Theatre Register

Ted Ross

Shows · Ted Ross

Actor 1934–2002 On stage 19691975

Theodore Ross Roberts (June 30, 1934 – September 3, 2002) was an American actor best known for his role as the Lion in The Wiz, an all-African American reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz. He won a Tony Award for the original 1975 Broadway production and recreated the role in the 1978 film version which also starred Diana Ross (no relation), Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Nipsey Russell, and Lena Horne. Ross appeared in many films including the role of Bitterman in Arthur and on the television sitcoms Benson, The Jeffersons, What's Happening Now!!, The Cosby Show and its spin-off A Different World. His final role was in the 1991 movie The Fisher King.

On stage 4 productions, 6 years

1969 Buck White George Abbott Theatre · Original · directed by Jean Pace 7 perf.
1972 Purlie Billy Rose Theatre · Revival · directed by Louis Johnson 14 perf.
1973 Raisin 46th Street Theatre · Original · directed by Donald McKayle 847 perf.
1975 The Wiz Majestic Theatre · Original · directed by Geoffrey Holder (Gilbert Moses uncredited) 1,672 perf.

Each row is a staging this name appears in the cast list of, read from the production record rather than from the person record. The person record names works instead, and a work cannot say which run somebody was in — that is how Elaine Stritch ends up filed under Show Boat 1927 when she was in the 1994 revival. No row here says what part was played, because no cast list records it.

Worked with more than once7 names

Zelda Pulliam 2 productions
Vanessa Shaw 2 productions
Renee Rose 2 productions
Helen Martin 2 productions
Eugene Little 2 productions
Demarest Grey 2 productions
Chuck Thorpe 2 productions

Both names in the same cast list, more than once. It is not evidence of a partnership — a long-running company puts the same forty people together every night — but it is where one would start looking. 7 of these names are not links because we hold no record behind them; the name is set from the identifier and its punctuation may be wrong.

In the literature8 passages

  • Cast: Virginia Capers, Joe Morton, Ernestine Jackson, Ralph Carter, Debbie Allen, Robert Jackson, Ted Rossebooks/Green, Stanley/Broadway Musicals, Show By Show - Seventh Edition - Stanley Green & Cary Ginell.txt
  • Cast: Tiger Haynes, Ted Ross, Hinton Battle, Stephanie Mills, Clarice Taylor, Mabel King, Andre De Shields, Tasha Thomas, DeeDee Bridgewaterebooks/Green, Stanley/Broadway Musicals, Show By Show - Seventh Edition - Stanley Green & Cary Ginell.txt
  • “The next actor may be the completion of your best scene. I run to actors.”—Tony winner TED ROSS (the Cowardly Lion in The Wiz )ebooks/Hadleigh, Boze/Broadway Babylon - Boze Hadleigh.txt
  • withHERSCHELL BURTON DAVID MOODY RON RICH TED ROSS EUGENE SMITH CHARLES WELDON Music and Lyrics by OSCARtheatre-pdfs/More Opening Nights on Broadway - Steven Suskin.txt
  • UNDERSTUDIES: Purlie, Ra Joe Darby; Lutiebelle. Demarest Grev, Synthia Jackson: Gitlow, Ted Ross: Cap'n Charlie, James fiall: Swing Dancer, Ted Goodridge: Missy, Barbara Joy; Idella, Frances Salisburytheatre-pdfs/Theatre World/Theatre World, 1971-72 Season, v. 28 (Willis).txt
  • Ted Ross, Joe Williams, Jr. MUSICAL NUMBERS: "Walk Him up the Stairs," "New Fangled Preacher Man," "Skinnin" a Cat," "Purlie," "The Harder They Fall," "Charlie's Song," "Big Fish, Little Fish," "I Got Love," "Great White Father," "Down Home," "First Thing Monday Momin," "He Can Do It," "The World Is Comin' to a Start," Finale.theatre-pdfs/Theatre World/Theatre World, 1971-72 Season, v. 28 (Willis).txt

Passages naming this person, found by keyword across 178 books. A keyword match is not a biography, and a common name will pull in the wrong one.

What this page does not know

  • What this person played. No cast list we hold records a character against a performer.
  • Which of the credits above the roles on this record — actor — apply to. The roles sit on the person and never on a credit, so a director who also acted looks the same here as one who did not.

Something wrong here? Correct a field or report the problem. Every change is recorded in public under the contributor licence.