He appeared in the films The Jackie Robinson Story, Perils of the Jungle, Duffy of San Quentin, Sitting Bull, Friendly Persuasion, Monster from Green Hell, The Decks Ran Red, Porgy and Bess, A Raisin in the Sun, He Rides Tall, Roustabout, The Chase, The Learning Tree, The Great White Hope, Skin Game, Thomasine & Bushrod, The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings, Casey's Shadow and Butch and Sundance: The Early Days, among others.

Other significant roles followed in movies such as Friendly Persuasion, The Learning Tree and The Great White Hope.

[1][2] He also appeared in television series, including The Dick Van Dyke Show and Hill Street Blues.

[1] Following calls by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People against the stereotyping of African Americans in the film industry, Fluellen tried to get the Screen Actors Guild to protect their Black members against discrimination.

[2] With Frances Williams, he received the first Paul Robeson Pioneer Awards from the Black American Cinema Society, in 1985.