Ben Vereen
A Broadway dynamo whose electric performances in 'Pippin' and 'Jesus Christ Superstar' fused raw athleticism with soulful vulnerability.
Born 1946 (age 80)·American actor, dancer, and singer·Birthday: October 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ben Vereen emerged from the Brooklyn projects with a kinetic energy that would reshape the American stage. His path wasn't linear; he studied dance under legends and paid dues in chorus lines before his breakout as Judas Iscariot in 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' a role that earned him his first Tony nomination. But it was his spellbinding turn as the Leading Player in 'Pippin' that cemented his place, winning him the Tony in 1973. Vereen commanded the stage with a singular blend of razor-sharp dance, compelling acting, and a voice that could croon or belt. His career, marked by a near-fatal car accident in 1992, has been a testament to resilience, spanning television, film, and one-man shows, always infused with his signature spiritual and physical grace.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ben was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ben Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Ben's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as the Leading Player in 'Pippin' (1973).
- Received a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Judas Iscariot in the original Broadway production of 'Jesus Christ Superstar.'
- Starred in the groundbreaking television miniseries 'Roots,' playing Chicken George's grandson, George Johnson.
- Performed for multiple U.S. presidents, including a command performance at the White House for President Ronald Reagan.
Did You Know?
He was the first person to perform a one-man show on Broadway with 'Ben Vereen: His Roots' in 1978.
He is an ordained minister.
He survived being hit by a truck in 1992, suffering multiple broken bones and requiring extensive rehabilitation.
““The stage is a sacred place. When I walk out there, I feel like I’m walking on holy ground.””
