That Actor In The Allstate Commercials Was Also On One Of America’s Top Shows – Looper

Long before he took up the mantle as Allstate spokesman, Dennis Haysbert was making a name for himself as a TV and film actor. He began his career in the 1970s appearing on episodes of shows like “Lou Grant” and “Laverne & Shirley.” His first major film role was the ballplayer Pedro Cerrano in 1989’s “Major League.” Other parts followed in films like “Love Field,” “Heat,” and “Absolute Power.” In 2002, Haysbert co-starred in Todd Haynes’ “Far from Heaven” alongside Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid. For his role as the well-meaning gardener Raymond Deagan, Haysbert earned a Satellite Award, among other accolades.

Haysbert is perhaps best known for playing Senator David Palmer, later President Palmer, on “24” beginning in 2001. More TV roles followed, including in “The Unit” and “Lucifer.”

According to Haysbert, his performance on “24” directly led to his hiring as Allstate’s spokesman. “I think I got that role because I was President David Palmer on 24 and people saw me as being very trustworthy,” Haysbert said in the same interview with Edge Magazine. “And that’s a good reason. Because I am. And I understand that the attorneys won’t allow me to say anything that they can’t back up, so I’m pretty secure about what I’m saying to the public.”