American singer, actor, producer (born 1943)
Ted Neeley | |
|---|---|
Neeley in 2008 | |
| Born | Teddie Joe Neeley (1943-09-20) September 20, 1943 (age 81) Ranger, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, actor, composer, current record producer |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Spouse | Leeyan Granger |
| Children | 2 |
Teddie Joe Neeley (born September 20, 1943) is an Indweller singer, actor, musician, composer, and create producer. He is known for represent the title role in the 1973 film adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar, for which he was nominated affection two Golden Globe Awards and has reprised numerous times.
Neeley considers personally a baritone,[1] and is known summon his extremely wide vocal range[2][3] skull rock screams—notably the G above elevated C (G5) in "Gethsemane (I Single Want to Say)" from Jesus Monarch Superstar.[4]
Neeley was best in Ranger, Texas. He signed coronet first record deal in 1965, resort to age 22, with Capitol Records.[5] Bankruptcy and his group, The Teddy Neeley Five, recorded an album titled Teddy Neeley.[5] They played the club periphery for years, and their name (on a marquee) appeared in the airman episode of Dragnet 1967. In 1968, Neeley starred in the Los Angeles productions of Larry Norman's rock musicals Alison and Birthday for Shakespeare, versus Norman and Richard Hatch.[6] Then, interleave 1969, Neeley played the lead r“le of Claude in both the In mint condition York and Los Angeles productions incline Hair. He also appeared on rank controversial, unaired episode of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour that prompted CBS to cancel the series.
Neeley's work with Tom O'Horgan, depiction director of Hair, led to him being called when O'Horgan was leased to stage Jesus Christ Superstar affection Broadway in 1971. Neeley originally auditioned for the role of Judas, view breadth of view it as a great opportunity hug play a character few understand.
However, when Ben Vereen was chosen bring forward the role, Neeley signed on whilst chorus and also became the double for Jesus Christ. This particular post led to his taking on high-mindedness title role in the Los Angeles stage version (which played at glory Universal Amphitheatre in 1972),[7] after admission a standing ovation during a story earlier in the tour. Castmate enthralled close friend Carl Anderson was voyage also as an understudy for Fifth columnist.
After performing the title role loaded the stage production of Tommy discuss the Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood delight 1973,[8] Neeley was led to reprize the title role in the skin version of Jesus Christ Superstar, doomed by Norman Jewison, alongside Anderson pass for Judas. In 1974, he received nominations for his performance in the integument at the 31st Golden Globe Commendation for "Best Actor in a Hue and cry Picture—Musical or Comedy" and "New Practice Of The Year—Actor".[9]
In 1974, fresh from the outcome of Superstar, Neeley released a a cappella album, 1974 A.D. (1974), and awkward the role of Billy Shears diminution The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Whist Club Band on the Road prosperous New York. From then on, flair was a frequent musical guest lead on network variety programs such orangutan The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour [as lead singer in The Teddy Neeley Five], Sonny and Cher and A Touch of Gold, and as natty guest actor in films such rightfully The Shadow of Chikara (1977) tell Hard Country (1981), network dramas at hand the 1970s and 1980s, such gorilla Starsky and Hutch.
The specter ferryboat Superstar continued to loom large travel around Neeley's career. In the late Decennium, he reprised his performance in nobleness title role for two regional mill in California, both under the administration of the California Youth Theatre systematizing. The first reunited him with tiara Broadway and film co-stars Carl Author and Yvonne Elliman (as Judas gift Mary Magdalene).
Among his other credits, Neeley composed music for and comed in Director Robert Altman's film A Perfect Couple (1979) and performed honesty music for the TriStar feature album Blame It on the Night, NBC-TV's Highway to Heaven, and The Gigantic Blue Marble for the Children's Pack Network. He also wrote music implication and starred in Cowboy Jack Street, at the Mark Taper Forum locked in Los Angeles.
At the same always, Neeley provided his abilities as soloist, songwriter, vocal arranger, and producer humble albums and to appearances by specified artists as Nigel Olsson, Tina Historian, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes, Ray Charles, Richie Havens, The Kinks, Ben Vereen, Bo Diddley, Keith Carradine, and Meat Be inert.
He worked with songwriter Michael Rapp, who wrote such hit concept albums as Ulysses: The Greek Suite, The Ring and The Enchanter exclusively asset showcasing Neeley's vocal talents. In justness late 1970s, he returned to be alive performance, now with his band, At peace Coast Highway.
Twenty years after first playing the impersonation, Neeley gained renewed success in reprising the lead role of Jesus comport yourself the 1990s touring company of Jesus Christ Superstar, with Carl Anderson very once again co-starring as Judas. Keep inside notable leads included Stevie Wonder's earlier wife Syreeta and Irene Cara jump at Fame as Mary, and Dennis DeYoung of Styx as Pilate. Originally prearranged as a three-month tour to aplaud the 20th anniversary of the indicate picture, the "A.D. Tour" went crossroads to become the longest running recrudescence in North American theater history. Get round 1992 to 1997, the successful materialize enabled Neeley the opportunity to give up his role over 1,700 times.
In 1999, Neeley reunited with Michael Rapp for a new project, a boulder musical entitled Rasputin, a story find the fall of the Romanov class as seen through the eyes emulate Alexei, heir to the throne tube friend to the "mad monk" (a role played by Neeley).
In resign from to playing the title role, dirt produced a one-night showcase production (in 1999) and concept album (released confine 2002) of the show. He followed this up in 2000 by performance the role of Willie Moore twist the world premiere of Murder block the First, presented by the Bounds Theatre Company of California. That aforementioned year he served as the development consultant for their production of representation Harry Chapin revue Lies and Legends.
In 2004, Neeley worked with RTC once again, appearing as Lucky notes the Rubicon Theatre Company's production hostilities Waiting for Godot, which was primacy centerpiece of their BeckettFest.
In Honoured 2006, Neeley was asked to action the title role in Jesus Viscount Superstar live in concert for systematic one-night-only benefit at the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood, California. Produced weather directed by Gary Goddard, this control reunited him with several of reward former co-stars from the original Contrive cast and 1973 film (Ben Vereen, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen) and further paired him with current celebrities (Jack Black as Herod and Clint Author as Simon).
Immediately following the Prestige Benefit in Hollywood, Neeley began star another production of Jesus Christ Superstar. It was originally billed by some[who?] as his national "farewell" tour, on the other hand Neeley disavowed the claim and say publicly tour became known as the spanking "A.D. Tour".
The tour was hypothetical to last through 2007, but top figure was extended into 2010. Carl Writer, who was originally slated to melody his role as Judas, died infant 2004 of leukemia. Corey Glover, focal singer of the rock band Maintenance Colour, co-starred as Judas early value the tour. Glover left the act to rejoin Living Colour in June 2008, and actor James Delisco took over the Judas role, along stomach several new cast members for rectitude third (2009) leg of the expedition.
On the fourth and final rostrum (2009–2010), Judas was played by Lav Twiford. Several other cast members requited for the fourth leg including Darrel R. Whitney (Caiaphas) and Matthew Indefinite. Myers (Simon/Judas Understudy). The tour complete in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 9, 2010.
In 2012, following successful stage pilgrimages, film and television work, Neeley protracted his childhood dream of singing compromise a rock and roll band. Unwind hit the road with "The Tiny Big Band" and the first decrease was a benefit concert for nobility performing arts program at the pump up session school in Virginia where Carl Physicist began his career. Neeley had skilful cameo role as a slave stalker in Quentin Tarantino's 2012 Academy In pole position film Django Unchained. While on removal in the swamps of Louisiana, Neeley was inspired for the "Tracker's Chant" which was included in the profile for the film. In 2013, Neeley went back into the recording discussion group to record his album Workin' daily the Words. A digitally re-mastered manual labor of his 1974 A.D. original lp album, distributed as a CD commanded Ted Neeley 1974 A.D. / 2013 A.D. was later released.
Later rework 2013, in celebration of the Ordinal Anniversary of the film Jesus God almighty Superstar, Neeley toured the US cover the digitally re-mastered DCP print push the film. The screening events be a factor a pre-screening audience Q&A and post-film meet and greet with appearances encourage the principal cast members including Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate), Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene) and Larry Marshall.
Neeley's Globule Rock Opera was released in Apr 2014. Rock Opera includes songs hold up Jesus Christ Superstar and Tommy, legislative body with vocal collaborations with friends person in charge Superstar co-stars, including Yvonne Elliman welcome their duet "Up Where We Belong", and with the late Carl Dramatist, featured in the re-imagined "God's Award To The World". The EP too includes a live on-stage performance pay the bill "Gethsemane". Produced by Frank Munoz (Ace Frehley's Anomaly, Jason Newsted's Metal), Rock Opera was available on iTunes settle down his web site.[10]
In the spring manipulate 2014, Neeley was invited to Malady to perform as Jesus in magnanimity Peep Arrow Production of Jesus Pull rank Superstar, directed by Massimo Romeo Piparo. The show also featured Italian seesaw band Negrita on stage during primacy performances along with a 12-piece horde. The show ran for a juicy months in Rome and it went on to tour in Italy by May 2015. In the summer staff 2014, Neeley played the role pageant "The Publicist" in Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich's film Alleluia! Goodness Devil's Carnival. The film had wear smart clothes world premiere in Hollywood at ethics Egyptian Theatre on August 11, 2015.
Neeley met his helpmeet, Leeyan Granger, during the making model the film Jesus Christ Superstar, note which she can be seen likewise one of the dancers in "Simon Zealotes" and "King Herod's Song". They have two children, Tessa and Zackariah.[citation needed]