1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Ben Vereen Biography (1946-)

Full name, Benjamin Augustus Vereen; born October 10, 1946, in Miami, FL; sonof James (a factory worker) and Pauline (a theatre wardrobe mistress, migrant worker, and maid) Vereen; married Andrea Townsley (marriage ended); marriedNancy Brunner (a dancer), 1968; children: (first marriage) Benjamin; (secondmarriage) Malakia, Naja (deceased), Kabara, Karon. Addresses: Agent:Paul Kohner, 9300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 555, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; BernardCarneol, Progressive Artists Agency, 400 South Beverly Dr., Suite 216, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Manager: Sterling/Winters Company, 10877 Wilshire Blvd.,15th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90024; Hillard Elkins, Elkins Entertainment, 8306 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 438, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, singer, dancer

Birth Details

October 10, 1946

Miami, Florida

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• The Prodigal Son, Greenwich Mews Theatre, New York City, 1965
• Brother Ben, Sweet Charity (musical), Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas,NV, 1966
• Sweet Charity (musical), San Francisco, CA, 1966
• Claude, Hair (musical; also known as Hair: The American TribalLove Rock Musical), Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1968
• Flight announcer, Golden Boy, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1968
• Alternated roles of Hud and Berger, Hair (musical; also known as Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical), Aquarius Theatre, Los Angeles, 1968-1970
• Judas Iscariot, Jesus Christ Superstar (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, beginning 1971
• The leading player, Pippin (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, c. 1972-1973
• Night of 100 Stars (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1983
• Leroy, Grind (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1985
• I'm Not Rappaport, San Francisco, 1989
• Give My Regards to Broadway, Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1991
• Chimney man, Jelly's Last Jam (musical), Virginia Theatre, New York City, 1993
• A Christmas Carol, Madison Square Garden, New York City, 1995-1996
• Broadway Rocks! (benefit concert), China Club, New York City, 2001
• Destination: Groove (benefit performance), Limelight Theatre, NewYork City, 2001
• Fosse (musical revue), Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 2001
• Host, Love, Janis (concert), Bryant Park, New York City, c. 2001
• Midge, I'm Not Rappaport, Booth Theatre, New York City, 2002
• The Exonerated, 45 Bleecker Street Theatre, New York City, 2003
• Very Special Arts Festival, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 2004
• Performed a solo show at Walt Whitman Theatre, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn, New York City, 2003; also frequent performer in other concert, cabaret, and benefit shows, including regional appearances in hissolo show.
• Major Tours
• Daddy Johann Sebastian Brubeck and police officer, Sweet Charity (musical), U.S. and Canadian cities, 1967-1968
• Hud, Hair (musical; also known as Hair: The American Tribal Love Rock Musical), U.S. cities, 1968
• The leading player, Pippin, U.S. cities, 1968
• Johnny Williams, No Place to Be Somebody, National Shakespeare Company, U.S. cities, 1970-1971
• Billy Flynn, Chicago (musical), U.S. and Canadian cities, 1999
• Midge, I'm Not Rappaport, U.S. cities, 2002
• Stage Director and Choreographer
• The Odd Potato (children's musical; also known as Broadway Sings The Odd Potato), Peter Norton Symphony Space, New York City, 2003
• Film Appearances
• Frug dancer, Sweet Charity (also known as Sweet Charity: The Adventures of a Girl Who Wanted to Be Loved), Universal, 1969
• Carlos, Gas-s-s-s! (also known as Gas!, Gas-s-s-s, or ItBecame Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It, and Gas-s-s-s, or It May Become Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It), American International Pictures, 1970
• Bert Robbins, Funny Lady, Columbia, 1975
• O'Connor Flood, All That Jazz, Columbia/Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
• Himself, Cycling through China, 1982
• Stanley, Sabine, 1982
• Leatherface (The Winch), The Zoo Gang (also known as Winners Take All), New World, 1985
• Shaka, Buy & Cell, Trans World Entertainment, 1988
• Voice of Phineas, Once upon a Forest (animated), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1993
• Richard Barrett, Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Warner Bros., 1998
• Mr. Gwin, I'll Take You There, DEJ Productions, 1999
• Whistlin' Willie Weston, The Painting, 2002
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Host, Ben Vereen ... Comin' at Ya, NBC, 1975
• E. L. "Tenspeed" Turner, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, ABC, 1980
• Uncle Phillip Long, Webster, ABC, 1984-1985
• Host, You Write the Songs, syndicated, 1986
• Mayor Ben, Zoobilee Zoo, syndicated, 1986
• E. L. "Tenspeed" Turner, J. J. Starbuck, NBC, 1988
• Captain "Hutch" Hutchinson, Silk Stalkings, CBS and USA Network, 1991-1993
• Miniseries
• "Chicken George" Moore, Roots, ABC, 1977
• Herb Douglas, The Jesse Owens Story, syndicated, 1984
• Roscoe Haines, Ellis Island, CBS, 1984
• Ethiopian, A.D. (also known as A.D.--Anno Domini), NBC, 1985
• Gene Randall, Intruders (also known as They Are among Us),CBS, 1992
• Rudolphe Lermontant, Feast of All Saints (also known as Anne Rice's The Feast of All Saints), ABC, 2001
• Himself, Broadway: The American Musical, PBS, 2004
• Movies
• Louis Armstrong, Louis Armstrong--Chicago Style, ABC, 1976
• Paul Williams, Lost in London, CBS, 1985
• Joe, Jenny's Song, syndicated, 1988
• Itsy Bitsy Spider, Mother Goose Rock `n' Rhyme, The Disney Channel, 1990
• Morris Fontaine, The Kid Who Loved Christmas (also known as TheBoy Who Loved Christmas), syndicated, 1990
• Specials
• Himself, The Bell Telephone Jubilee (also known as Jubilee!), NBC, 1976
• Devil, Noah, and man, Mary's Incredible Dream, CBS, 1976
• Host, Ben Vereen--His Roots (also known as The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen--His Roots), ABC, 1978
• Rockette: A Holiday Tribute to Radio City Music Hall, 1978
• The Stars Salute Israel at 30, ABC, 1978
• The Cheryl Ladd Special, ABC, 1979
• Guest, Uptown--A Tribute to the Apollo Theatre (also known as Uptown: A Musical Comedy History of Harlem's Apollo Theatre), NBC, 1980
• Himself, "Walt Disney ... One Man's Dream," The Wonderful World of Disney, CBS, 1981
• The leading player, Pippin: His Life and Times, 1981
• Guest, Christmas in Washington, NBC, 1982
• Night of 100 Stars (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), NBC, 1983
• Himself, Lynda Carter: Body and Soul (also known as Body and Soul), CBS, 1984
• Salute to Lady Liberty, CBS, 1984
• Secret World of the Very Young, CBS, 1984
• Host, Here's Television Entertainment, syndicated, 1985
• Host, 115th Edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, CBS, 1985
• The ABC All-Star Spectacular, ABC, 1985
• An All Star Party for "Dutch" Reagan, CBS, 1985
• Breakin' Through (musical), 1985
• 52nd Annual King Orange Jamboree Parade, NBC, 1985
• Host, Walt Disney World's Very Merry Christmas Parade, ABC, 1986
• Kraft Salutes the Magic of David Copperfield ... in China (also known as The Magic of David Copperfield VIII: Walking through the Great Wallof China), CBS, 1986
• Miss Hollywood, 1986, ABC, 1986
• 116th Edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, CBS, 1986
• Cohost, Walt Disney World's Happy Easter, ABC, 1987
• Host, CBS's Happy New Year, America, CBS, 1987
• Host, Six Hours for Life, syndicated, 1987
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1987
• A Star-Spangled Celebration, ABC, 1987
• Leader of circus band, The 14th Annual Circus of the Stars, CBS, 1989
• Host from New York, Starathon '90: A Weekend with the Stars for Cerebral Palsy, syndicated, 1990
• Host from New York, The 25th Anniversary MDA Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, syndicated, 1990
• Bob Fosse: Various Dances, PBS, 1990
• The Chipmunks Rockin' through the Decades (animated), NBC, 1990
• Sea World Summer Night Magic, ABC, 1990
• Himself, Children's Miracle Network Telethon, syndicated, 1991
• Himself, George Burns' 95th Birthday Party, CBS, 1991
• Himself, The 65th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1991
• Host from New York, Starathon '91: Weekend with the Stars for CerebralPalsy, syndicated, 1991
• Host from New York, Starathon '92: A Weekend with the Stars, syndicated, 1992
• Himself, David Foster's Christmas Album, NBC, 1993
• In a New Light '93, ABC, 1993
• The Golden Globe's 50th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1994
• The 69th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, NBC, 1995
• Gail Sheehy's New Passages, ABC, 1996
• Narrator, Vaudeville: An "American Masters" Special, PBS, 1997
• I'll Make Me a World: A Century of African-American Arts, PBS, 1999
• Fosse (also known as From Broadway: Fosse), PBS, 2001
• Himself, Roots: Celebrating 25 Years, NBC, 2002
• Awards Presentations
• The 49th Annual Academy Awards, 1977
• Presenter, The 52nd Annual Academy Awards, 1980
• The 36th Annual Tony Awards, 1982
• The 40th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1986
• Presenter, The 19th Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1987
• Golden Globe Awards, syndicated, 1987
• Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1989
• Danny Kaye's International Children's Awards for UNICEF, The Disney Channel, 1992
• The 47th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1993
• The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996
• Episodic
• Guest, Soul Train, syndicated, 1975
• Himself, The Muppet Show, syndicated, 1976
• Guest, The Carol Burnett Show, CBS, 1977
• Guest, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1979, 1980
• Dr. John Hanson, "Pal-i-Mony-o-Mine/Does Father Know Best?/An `A' for Gopher," The Love Boat, ABC, 1982
• Puss, "Puss `n' Boots," Faerie Tale Theater (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theater), Showtime, 1982
• Himself, "Bobby Bittman's Retirement," SCTV Network 90 (also knownas SCTV Comedy Network and SCTV Network), NBC and [Canada], 1983
• Himself, "That's Entertainment," Webster, ABC, 1983
• Himself, "Ty's One Man Band," Reading Rainbow, PBS, 1983
• Voice of Dragonweed, The Charmkins (animated), syndicated, 1985
• Isaac West, Bordertown, Global Television and The Family Channel,1989
• Ben McQueen, "The Life and Death of Chick Sterling," Booker, Fox,1990
• Commander Dr. Edward M. LaForge, "Interface," Star Trek: The Next Generation (also known as The Next Generation and Star Trek: TNG), syndicated, 1993
• Himself, "Pinske Business," The Nanny, CBS, 1994
• Dr. Andre Novak, "Illusions of Grandeur," Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (also known as Lois & Clark and The New Adventures of Superman), ABC, 1994
• Lou Smith, "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse," The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC, 1994
• Louie, "Eliminate the Middleman," New York Undercover, Fox, 1995
• Voice of Snake, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," Happily Ever After:Fairy Tales for Every Child (animated), HBO, 1995
• Ulysses Dodd, "Secret Service," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1996
• Sweet Billy, "Desperately Seeking Mickey," Second Noah, ABC, 1997
• Himself, "Della Reese: Outspoken Angel," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Senator Stanford Parks, "Party Girl," SOF: Special Ops Force (alsoknown as SOF, Inc., S.O.F., Inc., S.O.F. Special Ops Force, Soldier of Fortune, and Soldier of Fortune, Inc.), syndicated, 1998
• Lawrence Taggert, Sr., "It's All in the Family," Promised Land, CBS, 1999
• Lawrence Taggert, Sr., "The Visitor," Promised Land, CBS, 1999
• Lawrence Taggert, Sr., "Wounded Hearts," Promised Land, CBS, 1999
• Royal, "Taps for Royal," The Jamie Foxx Show, The WB, 1999
• Himself, Bob Fosse: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! EntertainmentTelevision, 1999
• Himself, "Ben Vereen: The Hard Way," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 2000
• Himself, Sammy Davis Jr.: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2001
• Guest, Theater Talk, PBS, 2001
• A. R. Whitworth (Prisoner #02W424), "Good Intentions," Oz, HBO, 2002
• Guest, On Stage, 2002
• Appeared in Nick Jr. Rocks, Nickelodeon; appeared in episodes of other series.
• Pilots
• E. L. "Tenspeed" Turner, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, ABC, 1979
• Guest, Opryland: Night of Stars and Future Stars, NBC, 1981
• Nightclub pianist, "The Saint" (also known as "The Saint in Manhattan"),broadcast as an episode of CBS Summer Playhouse, CBS, 1987
• The Nerd, NBC, 1996
• Radio Appearances
• Guest, Radio Playbill, 2002
• Albums
• Stop Your Half-Steppin' Mama, Buddah, 1976
• Soundtrack Albums
• Stage Productions
• Jesus Christ Superstar, Decca, 1971
• Pippin, Motown, 1972
• Hair, 1988
• Grind, Jay Records, 1998
• Films
• Funny Lady, Arista, 1975
• Performer in the soundtrack recording for All That Jazz.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

• Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 4, Gale, 1993

Periodicals

• New York Post, November 14, 1995; January 24, 2001

Electronic

• Playbill Online, http://www.playbill.com, September 6, 2002
• Theatermania.com, http://www.theatermania.com, July 8, 2002