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Benjamin Augustus Vereen (born October 10, 1946) is an American actor, dancer and singer. Vereen gained prominence for his performances in the original Broadway productions of the musicals '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', for which he received a Tony Award nomination, and ''
Pippin Pippin or Pepin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Pippin'' (comics), a children's comic produced from 1966 to 1986 * ''Pippin'' (musical), a Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz loosely based on the life of Pepin the Hunchback * Pippin T ...
,'' for which he won the 1973 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.


Early life

Vereen was born Benjamin Augustus Middleton on October 10, 1946 in
Laurinburg, North Carolina Laurinburg is a city in and the county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and is home to St. Andrews University. ...
. While still an infant, Vereen and his family relocated to the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City. He was adopted by James Vereen, a paint-factory worker, and his wife, Pauline, who worked as a maid and theatre wardrobe mistress. He discovered he was adopted when he applied for a passport to join Sammy Davis Jr. on a tour of '' Golden Boy'' to London when he was 25. He was raised Pentecostal. During his pre-teen years, he exhibited an innate talent for drama and dance and often performed in local variety shows. At the age of 14, Vereen enrolled at the
High School of Performing Arts The High School of Performing Arts (informally known as "PA") was a public alternative high school established in 1947 and located at 120 West 46th Street in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, from 1948 to 1984. In 1961, the school was ...
, where he studied under world-renowned choreographers
Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She w ...
, George Balanchine, and
Jerome Robbins Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. Among his nu ...
. Upon his graduation, he struggled to find suitable stage work and was often forced to take odd jobs to supplement his income.


Career


Stage

When Vereen was 18 years old, he made his New York stage bow
off-off Broadway Off-off-Broadway theaters are smaller New York City theaters than Broadway and off-Broadway theaters, and usually have fewer than 100 seats. The off-off-Broadway movement began in 1958 as part of a response to perceived commercialism of the prof ...
in ''The Prodigal Son'' at the Greenwich Mews Theater directed by Stella Holt. By the following year, he was in Las Vegas, performing in
Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals ''The Pajam ...
's production of '' Sweet Charity'', a show with which he toured in 1967–68. He returned to New York City to play Claude in '' Hair'' in the Broadway production, before joining the national touring company. The following year, he was cast opposite Sammy Davis Jr. in the film adaptation of '' Sweet Charity''. After developing a rapport with Davis, Vereen was cast as his understudy in the upcoming production of '' Golden Boy'', which toured England and ended the run at the Palladium Theatre in London's West End. Vereen was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Judas Iscariot in '' Jesus Christ Superstar'' in 1972 and won a Tony for his appearance in ''
Pippin Pippin or Pepin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Pippin'' (comics), a children's comic produced from 1966 to 1986 * ''Pippin'' (musical), a Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz loosely based on the life of Pepin the Hunchback * Pippin T ...
'' in 1973. Vereen appeared in the Broadway musical ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
'' as the Wizard of Oz in 2005. Vereen has also performed in one-man shows and actively lectures on black history and inspirational topics.


Television

Vereen has also starred in numerous television programs, and is well known for the role of 'Chicken' George Moore in
Alex Haley Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book '' Roots: The Saga of an American Family.'' ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and ...
's landmark TV miniseries ''
Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
'', for which he received an
Emmy nomination The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
in 1977. Vereen's four-week summer variety series, ''Ben Vereen ... Comin' At Ya'', aired on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are ...
in August 1975 and featured regulars
Lola Falana Loletha Elayne Falana or Loletha Elaine Falana (born September 11, 1942), better known by her stage name Lola Falana, is an American singer, dancer, and actress. Early life Lola Falana was born in Camden, New Jersey. She was the third of si ...
,
Avery Schreiber Avery Lawrence Schreiber (April 9, 1935 – January 7, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. He was a veteran of stage, television, and movies who came to prominence in the 1960s in a comedy duo with Jack Burns. He acted in an array of roles ...
and Liz Torres. In 1976, Vereen appeared as a guest star on the first season of '' The Muppet Show'', singing two songs. In 1978, on a
Boston Pops The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symph ...
TV special, Vereen performed a tribute to
Bert Williams Bert Williams (November 12, 1874 – March 4, 1922) was a Bahamian-born American entertainer, one of the pre-eminent entertainers of the Vaudeville era and one of the most popular comedians for all audiences of his time. He is credited as bein ...
, complete with period makeup and attire, and reprising Williams' high-kick dance steps, to Vaudeville standards such as "Waitin' for the Robert E. Lee". In 1981, Vereen performed at Ronald Reagan's first inauguration. The performance generated controversy as Vereen performed the first part of the show in
blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...
. Before the finale,
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
cut the live performance, generating confusion and anger from viewers at home. According to video artist Edgar Arcenaux, what TV viewers didn’t see was the second part of the performance, in which Vereen mimicked being refused service because of his color while trying to buy the Republican elite a congratulatory drink. As Arceneaux explains, Vereen's performance was meant as a critique of Republican civil rights policies, but the TV audience didn't get to see it. Vereen was cast opposite Jeff Goldblum in the short-lived detective series ''
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe ''Tenspeed and Brown Shoe'' is an American detective/comedy series originally broadcast by the ABC network between January and June 1980. The series was created by executive producer Stephen J. Cannell and a joint production of Stephen J. Canne ...
'' (1980). During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Vereen worked steadily on television with projects ranging from the sitcom ''
Webster Webster may refer to: People *Webster (surname), including a list of people with the surname *Webster (given name), including a list of people with the given name Places Canada *Webster, Alberta * Webster's Falls, Hamilton, Ontario United Stat ...
'' to the drama '' Silk Stalkings''. In 1985, Vereen starred in the ''
Faerie Tale Theatre Faerie Tale Theatre (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre) is an American live-action fairytale fantasy drama anthology television series of 27 episodes, that originally aired on Showtime from September 11, 1982 until November 14, ...
'' series as Puss in Boots alongside Gregory Hines. He appeared on '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' episode "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse", in which he played
Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom ''The Fresh ...
's biological father Lou Smith. He made several appearances on the 1980s sitcom ''
Webster Webster may refer to: People *Webster (surname), including a list of people with the surname *Webster (given name), including a list of people with the given name Places Canada *Webster, Alberta * Webster's Falls, Hamilton, Ontario United Stat ...
'' as the title character's biological uncle. He also appeared as Mayor Ben (a leopard) on the children's program ''
Zoobilee Zoo ''Zoobilee Zoo'' is a children's television series featuring actors dressed as animal characters that originally aired from 1986 to 1987. It continued to run in syndication until 2000 on several television channels including commercial network ...
'' and as
Itsy Bitsy Spider "Itsy Bitsy Spider" (also known as "Incy Wincy Spider" in Australia and Great Britain, and several other similar-sounding names) is a popular nursery rhyme and fingerplay that describes the adventures of a spider as it ascends, descends, and reas ...
in '' Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme''. In 1993 he appeared in the '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode "
Interface Interface or interfacing may refer to: Academic journals * ''Interface'' (journal), by the Electrochemical Society * '' Interface, Journal of Applied Linguistics'', now merged with ''ITL International Journal of Applied Linguistics'' * '' Int ...
" as the father of ''
Roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
'' co-star LeVar Burton's character
Geordi La Forge Geordi La Forge ( ) is a fictional character who appeared in all seven seasons of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and its four feature films. Portrayed by LeVar Burton, he served as helmsman ...
; fellow ''Roots'' star
Madge Sinclair Madge Dorita Sinclair CD (née Walters; April 28, 1938 – December 20, 1995) was a Jamaican actress best known for her roles in ''Cornbread, Earl and Me'' (1975), ''Convoy'' (1978), ''Coming to America'' (1988), '' Trapper John, M.D.'' (1980� ...
appeared in the same episode as Geordi's mother. He also appeared on the television series ''
The Nanny ''The Nanny'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from November 3, 1993, to June 23, 1999, starring Fran Drescher as Fran Fine, a Jewish fashionista from Flushing, Queens, New York, who becomes the nanny of three chi ...
'' episode "Pishke Business". In 2010, he appeared on the television series '' How I Met Your Mother'' episodes " Cleaning House" and " False Positive" as Sam Gibbs, the long lost father of James Stinson,
Barney Stinson Barnabus Stinson is a fictional character portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris and created by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas for the CBS television series '' How I Met Your Mother'' (2005–2014). One of the show's main characters, Barney is known ...
's brother. He returned in 2013 and 2014 for another two episodes.


Personal life

Vereen has appeared as a public speaker and humanitarian speaking on such topics as black history, overcoming adversity, and the importance of continuing education. In 2007, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and has a website in which he shares his personal story along with advice from medical experts. According to ''
The Fayetteville Observer ''The Fayetteville Observer'' is an American English-language daily newspaper published in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As the oldest North Carolina newspaper, the paper was founded in 1816 as the ''Carolina Observer''. It was locally owned by ...
'' 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, North Carolina. In April 2006, Vereen visited Scotland County with a genealogist on a search for family members and learned that his mother's name was Essie May Pearson. The ''
Laurinburg Exchange ''The Laurinburg Exchange'' is a newspaper based in Laurinburg, North Carolina covering Laurinburg and Scotland County. It was established in 1882 as a weekly publication., The newspaper is currently published Tuesday through Saturday. The '' ...
'' reported: "Vereen, an adoptee who learned that he was born in Laurinburg and made a celebrated trip to Scotland County in 2006 to reconnect with family. While on the trip he learned his mother had died 24 years before, but that several relatives still lived in the area." According to her acquaintances, Essie had gone on a trip when Vereen was a child, and had left her baby in someone's care. When she returned, the child was gone. In the April 28, 2006 interview with the 'Laurinburg Exchange', Vereen said that his visit "has just all been so overwhelming ... I've finally found my family". In May 2006, he met his mother's daughter (his sister), Gloria Lewis-Walker, of Derby, Connecticut. He also has a brother, James Middleton, who lives in
Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...
. In the early 1980s, Vereen moved with his family to
Saddle River, New Jersey Saddle River is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located just over northwest of Manhattan. The town is known for its natural fields, farmland, forests, and rivers, and has a bucolic atmo ...
. His 16-year-old daughter, Naja, was killed in an auto accident in 1987 on the New Jersey Turnpike when a truck overturned on her car. In 1992, Vereen suffered three accidents in one day: His car hit a tree, causing him to hit his head on the roof of the car; he then suffered a stroke while he was walking on a Malibu highway, apparently veering into the road; and finally, as a result of ''that'', he was struck by a car driven by record producer David Foster. His critical injuries, including a broken leg, required him to undergo arduous physical rehabilitation in the ensuing months. Vereen is the godfather of R&B singer Usher and is also the first cousin once removed of former NFL running back Shane Vereen. Vereen was the
keynote A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...
speaker for the Boys & Girls Clubs in St. Petersburg, Florida annual alumni tribute gala held in October 2007. In August 2011, Vereen was named Co-Artistic Director of
Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough Count ...
's Broadway Theatre Project. In September 2012, Vereen filed for divorce from his wife of 36 years, Nancy Bruner Vereen, citing
irreconcilable differences ''Irreconcilable Differences'' is a 1984 American comedy-drama film starring Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, and Drew Barrymore. The film was a minor box-office success, making over $12 million. For their performances, both Long and Barrymore were n ...
. He is an active Democrat. Vereen was inducted as an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity on April 9, 2019. His son, Ben Vereen Jr., died in 2020 at the age of 55.


Sexual harassment allegations

In January 2018, four actresses in a Florida production of '' Hair'' directed by Vereen in 2015 alleged that he
sexually harassed Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
them throughout the production. According to the '' New York Daily News'', "the women — part of the Venice Theatre production outside of Tampa — say Vereen forced unwanted kisses, hugged them aggressively, stripped naked during an acting exercise and made degrading comments about their weight, sex appeal and personal lives". ''The Daily News'' published cast members' claims that he used his position of authority as a director and mentor to pressure them to engage him in unwanted sexual interactions. For example, two of the actresses said he privately lured them on separate occasions to his Florida rental home. One woman willingly admits she and Vereen began a relationship, though she feels it was ultimately coerced; the other says he sexually molested her and later non-consensually kissed her and made sexually disparaging remarks. According to '' Variety'', "While directing the 2015 production of the musical at the Venice Theatre in Florida, Vereen is alleged to have invited female cast members back to his apartment and goaded them into sex acts. He’s also accused of inappropriate talk and conduct during rehearsals that involved cast members stripping naked, ostensibly as preparation for a show that has, since its original 1967 production, been associated with a famous, full-cast nude scene." Vereen has since apologized for his misconduct.


Filmography


Film


Television


Theatre


Discography


Solo albums

* ''Off-Stage'' (
Buddah Records Buddah Records (later known as Buddha Records) was an American record label founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's foundin ...
, 1975) * ''Ben Vereen'' (Buddah Records, 1976) * ''Signed, Sealed, Delivered!'' (51 West, 1979) * ''Here I Am'' (Accord, 1982) * ''Steppin' Out Live'' (
Ghostlight Records Sh-K-Boom Records is an independent record label and producer of recorded and live entertainment, which was founded in 2000 by Kurt Deutsch with the mission of bridging the gap between pop music and theater. In 2004 Sh-K-Boom created their second ...
, 2010)


Ensemble albums

* '' Grind (Original Cast Recording)'' (TER, 1985) * '' Pippin (Original Broadway Cast)'' (
Decca Broadway Decca Broadway is an American record label specializing in musical theater recordings founded in 1999 by Decca Records and is a unit of Universal Music Group. Decca Broadway issued both new original cast albums as well as reissues of classic mus ...
, 2000)


Singles and EPs

* '' Superstar'' ( MCA Records, 1971) * ''Could We Start Again Please? / Heaven On Their Minds'' (
Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label * Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label * Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...
, 1972) * ''Stop Your Half-Steppin' Ma Ma'' (Buddah Records, 1975) * ''By Your Side'' (Buddah Records, 1975) * ''Got It Made / Read Between the Lines'' (
Ariola Ariola (also known as Ariola Records, Ariola-Eurodisc and BMG Ariola) is a German record label. In the late 1980s, it was a subsidiary label of the Bertelsmann Music Group, which in turn has become a part of the international media conglomerat ...
, 1980)


Awards and nominations

;Theater ;Television ;Honors The Community Mental Health Council awarded Vereen with their 2004 Lifeline Celebration Achievement Award. For his humanitarian contributions, he has received a number of awards including Israel's Cultural and Humanitarian Awards, three
NAACP Image Awards The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. Similar to ...
, an Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award and a Victory Award. He has received honorary doctorates from the University of Arizona, Emerson College, St. Francis College, and Columbia College in Chicago. In 2001, Medgar Evers College created the Ben Vereen Scholarship for the Performing Arts, and in 2004, he received an Achievement in Excellence Award from his alma mater, the High School of the Performing Arts. He was the first simultaneous winner of the "Entertainer of the Year," “Rising Star," and "Song and Dance Star" awards from the
American Guild of Variety Artists The American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) is an American entertainment union representing performers in variety entertainment, including circuses, Las Vegas showrooms and cabarets, comedy showcases, dance revues, magic shows, theme park show ...
(AGVA). He also earned a coveted spot in the Casino Legends Hall of Fame. Vereen was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his performance in the Hallmark movie An Accidental Friendship. In 2004, Vereen was nominated for a "Career Achievement Award" by the Le Prix International Film Star Awards Organization. In 2011, he was inducted into the
American Theatre Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...
.Playbill.com
In 2012, Vereen was inducted into the
National Museum of Dance The National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame, in the Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs, New York, was established in 1986. It contains photographs, videos, artifacts, costumes, and biographies. The museum is located in the former Washi ...
's Mr. & Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Cornelius "Sonny" Vanderbilt Whitney (February 20, 1899 – December 13, 1992) was an American businessman, film producer, government official, writer and philanthropist. He was also a polo player and the owner of a significant stable of Thorough ...
Hall of Fame.


References


External links

* * * * http://www.lycos.com/info/ben-vereen--sweet-charity.html * https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/vereen_b.html
Ben Vereen Interviewed on XNDTV.com

Angels of Love Spiritual Center (Rev. Ben Vereen, Spiritual Director)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vereen, Ben 1946 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American singers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American singers African-American male actors African-American male dancers African-American male singers American adoptees American gospel singers American male dancers American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male singers American male television actors Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Male actors from North Carolina New Jersey Democrats People from Laurinburg, North Carolina People from Saddle River, New Jersey People with type 2 diabetes Singers from North Carolina Tony Award winners