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Todd Graff

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Todd Graff
Graff (right) with Keke Palmer in 2011
Born (1959-10-22) October 22, 1959 (age 65)
Occupation(s)Actor, filmmaker
Years active1970–present
Spouse
Jhon Lafaurie
(m. 2014)

Todd Graff (born October 22, 1959) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for writing and directing the musical comedy films Camp (2003), for which he was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, Bandslam (2009), and Joyful Noise (2012). Graff is also known for his supporting roles in the science fiction films The Abyss (1989) and Strange Days (1995), as well as the black comedy crime film Death to Smoochy (2002).

Early life

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Graff was born in New York City, the son of Judith Clarice (née Oxhorn), a piano teacher and choirmaster, and Jerome Lawrence Graff, a musician.[1] His sister is actress Ilene Graff.[2]

Career

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Graff is an alumnus both as a camper and counselor of the Stagedoor Manor performing arts summer camp in upstate New York. He sang on the original-cast albums of Sesame Street (1970) and the follow-up Sesame Street 2 (1971). He garnered fame in 1975 when he joined the cast of the PBS children's television series The Electric Company. Playing the role of Jesse, a member of the Short Circus, he remained with the show to the end of its production in 1977 (replacing Stephen Gustafson).[3]

Graff's writing credits include Camp, Used People, The Vanishing, and The Beautician and the Beast. Graff acted in several films including Death to Smoochy, Dominick and Eugene, Strange Days, Not Quite Paradise, and The Abyss.[3]

He was nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Danny in Broadway's Baby in 1984. He starred in the 1987 Off-Broadway musical Birds of Paradise as Homer. In 2006, Graff directed the stage musical 13 by Jason Robert Brown and Dan Elish at the Mark Taper Forum.[4] In 2009, he co-wrote and directed the film Bandslam. In 2012 he wrote and directed the film Joyful Noise. He developed Apple TV's miniseries The Crowded Room (2023).

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 Not Quite Paradise Rothwell T. Schwartz Also known as Not Quite Jerusalem
1987 Five Corners James
1987 Sweet Lorraine Leonard [5]
1988 Dominick and Eugene Larry Higgins
1989 After Midnight Tough Kid
1989 An Innocent Man Robby
1989 The Abyss Alan "Hippy" Carnes
1990 Framed Pete
1990 Opportunity Knocks Lou Pesquino
1991 City of Hope Zip
1995 Strange Days "Tex" Arcana
1997 The Beautician and the Beast Denny Also writer
2002 Death to Smoochy Skip Kleinman

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1975–1977 The Electric Company Jesse Main role (seasons 5–6)
1983–1992 ABC Afterschool Specials Trent / Robby Pols Episodes: "It's No Crush, I'm in Love", "Summer Stories: The Mall – Part 3"
1995 Chicago Hope Louis Bagley Episode: "Growth Pains"
1997 The Nanny Harvey Episode: "Danny's Dead and Who's Got the Will?"

Award nominations

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TV

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  • Made in Hollywood: Teen Edition (2012)
  • Made in Hollywood (2011)
  • Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History – 1980s, 1990s and 2000s (2009)
  • Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History – 1970's (2009)
  • Under Pressure: Making 'The Abyss (1993)

Writer/Director

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References

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  1. ^ Profile, filmreference.com; accessed August 19, 2014.
  2. ^ Counts, Kyle (August 7, 2003). "Writer-director Todd Graff talks about his campy new film, 'Camp'". Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ a b Todd Graff at IMDb
  4. ^ Mark Taper Forum website; accessed August 2014.
  5. ^ Maslin, Janet (1987-05-01). "FILM: 'SWEET LORRAINE'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
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