Roscoe Lee Browne (May 2, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American character actor and director known for his rich voice and dignified bearing. He resisted playing stereotypically black roles, instead performing in several productions with New York City's Shakespeare Festival Theater, Leland Hayward's satirical NBC series "That Was the Week That Was", and a poetry performance tour of the United States in addition to his work in television and film. He is best known for his role as Saunders in "Soap" (1977-1981).