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Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen (born October 10, 1946, in Miami, Florida) is an 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. 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.
Family BackgroundAccording 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 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 2006, he met his mother's daughter, 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. 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. Filmography
The handprints of Ben Vereen in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
Upcoming:
Television Work
Stage Work
External links
de:Ben Vereen fi:Ben Vereen sv:Ben Vereen Source: Wikipedia | The above article is available under the GNU FDL. | Edit this article
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