Ted Wass

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Ted Wass
Born
Edward Wass

(1952-10-27) October 27, 1952 (age 72)
Education Art Institute of Chicago (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • television director
Years active1977–present
Spouses
(m. 1979;died 1993)
Nina Feinberg
(m. 1996)
Children3
Cast of Soap (1977). Back row, L-R: Robert Urich, Ted Wass, Richard Mulligan, Robert Guillaume, Robert Mandan, Jimmy Baio, Diana Canova, Arthur Peterson Jr. Seated: Billy Crystal, Cathryn Damon, Katherine Helmond, Jennifer Salt. Soap full cast 1977.JPG
Cast of Soap (1977). Back row, L-R: Robert Urich, Ted Wass, Richard Mulligan, Robert Guillaume, Robert Mandan, Jimmy Baio, Diana Canova, Arthur Peterson Jr. Seated: Billy Crystal, Cathryn Damon, Katherine Helmond, Jennifer Salt.

Edward Wass (born October 27, 1952) is an American television director and former actor. He is best known for his roles as Danny Dallas on the series Soap (1977–1981) and as Nick Russo on the sitcom Blossom (1991–1995). After Blossom ended its run in 1995, Wass retired from acting and focused only on directing episodic television series, such as Spin City , The Big Bang Theory , Less than Perfect and 2 Broke Girls . [1] Wass returned to acting when he reunited with Mayim Bialik and played her father again on Bialik's Call Me Kat in 2022. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Wass was born in Lakewood, Ohio. [1] [3] He was raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and graduated from Glenbard West High School in 1970. [3] [4] He attended Goodman School of Drama at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University). [1]

Wass trained as an opera singer and was also involved in rock and roll as a lead singer and guitarist. [3]

Career

Acting

In 1976, Wass made his Broadway debut in the original Broadway production of Grease , playing Danny Zuko. [1]

He made his television debut as Danny Dallas on Soap from 1977 to 1981, filming 101 episodes. [1] He appeared on Broadway with his Soap co-star Diana Canova in Neil Simon's They're Playing Our Song . [5]

Wass starred in Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), [1] one of the post-Peter Sellers films in the franchise, as Detective Sergeant Clifton Sleigh, engaged by Police Chief Dreyfus to track down Inspector Clouseau. [6]

He played struggling musician Bobby Shelton (who trades his soul — and his family — to become an ill-fated rock star "Billy Wayne") in the black comedy film Oh, God! You Devil (1984). He played a sports journalist caught in a murder in female-Tarzan film Sheena (1984). [7]

In 1986, he starred in the TV movie Triplecross, directed by David Greene. [8] This was intended as a television pilot, but the series was never picked up.

His last acting role was among his most prominent, playing the title character's father in Blossom (1991–1995), a sitcom about a teenage girl with two brothers being brought up by their single father.

Directing

Wass began directing while acting on the TV sitcom Blossom. He has directed episodes of over 40 TV series along with many TV movies.

Personal life

Wass' first wife was actress Janet Margolin, who died in December 1993 at age 50 from ovarian cancer. [3] Their two children are Julian (a composer) and Matilda. He has two grandchildren from Julian's marriage to director Jenee Lamarque. [3] His second and current wife is producer Nina Feinberg Wass, whom he married in 1996. They have a daughter named Stella. [9]

Filmography

As an Actor

YearTitleRoleNotes
1977 Family Sam TraskEpisode: "A Safe House"
1977Handle with CareCpl. TillinghamTelevision pilot
1977–1981 Soap (TV series)Danny DallasMain cast (77 episodes)
1979 The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal VinnieTelevision film
1979The Thirteenth Day: The Story of EstherSimonTelevision special
1982 I Was a Mail Order Bride Robert FitzgeraldTelevision film
1983 Baby Sister David MitchellTelevision film
1983 Curse of the Pink Panther Sgt. Clifton SleighFeature film
1984 Sheena Vic CaseyFeature film
1984 Oh, God! You Devil Bobby SheltonFeature film
1985Sins of the FatherGregory Scott MurchisonTelevision film
1986 The Longshot StumpFeature film
1986TriplecrossElliott TaffleTelevision film
1986 The Canterville Ghost Harry CantervilleTelevision film
1986 Sunday Drive Paul SheridanTelevision film ( The Disney Sunday Movie )
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse MickeyEpisode: "Mickey and Nora"
1988 Shades of Love: Sunset Court Dr. Jimmy FieldingTelevision film
1988 Pancho Barnes Frank ClakeTelevision film
1989 Men (TV series)Dr. Steven RatajkowskiMain cast (6 episodes)
1989 Fine Gold AndreFeature film
1990Sparks: The Price of PassionSteve WarnerTelevision film
1991–1995 Blossom (TV series)Nick RussoMain cast (113 episodes)
1993 Triumph Over Disaster: The Hurricane Andrew Story Bryan Norcross Television film
2022 Call Me Kat Kat's fatherGuest (2 episodes)

As a Director

YearTitleTypeNotes
Blossom TV series18 episodes
Local HeroesTV series
CoachTV series1 episode
Mr. RhodesTV series6 episodes
The Jeff Foxworthy Show TV series13 episodes
Jenny TV series1 episode
Smart Guy TV series5 episodes
Soul ManTV series
The Secret Lives of Men TV series
CostelloTV series1 episode
1998–99 Caroline in the City TV series17 episodes
1999 Two of a Kind TV series1 episode
Oh, Grow Up TV series
Norm TV series1 episode
Stark Raving Mad TV series
Then Came You TV series
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place TV series
My Wife and Kids TV series
2000–2002 Spin City TV series45 episodes
My Adventures in Television TV series
Regular JoeTV series
Married to the Kellys TV series
I'm with Her TV series
2002–2006 Less than Perfect TV series
2006 Crumbs TV series10 episodes
2006The GameTV series2 episodes
2006 'Til Death TV series
2007–2013 Rules of Engagement TV series45 episodes
2007 The Big Bang Theory TV series1 episode
2007 Two and a Half Men TV series7 episodes
Gary Unmarried TV series
2007–2008 Everybody Hates Chris TV series
2009 Scrubs TV series1 episode
2009 Ruby & The Rockits TV series
2009 Brothers TV series
2010 Accidentally on Purpose TV series
$#*! My Dad Says TV series
2010 Melissa & Joey TV series9 episodes
2011 State of Georgia TV series5 episodes
2011–12 2 Broke Girls TV series9 episodes
2012 Sullivan & Son TV series3 episodes
2013 Dads TV series2 episodes
2014 Undateable TV series2 episodes
2013–14Last Man StandingTV series
2014–2015 Mom TV series16 episodes
2015 Cristela TV series
2015Truth Be ToldTV series
2016 The Odd Couple TV series2 episodes

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References

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  2. "Mayim Bialik and 'Blossom' Dad Ted Wass to Reunite on 'Call Me Kat'". 8 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Cavazos, Norma (November 20, 1994). "TV Questions". The News-Press. Fort Myers, Florida. Knight-Ridder News Service. p. 168. Retrieved November 22, 2017 via newspapers.com.
  4. "History". glenbard1958. Glenbard High School Class of 1958.
  5. "Ted Wass". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  6. Brunsdale, Mitzi M. (2010). Icons of Mystery and Crime Detection: From Sleuths to Superheroes. ABC-CLIO. p. 184. ISBN   9780313345319.
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  8. Roberts, Jerry (2009). "David Greene". Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press. p. 215. ISBN   9780810863781.
  9. "Ted Wass Biography (1952-)". FilmReference.com.