Ben Vereen was born on October 10, 1946 in Miami, Florida, USA. He is a Tony Award-winning, Golden Globe, and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, dancer, and singer who has appeared in numerous Broadway theatre shows.

Vereen starred in the Broadway musical Wicked as the Wizard of Oz. In addition to his work in the theatre, 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 starred in the television series Tenspeed and Brown Shoe. In the 1990s Vereen guest-starred on TV's Star Trek: The Next Generation as the father of engineer Geordi LaForge, played by LeVar Burton.

Filmography

• Mama, I Want to Sing! (2008)
• Tapioca (2007)
• "Grey's Anatomy" (1 episode, 2007)
• And Then Came Love (2007)
• Idlewild (2006)
• "Oz" (1 episode, 2002)
• Feast of All Saints (2001)
• The Painting (2001)
• "Great Performances: Dance in America" (1 episode, 2001)
• I'll Take You There (1999)
• "The Jamie Foxx Show" (1 episode, 1999)
• "Promised Land" (3 episodes, 1999)
• "Soldier of Fortune, Inc." (1 episode, 1998)
• Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998)
• "Second Noah" (1 episode, 1997)
• "Touched by an Angel" (1 episode, 1996)
• "New York Undercover" (1 episode, 1995)
• "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" (1995)
• "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1 episode, 1994)
• "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1 episode, 1994)
• "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1 episode, 1993)
• Once Upon a Forest (1993)
• "Silk Stalkings" (12 episodes, 1991-1993)
• Intruders (1992)
• Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme (1990)
• "Booker" (1 episode, 1990)
• The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990)
• Buy & Cell (1989)
• "J.J. Starbuck" (1987)
• Jenny's Song (1988)
• "CBS Summer Playhouse" (1 episode, 1987)
• "Zoobilee Zoo" (45 episodes, 1986)
• Lost in London (1985)
• "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1 episode, 1985)
• The Zoo Gang (1985)
• "A.D." (1985)
• "Webster" (1983)
• "Ellis Island" (1984)
• The Jesse Owens Story (1984)
• Breakin' Through (1984)
• The Charmkins (1983)
• "The Love Boat" (1 episode, 1982)
• Sabine (1982)
• Pippin: His Life and Times (1981)
• Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theatre (1980)
• "Tenspeed and Brown Shoe" (13 episodes, 1980)
• All That Jazz (1979)
• The Cheryl Ladd Special (1979)
• "Roots" (1977)
• Louis Armstrong - Chicago Style (1976)
• Mary's Incredible Dream (1976)
• "Ben Vereen... Comin' at Ya" (1975)
• Funny Lady (1975)
• "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1 episode, 1972)
• Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It. (1971)
• Sweet Charity (1969)

Awards

• NAACP Image Award 1979
• NAACP Image Award 1978
• Drama Desk Award Outstanding Performance "Pippin" 1973
• Tony Actor in a Musical "Pippin" 1973
• Theatre World Award "Jesus Christ Superstar" 1972