Jonathan Freeman (actor)

Jonathan Freeman (born February 5, 1950) is an American actor and puppeteer. He is known for puppeteering and voicing Tito Swing in '' Shining Time Station'' and for voicing Jafar in Disney's ''Aladdin'' franchise, as well as the ''Kingdom Hearts'' franchise and the 2011 ''Aladdin'' musical.

Early life

Freeman was born in Bay Village, Ohio on February 5, 1950. He graduated from Ohio University.

Career

As well as being the voice of Jafar in ''Aladdin'', a role he once said he's called in to reprise every 3 to 6 months, Freeman is also known for being the puppeteer for Tito Swing of the Jukebox Band (Flexitoon Puppets) on the PBS series '' Shining Time Station''. Freeman reprised his role as Jafar in the direct-to-video sequel to ''Aladdin'', '' The Return of Jafar''.

In 1994, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in ''She Loves Me''. Additionally, he appeared in the Broadway revival productions of ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', '' The Producers'', '' On the Town'', and '' 42nd Street'', during which his caricature was drawn for ''Sardi's'' restaurant in 2002.

Freeman can be heard on the 1997 Varèse Sarabande studio recording of the flop 1965 musical ''Drat! The Cat!''.

He was also seen on stage as Cogsworth in Disney's ''Beauty and the Beast'', and originated the role of Grimsby in Disney's Broadway production of '' The Little Mermaid''.

Freeman reprised his role as Jafar in the ''Hercules'' crossover with ''Aladdin''.

Freeman began his run starring as Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman in the Broadway production of ''Mary Poppins'' on December 12, 2009.

Freeman also reprised his role as Jafar on stage in the new musical adaptation of ''Aladdin'', which played at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre from July 7–31, 2011. He reprised the role in the Broadway production, which opened in March 2014 at the New Amsterdam Theatre, and he is the only actor from the original cast of the animated film to do so. Also, he reprised the role in the special West End performance was filmed shot on location at the London's Prince Edward Theatre on August 31, 2019. After nearly eight years with the show, Freeman played his final performance with the company on January 23, 2022.

Filmography

Film

Television and web

Video games

Theatre work

Broadway credits

* ''Aladdin'' as Jafar (Original Broadway Cast)
* ''Mary Poppins'' as Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman (Replacement)
* '' The Little Mermaid'' as Grimsby (Original Broadway Cast)
* ''Beauty and the Beast'' as Cogsworth (Replacement)
* '' The Producers'' as Roger De Bris (Replacement)
* '' 42nd Street'' as Bert Barry
* '' On the Town'' as Pitkin W. Bridgework
* ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' as Mr. Bratt
* ''She Loves Me'' as Headwaiter – Nominated – Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical
* ''Platinum'' as Minky
* ''Sherlock Holmes'' as ''Lightfoot McTague'' (Replacement – RSC Transfer)

Off Broadway credits

* ''Of Thee I Sing'' as Senator Lyons (City Center Encores)
* ''Finian's Rainbow'' as Finian (Irish Repertory)
* '' A Class Act'' as Lehman (Manhattan Theatre Club)
* ''An Empty Plate In The Cafe Du Grand Boeuf'' as Claude (Primary Stages)
* '' Sail Away'' as Joe (Carnegie Hall)
* ''Wall To Wall'' as Frank Loesser (Symphony Space)
* ''Li'l Abner'' as Dr. Rasmussen (City Center Encores)
* '' On The Town'' as Pitkin W. Bridgework (Public Theater/Delacourte)
* ''In A Pig's Valise'' as Zoot/Gut (Second Stage)
* ''Claptrap'' as Harvey (Manhattan Theater Club)
* ''Bertrano'' as Louie/Momo (Primary Stages)
* ''Confessions Of Billie'' as Conrad Gerhardt (Performing Garage)
* ''Thirteen Days To Broadway'' as Cy (890 Studios)
* ''Babes In Arms'' as Steve (Playwrights' Horizon)
* ''Pinocchio'' as Fire Eater (Marionette Theater)
* ''The Miser'' as Cleante (Greenwich Mews)
* '' Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme'' as Dancing Master

Regional/Stock credits

* ''Restoration Comedy'' as Sir Novelty (Seattle Repertory Theater)
* ''A Christmas Carol'' as Scrooge (Bay Street Theater)
* '' You Can't Take It with You'' as Boris Kolenkov (Bay Street Theater)
* ''An Empty Plate In The Cafe Du Grand Boeuf'' as Claude (Berkshire Theater Festival)
* ''Peter Pan'' as Hook/Mr. Darling (Austin Musical Theater)
* ''How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' as Bert Bratt (La Jolla Playhouse)
* '' Fortinbras'' as Claudius (La Jolla Playhouse)
* ''Babes In Toyland'' as Gonzorgo (Houston Grand Opera)
* ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' as Marcus Lycus (La Jolla Playhouse/Orange County Performing Arts Center)
* ''The Flowering Peach'' as Shem (Coconut Grove Playhouse)
* '' Emigration Of Adam'' as Issac Kurtzik (Williamstown Theater Festival)
* '' Gay Divorce'' as Teddy (Goodspeed Opera House)
* '' The Student Prince'' as Hubert (Milwaukee Melody Top)
* '' Can-Can'' as Boris
* '' Arsenic and Old Lace'' as Jonathan (Meadowbrook Theater)
* ''The Desert Song'' as Benny (Coachlight Theater)
* ''George Washington Slept Here'' as Steve (Berkshire Theater Festival)
* ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' as Bud Frump (Coachlight Theater)

Soundtrack

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Jonathan
1950 births
American male musical theatre actors
American male television actors
American male video game actors
American male voice actors
American male comedians
Living people
Male actors from Cleveland
Ohio University alumni