Vereen, Ben 1946–

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VEREEN, Ben 1946–

PERSONAL

Full name, Benjamin Augustus Vereen; born October 10, 1946, in Miami, FL; son of James (a factory worker) and Pauline (a theatre wardrobe mistress, migrant worker, and maid) Vereen; married Andrea Townsley (marriage ended); married Nancy Brunner (a dancer), 1968; children: (first marriage) Benjamin; (second marriage) Malakia, Naja (deceased), Kabara, Karon. Education: Attended High School of Performing Arts, New York City; attended Pentecostal Theological Seminary, c. 1965.

Addresses: Agent—Paul Kohner, 9300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 555, Beverly Hills, CA 90212; Bernard Carneol, 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.

Career: Actor, singer, and dancer. Performed in nightclubs and theatres throughout the world, including appearances with the Ron Davis Dancers and Arthur Mitchell Dance Company. Appeared in television commercials. National Dance Week, spokesperson. American Lung Association, chair, 1977; established Naja Vereen Memorial Scholarship Fund, 1988; American Heart Association, chair of Dance for Heart campaign; Celebrities for a Drug–Free America, founding member, president, national celebrity spokesperson, and motivational speaker, including talks at juvenile detention facilities; Big Brothers, spokesperson; international chair for a sudden infant death syndrome organization; participant in benefits and awards presentations.

Member: Actors' Equity Association, American Guild of Variety Artists, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Screen Actors Guild.

Awards, Honors: Theatre World Award, Variety–New York Drama Critics' Poll winner, best supporting actor, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best supporting or featured actor in a musical, all 1972, for Jesus Christ Superstar; Antoinette Perry Award, best actor in a musical, 1973, and Drama Desk Award, outstanding performance, both 1973, for Pippin; Clio Award (with others), 1974, for television commercial for Pippin; George M. Cohan Award, American Guild of Variety Artists, 1976; Golden Globe Award nomination, best male acting debut in a motion picture, 1976, for FunnyLady; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actor for a single appearance in a drama or comedy series, and Television Critics' Circle Award, both 1977, for Roots; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding continuing or single performance by a supporting actor in a variety or music program, 1977, for The Bell Telephone Jubilee; honorary L.H.D., Emerson College, 1977; Entertainer of the Year, Rising Star, and Song and Dance Star awards, all American Guild of Variety Artists, 1978, for a solo show; eight Emmy Award nominations, 1978, all for Ben Vereen–His Roots; Israeli Cultural Award, 1978; Image awards, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1978 and 1979; Israeli Humanitarian Award, 1979; Annual CableACE Award nomination, National Cable Television Association, best actor in a theatrical or musical program, 1983, for Pippin: His Life and Times; Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award, 1983; Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a series, miniseries, or motion picture made for television, 1985, for Ellis Island; named king of Brooklyn, Back to Brooklyn Festival, 1985; Dolores Kohl Education Foundation Award, 1987, for Zoobilee Zoo; Victory Award, 1990; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or special, 1992, for Intruders; Helping Enforcement Reach Our Streets Award, city of Miami, FL, 2002; Lifetime Achievement Award, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 2003; honorary doctorates from St. Francis College, Brooklyn, New York City, and Columbia College, Chicago, IL.

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 Tribal Love 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, New York 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 his solo 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 It Became 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.

Television Appearances; 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.

Television Appearances; 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 The Boy Who Loved Christmas), syndicated, 1990.

Television Appearances; 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 Wall of 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 Cerebral Palsy, 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.

Television Appearances; 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.

Television Appearances; 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 known as 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 (also known 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! Entertainment Television, 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.