Ben Vereen

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Ben Vereen

Born Benjamin Augustus Middleton
October 10, 1946 (1946-10-10) (age 61)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Spouse(s) Andrea Townsley (m. 1966)
Nancy Bruner (m. 1976)

Ben Vereen (born October 10, 1946, in Miami, Florida) is a Tony Award-winning, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows. Vereen graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Jesus Christ Superstar in 1972 and won a Tony for his appearance in Pippin in 1973. Vereen appeared in the Broadway musical, Wicked, as the Wizard of Oz (and was originally considered for the role of the Scarecrow in The Wiz), in 2005.

He has also starred in numerous television programs and films. Notable film roles include song-and-dance men in Funny Lady and All That Jazz. He appeared on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse", in which he played Will Smith's biological father. He starred in the television series, Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, but is probably best known for his role as "Chicken" George Moore in Roots and possibly as Commander Edward M. La Forge, father of Geordi La Forge, on Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1993. Other TV appearances include:

Vereen has also performed in one-man shows and actively lectures on black history and inspirational topics.

In 1992, he was accidentally struck while walking on the Pacific Coast Highway by a car driven by producer/composer David Foster.

Contents

[edit] Family Background

According to the Fayetteville Observer of April 29, 2006, Vereen learned while applying for a passport in the late 1960s that he was adopted. His birth certificate revealed that his birth name was Benjamin Augustus Middleton, that he was the son of Essie Middleton, and that he was born in Laurinburg, NC. In April of 2006, Vereen visited Laurinburg with a genealogist, and learned that his mother's name was Essie May Pearson, who had died 24 years before. According to her acquaintances, Essie had gone on a trip when Ben was a child, and had left her baby in someone's care. When she returned, the child was gone. In May of 2006, he met his mother's daughter, which is his sister, Gloria Walker, of New Haven, Connecticut. He also has other siblings from his mother. (Source: WTNH news)

Vereen is the godfather of R&B superstar Usher .

Mr. Vereen was the keynote speaker for the Boys & Girls Clubs in St. Petersburg, Florida, annual alumni tribute gala held in October 2007. He received several standing ovations for what was considered one of the best keynotes from an invited speaker. Mr. Vereen was adamant and animated regarding the significance and the value of Boys & Girls Clubs all over the country.

In talking about aspiring to achieve your dreams, Mr. Vereen says this:

"Don't hope to do it. What are the first three letters in 'hope'? H-O-P. Hop. Don't hop. Don't hop around it. You have to claim it. You have to claim it for yourself."


[edit] Cultural References

In the 2002 movie Run Ronnie Run, Vereen is referenced by the fictional band Three Times One Minus One in their song "Ronnie and Kayla's Love Song" in the line "How about a collection of erotic magazines, erotic tangerines, erotic letters from Ben Vereen" as a seemingly random reference. Tenacious D also references Ben Vereen in one of their songs.

In the Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, "Mel's Offer", Jeff tells Larry to sign "Ben Vereen" on a doctor's office sign-in sheet instead of putting his real name.

Ben Vereen made an appearance at "The Lenox Academy School of the Gifted and the Talented" on February 25, 2008 to talk about the history of African Americans from Africa up to the present.

In the Animaniacs episode 'Spellbound,' the Brain recites a shrinking spell that goes: Charlie Sheen, Ben Vereen, Shrink to the size of a lima bean!

On June 9, 1992,Mr. Vereen was in an accident in his car which brought on a stroke. In that dazed condition he walked along on the Pacific Coast Highway and strayed into the path of an oncoming truck driven by songwriter/record producer David Foster.

[edit] Filmography

The handprints of Ben Vereen in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
The handprints of Ben Vereen in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.

Upcoming:

  • An Accidental Friendship (2008)
  • Broadway: The Next Generation (2009) (documentary)

[edit] Television Work

[edit] Stage Work

[edit] External links


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Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Paul Hartman (1948) · Ray Bolger (1949) · Ezio Pinza (1950) · Robert Alda (1951) · Phil Silvers (1952) · Thomas Mitchell (1953) · Alfred Drake (1954) · Walter Slezak (1955) · Ray Walston (1956) · Rex Harrison (1957) · Robert Preston (1958) · Richard Kiley (1959) · Jackie Gleason (1960) · Richard Burton (1961) · Robert Morse (1962) · Zero Mostel (1963) · Bert Lahr (1964) · Zero Mostel (1965) · Richard Kiley (1966) · Robert Preston (1967) · Robert Goulet (1968) · Jerry Orbach (1969) · Cleavon Little (1970) · Hal Linden (1971) · Phil Silvers (1972) · Ben Vereen (1973) · Christopher Plummer (1974) · John Cullum (1975)
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