Ted Ross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ted Ross
Ross in 1976
Born	Theodore Ross Roberts (1934-06-30)June 30, 1934 Zanesville, Ohio, U.S.
Died	September 3, 2002(2002-09-03) (aged 68) Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1968–2002

Ross in the cast of Sirota's Court.

Theodore "Ted" Ross Roberts (born June 30, 1934 – died September 3, 2002) was an American actor. He is best known for playing the Lion in The Wiz. This was a special version of The Wizard of Oz with an all-African American cast.

Ted Ross won a Tony Award for his role in the 1975 Broadway play. He also played the Lion in the 1978 movie version. Famous stars like Diana Ross (no relation), Michael Jackson, and Lena Horne were in the film too. Ted Ross appeared in many other movies and TV shows. These included Arthur, Benson, and The Cosby Show. His last movie role was in The Fisher King in 1991.

Ted Ross: A Talented Actor

Early Life and Big Dreams

Ted Ross was born in Zanesville, Ohio. When he was seven, his mom, Elizabeth Russell, moved the family to Dayton, Ohio. His mother was a nightclub singer in the 1920s and 1930s.

Young Ted loved the clubs on West Fifth Street in Dayton. This area was like Harlem, a famous place for music and culture. Ted was big for his age. While in junior high, he would dress up and visit clubs like the Owl Club. He also saw great acts like Duke Ellington at The Palace Theater's Midnight Rambles.

Finding His Calling

Ted's love for nightclubs as a teenager was not popular at home. He left Roosevelt High in 1950. Then he joined the United States Air Force.

Two years later, when he was eighteen, Ted entered a singing contest. It was at the Top Hat bar in Dayton. He was home on leave from the military. He sang "Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland. He won $5 that night and knew what he wanted to do.

After leaving the military, Ted started his acting career. His first stage role was in a play called "Bigtime Buck White." This play started in Watts, California. It then moved to New York City in 1968.

Famous Roles and Performances

Ted Ross became a star in The Wiz on Broadway. He also performed in other Broadway plays. These included Purlie, Ain't Misbehavin, and Raisin.

His first movie was The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings in 1976. It was a baseball movie with James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor. Other movies he was in include Ragtime, Amityville II, and Police Academy.

One of his most loved roles was Bitterman. He played the chauffeur for Arthur Bach in the 1981 movie Arthur. Dudley Moore starred as Arthur.

In 1990, Ted Ross played Troy Maxson in a play called Fences in Cincinnati. This was the first time his family saw him perform on stage since that contest in 1952.

Ted Ross moved back to Dayton, Ohio, for good in 1997. He opened his own jazz club called Your Place. Sometimes, he would sing in his club. He also performed in the Dayton Art Institute's Just Jazz series.

Later Years and Legacy

Ted Ross was honored by several groups in Dayton. These included Wayman Chapel AME Church and the Miami Valley Fisk University Alumni Club. WROU-FM also honored him as a Black History Month Achiever.

He had a stroke in 1998. He passed away from problems related to the stroke four years later. Ted Ross died on September 3, 2002, at the age of 68, at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Broadway and Stage

• Buck White (1969)
• Purlie (1970) (1972)
• Raisin (1973)
• The Wiz (1975)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Ted Ross para niños