Ellas Otha Bates (1928-2008), known famously as Bo Diddley, was an influential rock and roll singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is often cited as a key figure in the transition of blues into rock and roll, by introducing more insistent, driving rhythms and a hard edged guitar sound.

Diddley appeared in a 1991 Sesame Street sketch spoofing Bo Jackson's "Bo Knows" commercial. He also appeared in that season's celebrity version of "Monster in the Mirror."

Banned from The Ed Sullivan Show, Diddley went on to tour and work with musicians such as Little Richard, The Rolling Stones, and Eric Clapton. And while not an actor, Diddley made a cameo in Trading Places (which also featured cameos by Frank Oz and Richard Hunt).