenly misspelled his name as "Danny Rebush" on her eclipse party invitation.
Despite his mischievous and sometimes immoral actions, Danny does have a soft side. He formed a bond with Hector in "Oh, Danny Boy," where they teamed up for a ping-pong tournament. He is also a dog-lover, as seen in "Pies for Puppies." In addition, he has a crush on Annie Scrambler, as evidenced in the episode "Revenge of the Zeros," where they admire and compliment each other while plotting to ruin Paul the Gorilla's banana party.
Danny also has an interest in theatre. In "The Wordball is My Oyster," he takes his role seriously, rehearsing his lines to ensure he does not make any mistakes. However, he can get exasperated when his fellow actors forget or confuse their lines. Overall, Danny Rebus is a complex character who embodies sensitivity, sophistication, and drama in his portrayal as a high school student on "The Electric Company."
Pike Electric Company: Where is it From?
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Danny Rebus is one of the three secondary antagonists of the 2009 revival of *The Electric Company*
Danny is a sensitive, sophisticated, and dramatic high school student who gets offended by even the most innocuous perceived transgressions. He is calm and suave, which sets him apart from the other Pranksters, and there are times when he does not behave like one at all. However, once he does, he is determined to do anything in his power to get back at the Electric Company, no matter how small or large the action.
Danny is a Prankster who can turn any sentence into a rebus, and most of his messages are meant to make fun of the Electric Company. He is very proud and often accuses the Electric Company of making him look bad, prompting revenge. However, he can be disillusioned and is always scowling, hardly ever smiling unless something good happens. He is also very touchy and sensitive. For example, in "The Orangachoke (Episode)," he stole Skeleckian Lottie's Orangachoke because she mistakenly misspelled his name as "Danny Rebush" on her eclipse party invitation.
Despite being one of the antagonists, Danny does have a soft side. In "Revenge of the Zeros," he and Annie seem to have a crush on each other as they admire and compliment each other while plotting to ruin Paul the Gorilla's banana party. He also forms a bond with Hector in "Oh, Danny Boy," where they team up for a ping-pong tournament, and he is shown to be a dog-lover in "Pies for Puppies."
Electric Company Options in Alpharetta, Georgia
You may want to see also
Explore related products

William Jackson Harper is an American actor and playwright, also known for his role as Chidi in the comedy series *The Good Place*
William Jackson Harper, born William Fitzgerald Harper, is an American actor and playwright. He gained acclaim for his role as Chidi Anagonye in the NBC comedy series *The Good Place* (2016–2020), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Harper started his career as a main cast member of the PBS Kids Go! series *The Electric Company* (2009–2011), playing Danny Rebus, a suave and sophisticated prankster who can turn any sentence into a rebus. Harper made his New York theatre debut in the 2006 Vital Theatre Company production of *Full Bloom*, a play about teenagers coming to terms with their sexuality. In 2008, he performed in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Lynn Nottage's play, *Ruined*, which won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Harper has had a successful career in both television and theatre. In addition to his roles in *The Good Place* and *The Electric Company*, he has appeared in other television shows such as *Paterson* and *Love Life*. He made his Broadway debut in 2014, portraying Stokely Carmichael in the Robert Schenkkan play *All the Way* starring Bryan Cranston as President Lyndon B. Johnson. He has also starred in several films, including the sci-fi film *They Remain* (2018), the horror film *Midsommar* (2019), and the legal thriller *Dark Waters* (2019). Harper is also a playwright, having written the plays *We Live Here* (2010) and *Travisville* (2018).
The Good Place is a comedy series that follows the characters Eleanor, Chidi, Tahani, and Jason as they navigate the afterlife and try to become better people. Chidi, played by Harper, is a moral philosophy professor who serves as the group's ethical guide. The show explores themes of morality, philosophy, and the meaning of life, with a mix of humour and heart. It received critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
Harper's performance as Chidi in *The Good Place* was well-received by fans and critics alike. His portrayal of the character's neuroses, anxiety, and struggle to make ethical decisions resonated with many viewers. Chidi's relationship with Eleanor, played by Kristen Bell, was also a highlight of the show, with their on-screen chemistry and banter providing many comedic and heartfelt moments. Harper's performance in the series demonstrated his range as an actor and helped to establish him as a talented and versatile comedy performer.
Electric Company Complaints: Navigating the Process
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
William Jackson Harper plays Danny Rebus on Electric Company.
William Jackson Harper gained acclaim for his role as Chidi Anagonye in the NBC comedy series The Good Place (2016–2020). He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for this role. Harper is also known for his roles in Midsommar, Paterson, and They Remain.
William Jackson Harper has appeared in numerous plays, films, and TV shows. He has also written plays, including We Live Here (2010) and Travisville (2018). Some of his notable roles include:
- Uncle Vanya (2024)
- Primary Trust (2023)
- Love Life (2020)
- The Total Bent
- All the Way (2013)
- Romeo & Juliet (2012)
- After the Blast (2017)











































