Biography

Ted Bessell

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Born in New York City, Ted's early career included guest appearances in soap operas, Lover Come Back (1961) and It's a Man's World (1962). Ted went on to appear as "Frankie" on Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964), but his big break was as "That Guy" on the successful Marlo Thomas Television series That Girl (1966). As "Don Hollinger", he played the boyfriend of aspiring actress "Ann Marie". After that, he appeared in a number of short lived Television comedy series including Me and the Chimp (1972), Good Time Harry (1980) and Hail to the Chief (1985). After being stereotyped as the good boyfriend, Ted found jobs hard to find so he moved towards the direction and production end of Television. Ted directed episodes of The Tracey Ullman Show (1987) and Sibs (1991). At the time of his death, he was preparing to direct a movie version of the Television series Bewitched (1964).
- IMDb mini biography by: Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>

A former 12-year-old child prodigy, his youthful highlight was performing a piano recital at Carnegie Hall.
Best remembered by the public for his role as "Donald Hollinger" in That Girl (1966), starring Marlo Thomas, with whom he remained friends until his death. The two discussed a feature film remake of That Girl (1966), in which the two main characters, now 25 years older, would meet again and fall in love.
Before becoming an actor, Ted Bessell reportedly considered the priesthood as a vocation.
He remained friends with his former That Girl (1966) co-star Marlo Thomas and they were often in touch. In early October of 1996, he told Marlo that he was having chest pains and she told him to go to a doctor, but it was too late. He passed away in an emergency room just a few days later. If his aneurysm had been diagnosed earlier, it could have been treated. Unfortunately, those whose aneurysm bursts have only a 20% chance of survival.
His widow, Linnell Nobori, is an artist; the couple had two daughters, Sarah and Mary. A former wife was Donna Gordon, an exotic dancer; they divorced in the 1980s.