CHICAGO– This Easter weekend it’s worth noting that one of the greatest renditions of “the greatest story ever told” celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2023. “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the film adaptation of the 1970 rock opera by then 21-year-old Anthony Lloyd Webber and 24-year-old Tim Rice, was directed by Norman Jewison and starred Ted Neeley. Neeley and other members of the cast remember the movie, in flashback interviews from 2013.!—break—>
Ted Neeley, Title Character in “Jesus Christ Superstar”
Ted Neeley had the perfect show business start when coming of age in the 1960s. After venturing out of his native Texas to find a music career in Los Angeles, Neeley landed the role of Claude in both the Los Angeles and New York versions of “Hair” in 1969. The director of that show remembered Neeley when he was casting for the Broadway stage version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” He understudied in New York, and played the role on Broadway and in Los Angeles. That garnered interest from the producers of the 1973 film version, and he portrayed Jesus once again for director Norman Jewison.
Ted Neeley, Superstar, at the “The Hollywood Show” in 2013
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
HollywoodChicago.com: What kind of relationship did you have with Norman Jewison on the set of the film version of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’? What did he want from your interpretation that you hadn’t necessarily thought of, after you had done the character a number of times on Broadway?
Ted Neeley: Without Norman Jewison, there never would have been a film version of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar.’ And it certainly wouldn’t have kept making the spiritual connection that it does to the world up to today. It was Norman Jewison all the way.
The story of Norman’s involvement with ‘Superstar’ is fairly miraculous. He was doing the film version of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in Yugoslavia, and Barry Dennen was in the cast … Dennen was at the same time working on the Pontius Pilate role in the recording of the ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ rock opera, in collaboration with the creators Anthony Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. He let Norman listen to the demo songs to help him with the character, they weren’t even finished yet. Norman heard them, and asked who owned the rights. They were producing it on Decca Records, and Norman knew immediately that was Universal Studios. He called the studio, and told them that he wanted to purchase the underlying film rights to a project called ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ based on the three demo songs he heard.
HollywoodChicago.com: What was Universal’s reaction?
Neeley: The executive there said, ‘what do we have to do with it?’ He didn’t even know that Decca was producing the rock opera. They bought the rights, and as soon as he finished work on ‘Fiddler,’ he started working on the film version of Superstar. He wrote the screenplay and put the unknown cast together. Everything that was the film version came from Norman Jewison. Everything I did came from his decision.
HollywoodChicago.com: Since you’ve portrayed him over 5,000 times, what is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ right now?
Neeley: I was born and raised in Texas, and knew as much about the Bible at ten years old as I knew anything. I’ve had a personal connection to God and Jesus since then, and I am a believer. The only thing I challenge in that relationship is what happens when religion becomes organized, and which interpretation do you believe?
My feeling about what Andrew and Tim wanted to do was to look at the last seven days of the man called Jesus of Nazareth, seen through the eyes of his friends and contemporaries. They saw him as a man, as they saw the divinity. We’re seeing Jesus in the rock opera before he died and before he was resurrected. In that connection, human beings can relate more to what they perceive Jesus to be.
HollywoodChicago.com: Have you experienced that absolution in the feedback regarding your role in the film and stage versions of Superstar?
Neeley: Apparently, because I’ve been hearing it for forty years – people say to me, ‘you brought me to my spiritual recognition.’ I always contend I’m a rock and roll drummer from Texas, what are you talking about? I recently saw the film again, for the first time on the big screen. I do see what they’re talking about in that experience. It was powerful and visionary, and beautifully plays up Andrew and Tim’s interpretation of the relationship between Jesus and Judas. The essence of that is Judas thought he was doing the right thing – it wasn’t about betrayal, but what he thought was his purpose and humanity. I’m not quoting the Bible, I’m quoting the philosophy of ‘Superstar’.
HollywoodChicago.com: What song from the show that you perform is based on the philosophy you’ve just espoused?
Neeley: The song ‘Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)’. The lyrics to me are a conversation, just like I had with my father when I was a child. When I didn’t know something, we’d sit and talk. He’d give me answers, and I would ask questions. I’m not ‘Jesus talking to God’ in that song, but a son talking to his father. That is the way I perform and interpret that song.
Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson in the 1973 film version of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
Photo credit: Universal Studios Home Video
HollywoodChicago.com: Finally, you had a unique relationship with the man who portrayed Judas opposite you so many times, the late Carl Anderson…
Neeley: We were on the road with the show for years. Three to six months is considered a success for most road companies. When we put together the movie’s 20th anniversary stage tour, we couldn’t find a producer that was interested. They loved the show, but they just thought there would be no demand. So we produced it ourselves.
We started the run in Baltimore, got the promoters together, and ran for two years there, and another three on the road. Carl and I were together more than any two human beings in the world during that time. We were the yin/yang of the show, because we knew if one guy needed it, the other guy had his back. It freed us to perform, because we knew we could try different things, and it was just brilliant.
HollywoodChicago.com: What story do you think best defines your connection and friendship?
Neeley: We did a church seminar, just to talk to people, and they were listening to us as if we were the real deal. It was two guys talking about the human nature of those divine characters. We were astounded that they were listening to us, I had to remind Carl ‘no profanity.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Neeley, all this time we’ve been together, why don’t we just get married?’ [laughs]
That, in a nutshell, was our relationship. We had wives and families elsewhere, but no matter where we would go we had the authority of those two characters, filtered through the relationship we had. We accepted the blessings of receiver and transmitter. Whatever the audience saw in us through those characters, we didn’t challenge it, we just accepted it. We were thankful for it, and let it be.
On Page Two, Podtalks from “Jesus Christ Superstar” cast members Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene), Josh Mostel (King Herod) and Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate) …
Yvonne Elliman, Mary Magdalene in “Jesus Christ Superstar”
To begin with, Yvonne Elliman’s vocal stylings have appeared on albums that have sold 50 million units. The singer was discovered by Andrew Lloyd Webber for his seminal “Jesus Christ Superstar” rock opera (approximately 10 million albums sold), portraying Mary Magdelene, and also had a monster hit – “If I Can’t Have You” – on the legendary “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack (40 million sold).
The effusive Ms. Elliman was 17 years old, and singing in a London club in the late 1960s, when composer Andrew Lloyd Webber heard her ethereal voice, and signed her to portray Mary Magdalene in his new rock opera. The album of “Jesus Christ Superstar” was released in 1969, and took off like a rocket. Later, she joined the original Broadway cast of Superstar in 1971 in the same role, and finally completed the cycle as Mary M. with the 1973 film version, directed by Norman Jewison.
Yvonne Elliman, Mary Magdalene in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ circa 2013
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
In a 2013 Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com (the interviewer having a touch of laryngitis) singer Yvonne Elliman talks about her roots in “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Josh Mostel (King Herod) & Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate) in “Jesus Christ Superstar”
Josh Mostel as King Herod and Barry Dennen as Pontius Pilate in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
Photo credit: Universal Studios Home Video
Josh Mostel not only practically stole the JCS film in his ten minute appearance, memorably singing and dancing “King Herod’s Song,” he also has a long and diverse career in show business. Born in New York City, he is the son of stage icon and comic actor Zero Mostel.
Barry Dennen, who passed away in 2017, was not only the first boyfriend of Barbra Streisand … when they were struggling actors in early 1960s New York City … but found the right timing when he moved to Britain later in the decade. He originated the role of the “MC” in the London stage version of “Cabaret,” and then sang the role of Pontius Pilate in the 1970 rock opera version of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” after meeting composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice. He went on to play the Pilate role on Broadway, and was instrumental in tipping off eventual film director Norman Jewison that “Superstar” existed, and was rewarded with his familiar Pilate role in the film.
Josh Mostel and Barry Dennen in 2013
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
The laryngitis interviewer is back! Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com talks to Josh Mostel (first voice) and Barry Dennen on their “Superstar” memories (Note: Obscured second question to Barry is about his portrayal of Pilate) …
2013 Reunion Exclusive Photo of the Cast in “Jesus Christ Superstar”
Superstars: Barry Dennen, Yvonne Elliman, Ted Neeley and Josh Mostel
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
On Page Three, Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on the KICKINGTHESEAT Vodcast and discusses the 50th Anniversary of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and its impact …
On KICKINGTHESEAT Vodcast with host Ian Simmons Patrick McDonald discusses the 50th Anniversary of “Jesus Christ Superstar” on the segment There’s No Stalgia Like Nostalgia …
 | By PATRICK McDONALD |