Ted Liss(1919-1992)
- Actor
Once named the "enfante terrible" of the American stage prior to WWII,
Ted returned from service in Alaska to open the Ted Liss Studio for
Performing Arts in Chicago in 1946 (many of his early students were
funded by money from the GI bill). He continued teaching acting,
directing and commercial voiceover performance for 46 years until his
death in 1992. Famous alumni of his studio include
Tom Bosley (who cast Ted as "Bishop MacNee"
in the pilot of his
Father Dowling Mysteries (1989)),
Robert Urich, and current stars
Virginia Madsen and
Billy Campbell. One of the
eulogies at Ted's funeral was given by famous Chicago sportscaster
Jack Brickhouse. At ceremony's end,
Ted's family led the mourners in a rousing standing ovation. Though he
appeared in two notable films
(Child's Play (1988) and
Somewhere in Time (1980)), Ted
is best-known for his commercial voice overs, including the infamous
"Willie Horton" commercial for
George Bush in 1988 (which was done
with some ambivalence by lifelong liberal Ted).
