Jonathan Freeman (born February 5, 1950 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a Tony-nominated American actor known for voicing the villainous Jafar in Disney's Aladdin and its sequel The Return of Jafar, as well as the Kingdom Hearts series and was the puppeteer for Tito Swing of the Jukebox Band (Flexitoon Puppets) on the PBS series Shining Time Station.

In 1994, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for his role in She Loves Me. Additionally, he appeared in the Broadway revival productions of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Producers, On the Town, and 42nd Street, during which his caricature was drawn for Sardi's restaurant in 2002.^[1]

Freeman can be heard on the 1997 Varese Sarabande studio recording of the flop 1965 musical Drat! The Cat!.

He was also seen on stage as Cogsworth in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and originated the role of Grimsby in Disney's newest Broadway production, The Little Mermaid.^[2]

Freeman is currently starring as Admiral Bloom and the Bank Chairman in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins. He began his run on December 12, 2009.^[3]

[edit] Theatre credits

• Mary Poppins as Admiral Bloom and the Bank Chairman (Broadway Replacement)
• The Little Mermaid as Grimsby (Original Broadway Cast)
• Beauty and the Beast as Cogsworth (Broadway Replacement)
• The Producers as Roger De Bris (Broadway Replacement)
• 42nd Street as Bert Barry (Broadway)
• A Class Act as Lehman Engle (Off-Broadway)
• On the Town as Pitkin W. Bridgework (Broadway)
• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as Mr. Bratt (Broadway)
• Fortinbras as Claudius (Regional)
• She Loves Me as Headwaiter (Broadway)
• Platinum as Alan Fairmont (Broadway)

[edit] References

1. ^ "Jonathan Freeman Gets Hung Up at Sardi's". Playbill, Inc.. April 11, 2002. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/68819.html. Retrieved February 21 2008. 
2. ^ "Lewis, Palmer, Scott, Burgess and More Will Join Boggess in Disney's Little Mermaid". Playbill, Inc.. March 20, 2007. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/106672.html. Retrieved February 21 2008. 
3. ^ "Tony Nominee Freeman Joins Broadway's MARY POPPINS". December 11, 2009. http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Tony_Nominee_Freeman_Joins_Broadways_MARY_POPPINS_20091211. Retrieved December 11, 2009. 

[edit] External links

• Jonathan Freeman at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jonathan Freeman at the Internet Movie Database