Ted Bessell
Ted Bessell | |
---|---|
Flushing, New York, U.S. | |
Died | October 6, 1996 , U.S. | (aged 61)
Occupation(s) | Actor, Director |
Years active | 1962–1996 |
Spouse |
Linnell Nobori (m. 1982) |
Children | 2 |
Howard Weston "Ted" Bessell Jr. (March 20, 1935 – October 6, 1996) was an American television actor and director. He is best known for his role as Donald Hollinger, the boyfriend and eventual fiancé of Marlo Thomas's character in the TV series That Girl (1966–1971).
Early career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2016) |
Born in
After attending
He appeared on such TV shows as
Bessell first went to Los Angeles in the West Coast production of Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward, Angel, for which he received great critical notices. Following that, he had small roles in The Outsider and Lover Come Back.
In 1962, he played 27-year-old college student Tom-Tom DeWitt on the short-lived television series
Bessell appeared in such feature films as
That Girl (1966–1971) and other work
Bessell's best-known TV role was as Donald Hollinger, Marlo Thomas's boyfriend and fiancé on the hit series That Girl, which ran for five seasons from 1966 to 1971.[4]
When That Girl ended its run, he tried his hand at another sitcom, Me and the Chimp, in which he played Mike Reynolds, a dentist who is persuaded by his children to take in a runaway chimpanzee. Created by Garry Marshall, the show had a short, unsuccessful run of 19 episodes in 1972.[1] In 1974, Bessell carried the lead role in the television film Bobby Parker and Company.
It was not until 1975 that Bessell would appear in another sitcom, as Joe Warner, the boyfriend of Mary Richards, for two episodes on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In the 1980s, he appeared in several other TV movies, including Breaking Up Is Hard to Do and The Acorn People. He also played regular roles on a pair of short-lived sitcoms, Good Time Harry and, in his last major role, Hail to the Chief, as the husband of Patty Duke's character, the fictional first female President of the United States.
Bessell moved into directing, helming episodes of
Death
Bessell died on October 6, 1996, due to a ruptured
Personal life
Bessell was married to Linnell Nobori and had two daughters, Sarah and Mary.[6]
References
- ^ a b Oliver, Myrna (October 9, 1996). "Ted Bessell; Actor, Director Co-Starred in 'That Girl'". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Maltin, Leonard, Leonard Maltin's TV movies and Video Guide, 1991 Edition, page 740, Plume, 1990
- ^ a b "Ted Bessel, [sic] 57, Dies; Pursued 'That Girl' In Television Sitcom". The New York Times. October 9, 1996.
- ^ Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 – Present, Ballantine Books, 1979, page 619.
- ^ "'That Girl' Co-Star Ted Bessell Dies". Associated Press. October 8, 1996. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
- ^ Basilan, Rebelander (August 14, 2019). "'That Girl' Star Ted Bessell's Life and Sudden Death". Amo Mama. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
External links
- Ted Bessell at IMDb
- Ted Bessell at the Internet Broadway Database
- Ted Bessell at AllMovie
- Ted Bessell at Find a Grave