Ted Lange facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ted Lange
Lange as Isaac Washington, 1977
Born	Theodore William Lange III (1948-01-05) January 5, 1948 (age 77) Oakland, California, U.S.
Education	City College of San Francisco Merritt College (AA) Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Occupation	Actor director screenwriter
Years active	1972–present
Known for	Isaac Washington – The Love Boat
Spouse(s)	Sheryl Thompson ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1989)​ Mary Ley ​ (m. 2001)​
Children	2

Theodore William Lange III (born January 5, 1948) is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for playing Isaac Washington, the friendly bartender, in the TV series The Love Boat (1977–1986). He also played Junior in the show That's My Mama (1974–75).

Early Life and Education

Ted Lange was born in Oakland, California, in 1948. His parents, Geraldine and Theodore William Jr., both worked in theater and television.

Ted went to Oakland Technical High School. There, he was the president of his class and the student body. He earned an associate of arts degree from Merritt Junior College in Oakland. After that, he studied Drama at San Francisco City College. At City College, Ted was very active in theater. He was named Best Actor by the Black Students Association. He also won a scholarship to the University of Colorado Shakespearean Festival in 1968.

Ted Lange's Acting Career

Starting in Theater

After college, Ted Lange began his career in theater. He acted in plays in Oakland. He was also a guest artist at the University of Santa Clara. Later, he joined the New Shakespearean Company. He performed in plays at the University of California, Berkeley.

Ted made his first appearance on Broadway in the musical Hair. He also toured the country with this show. He performed a one-man show called Behind the Mask: An Evening with Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Moving to TV and Film

Ted Lange's first time on screen was in the documentary film Wattstax in 1973. In 1974, he appeared in the film Black Belt Jones. He then played Junior on the TV series That's My Mama.

In 1977, he got the role of Isaac, the ship's bartender, on The Love Boat. He starred alongside Gavin MacLeod. In the early 1980s, Ted went to a summer school at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He wanted to improve his Shakespeare acting skills. He got a recommendation letter from Lynn Redgrave, whom he met on The Love Boat.

After The Love Boat ended in 1987, Ted appeared in many films. He also had guest roles on several TV shows. These include 227, Scrubs, Drake & Josh, and The King of Queens.

Directing and Writing

In 1977, Ted Lange helped write the movie Passing Through. While working on The Love Boat, he also directed and wrote some episodes. In 1999, he directed two episodes of Love Boat: The Next Wave. This show was based on The Love Boat.

He also directed episodes of other TV shows. These include Moesha, Dharma & Greg, and Eve. In 2008, he directed the drama film For Love of Amy.

Ted Lange has also done a lot of theater work. He has written and directed many plays. He has written 17 plays in total. One of his plays is George Washington's Boy. It is a historical drama about George Washington and his favorite slave. Another play is the comedy Lemon Meringue Facade.

Ted remained good friends with Gavin MacLeod, his co-star from The Love Boat. Gavin was like a mentor to him. Ted said in an interview, "Gavin lives in Palm Springs, I'm in LA. So, when I do my plays, he comes down and sees my plays or I'll go see what he's doing!" He also mentioned that he is still close with other cast members like Bernie and Jill.

Celebrity Fit Club

In 2006, Ted Lange was on the TV show Celebrity Fit Club. This was a VH1 reality show. He lost 28 pounds during his time on the show.

Personal Life

Ted Lange married Sheryl Thompson in 1978. They divorced in 1989. They have two children, Theodore William IV and Turner Wallace Lange. Ted married Mary Ley in 2001.

His mother, Geraldine Lange, was a personal secretary to a San Francisco mayor. She was also a public affairs director for KBHK-TV in San Francisco in the early 1970s. She hosted programs on KBHK-TV too. She passed away from COVID-19 on April 10, 2021.

Awards and Recognition

Ted Lange has received several awards for his theater directing. These include:

• The NAACP's Renaissance Man Theatre Award.
• The Heroes and Legends HAL Lifetime Achievement Award.
• The Dramalogue Award.

He has also received the James Cagney Directing Fellow Scholarship Award from the American Film Institute. He was also given the Paul Robeson Award from Oakland's Ensemble Theatre.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Ted Lange para niños