Teddie Joe "Ted" Neeley (born September 20, 1943) is an American rock and roll drummer, singer, actor, composer, and record producer. He is probably best known for performing the title role in the film Jesus Christ Superstar in 1973.Neeley considers himself a baritone, and is known for his extremely wide vocal range and rock screams – notably the G above high C (G5) in "Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" from Jesus Christ Superstar.
When we did the picture, it was right toward the end of the Vietnam War. Everything was going on at that time. I was in 'Hair' before 'Superstar', so for a good three to five years we were celebrating onstage what was going on in the streets around the world, all of that turmoil and tumult that was happening because of the war.
2
[on filming 'Jesus Christ, Superstar'] Norman Jewison had us out there long before the shooting schedule, just so we could get acclimated to the climate, so we could get the sun on our bodies. We couldn't believe, when we saw the dailies, watching our hair become streaked from the sun, going for what we were - the Americans and Canadians who all came over there looking pristine - to becoming these desert people.
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Fact
1
Touring as Jesus (opposite Corey Glover as Judas) in the National Touring Company of Jesus Christ Superstar. [March 2008]
2
Touring U.S. with Jesus Christ Superstar (with James Delisco as Judas), a Nicholas Howey for Troikastar, LLC production. [March 2009]
3
Touring as "Jesus" with "Jesus Christ Superstar", Farewell Tour. [February 2007]
4
(1996-) Playing Jesus in the road show of "Jesus Christ Superstar". When completed in a year or so, he will be putting on his own production, "Pandemonium".
5
Was friends with Jesus Christ Superstar co-star Carl Anderson.
6
March 9, 2004 Ted sang the soliloquy Why Must I die? from the Garden of Gethsemane scene in J C Superstar at the memorial service for Carl Anderson (Judas, JCS).
7
He was able to play Jesus throughout his career; in 1975, he appeared in a show with both Carl Anderson and Yvonne Elliman reprising their roles. In 1992, Neeley and Anderson appeared in the AD Tour. Originally it was supposed to last a year; instead, it went until 1997, touring for five years and grossing over 100 million dollars.
8
He met his wife on the set of "Jesus Christ Superstar"; she is one of the dancers in Simon Zealot scene
9
For Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), he did an unexpectedly thorough job of reenacting Jesus' bull-in-a-china-shop rampage through the Temple's "unclean" flea-market...so thorough indeed, that director Norman Jewison managed only two takes of this scene before running out of unbroken props. Fortunately, Jewison got everything right within the first two tries.
10
The "39 Lashes" scene in Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) was so realistic that his mother walked out on it. Mrs. Neeley had never laid a hand on young Ted in an anything-but-affectionate manner, and could not bear the sight of her son being tortured by anyone else...even though she knew it was "play-acted".
11
The tour bus seen in the opening and closing sequences of Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) was loaned to the production by Neeley and his rock band.
12
Made his debut as a camera operator during the filming of one of the more memorable scenes in Jesus Christ Superstar (1973): that in which "Judas Iscariot" is chased down a sand dune by five tanks. (The scene, incidentally, is meant to illustrate the desperation and personal conflict which drove Judas to consult the priests about betraying Jesus.)
13
He almost missed out on being cast in Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). After inviting director Norman Jewison to see him in a matinee performance of the Who's "Tommy", he was injured during a show just prior to the one Jewison had bought a ticket to see. He recovered in time for the next show; immediately following this, he drove from Los Angeles to Jewison's hotel in Palm Springs...dressed up as "Jesus Christ." (Norman was leaving for Israel soon thereafter, to shoot the movie.) Not only did Jewison accept his explanation and apology, he gave him the title role in said film.
lyrics: "Are We There Yet", "Tonight We're Gonna Party", "Get It Together", "She Makes The Bad Boys Cry", "Lay It On Down", "You Know That I Love It" / music: "Are We There Yet", "Tonight We're Gonna Party", "Get It Together", "She Makes The Bad Boys Cry", "Lay It On Down", "You Know That I Love It" / music: "Down South" - as Neeley
A Perfect Couple
1979
performer: "Hurricane", "Week-End Holiday", "Goodbye Friends" / writer: "Somp'ins Got A Hold On Me", "Hurricane", "Love Is All There Is", "Searchin' For The Light"
Jesus Christ Superstar
1973
performer: "What's the Buzz", "Strange Thing Mystifying", "Everything's Alright", "Hosanna", "Poor Jerusalem", "The Temple", "The Last Supper", "Gethsemane I Only Want to Say", "The Arrest", "Pilate and Christ", "Trial Before Pilate", "The Crucifixion"
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Caught
1987
Summer Camp Nightmare
1987
Blame It on the Night
1984
Camera Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Jesus Christ Superstar
1973
camera operator - uncredited
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Summer Camp Nightmare
1987
musical supervisor
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Showbiz Today
1996
TV Series
Himself
Hollywood '84
1984
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Dead Ringer
1981
Documentary
Backing vocals
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary
1977
TV Movie
Himself - Performer
The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour
1974
TV Series
Himself
The 26th Annual Tony Awards
1972
TV Special
Himself - Performer
Della
1969
TV Series
Himself
Operation: Entertainment
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show
1968
TV Series
Himself
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
1967
TV Series
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Banda sonora
2008
TV Series
Jesus Christ
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1974
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, USA
Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
$1.4 Million
