TED LANGE: Born Theodore William Lange III to parents who both worked in theater and television, Ted majored in drama at the San Francisco City College, then gave up a scholarship from the University of Colorado Shakespeare Festival, for the prestigious London Royal Academy, from which he graduated as a trained Shakespearean actor. He gained attention for his performance in the original Broadway production of the musical “Hair”, which led to starring roles in “Black Belt Jones” and on the sitcom “That’s My Mama.” Ted Lange became a professor at the University of California, then became Isaac Washington on ABC’s Love Boat from 1977-1986, for 250 episodes, never receiving residuals to date. He wrote 6 episodes and directed 17 and created a Love Boat screenplay, amongst the dozen he has written. On May 10, 2018, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and directed 28 TV series and movies (including Moesha, The Wayan Bros, Fantasy Island, Passing Through - the movie and more). In 1997 he was appointed the Co-Chairman of the African American Steering Committee for the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and was one of the forces of the Directors Guild Fellowship Program, instituted to develop job opportunities for Women and Ethnic Minorities, He was named adjunct associate professor at the School of Cinema/Television at USC. Ted’s theatrical acting spans over 50 plays, has written to date 26 plays and for his theatrical directing, received the NAACP’s Renaissance Man Theatre Award; won an NAACP Best Play Award in 1997 for his play “Four Queens -NO Trump” the Heroes and Legends HAL Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Dramalogue Award. He has been the recipient of the James Cagney Directing Fellow Scholarship Award from the American Film Institute (AFI) along with the Paul Robeson Award from the Oakland’s Ensemble Theatre; the Artistic Director Achievement Award as Director of an Original Play for his comedy “Lemon Meringue Facade”; the Dramalogue Award for outstanding directing of “The Visit”. His ode to the jazz world came by the way of “The Heart of Biddy Mason, a jazz musical he co-wrote with noted jazz musician Gerald Trottman”; and the film score for the movie he co-wrote, “Passing Through” was arranged by Horace Tapscott, featuring Eric Dolphy music by Eric Dolphy, Charlie, John Coltrane and Sun Ra. Ted has written the following BOOKS: Shakespeare Over My Shoulder Trilogy: Three Shakespearean Themed Plays; Lady Patriot; The Footnote Historian’S Trilogy: George Washington's Boy, the Journals of Osborne P. Anderson, Lady Patriot between 2013-2021….sold on Amazon! Presently1 Ted is working on 3 plays at the same time, happily traveling around the country directing plays and at times internationally, content in truly living his passion. Say hello to him on his IG: @3langeted
