Trivia

While applying for a passport when he was 21, he learned that he was adopted and that his birth name was Benjamin Augustus Middleton. After many decades of searching, he finally traced his mother, Essie May Middleton (Pearson). She was already deceased, but he did meet his blood family, including an older sister living in New Haven, Connecticut.

In June of 1992, he suffered a stroke following a minor car accident in which he hit his head on the steering wheel earlier that day. He recovered and after extensive physical and occupational therapy, was able to dance again.

Is the godfather of singer/dancer/actor Usher.

Ben is an ordained minister.

He was understudy for Sammy Davis Jr. in the 1964 Broadway musical "Golden Boy".

In 1987 his daughter Naja was killed in a car accident at 16.

His grandson Darryl is a linebacker for the University of Tennessee Volunteers Football team.

He played "Chicken" George Moore--between the ages of 18 in 1824 and 64 in 1870-- in Racines (1977).

In addition to starring in the film Idlewild Gangsters Club (2006), Ben was also the acting coach for such performers as André 3000 (aka Andre 3000), Terrence Howard and Paula Patton.

He played Madge Sinclair's grandson in Racines (1977) and her husband in Star Trek: La nouvelle génération (1987).

Of modest beginnings, his father James was a factory worker and mother Pauline a maid and wardrobe mistress.

Was named as "King of Brooklyn" at the Welcome Back to Brooklyn Festival in 1985

Ben's son by his first wife, Benjamin "Benji" Vereen, Jr., 55, a dancer and choreographer, was found dead on 8 August 2020 after being missing from his home for several weeks. He left four children.

Won Broadway's 1973 Tony Award as Best Actor (Musical) for "Pippin." Was nominated the year before, in 1972, as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for "Jesus Christ, Superstar."

Tony Award winner for "Pippin"

Although he played Georg Stanford Brown's father in Racines (1977), he is more than three years Brown's junior in real life. Similarly, he played the son of Leslie Uggams, three years his senior, in the same production.

Ben's second wife Nancy Bruner was a dancer in the London production of "Golden Boy". Ben was Sammy Davis Jr.'s understudy at the time.

1 son, Ben, with first wife. 4 daughters (Kabara, Malaika, Naja, and Karon) with current wife.

Portraying the Wizard in Broadway's Wicked. (June 2004)

Born in Laurinburg, North Carolina.

Graduated from the New York's High School of the Performing Arts

Played the character of E.L. "Tenspeed" Turner in the unrelated television shows Timide et sans complexe (1980) and Starbuck (1987), both created by Stephen J. Cannell.

Ben met first wife Andrea Townsley when they were young and singing together at her father's Brooklyn church in the gospel choir. The marriage, which produced son Ben Jr., lasted only a few years. Andrea is now a pastor at her late father's church.

Ben's Performing Arts High School classmates were Glynn Turman, Michael Peters, and Lester Wilson, to name a few.

Currently playing the Wizard of Oz in the musical "Wicked" on Broadway. (July 2005)

Friends with Jeff Goldblum and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame, 2011.

Appearing opposite Judd Hirsch in the play, "I'm Not Rappaport" at the Booth Theater in New York. (June 2002)

Performing at the Very Special Arts Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC (June 2004)