Bob Bingham
{{Short description|American actor (1946–2025)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bob Bingham
| image = Bob Bingham 1973.png
| caption = Bingham as Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
| birth_name = Robert Franklin Bingham
| birth_date = {{birth date|1946|10|29}}
| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|2|8|1946|10|29}}
| death_place = Putnam County, New York, U.S.
| alma_mater = University of Washington
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|singer}}
| years_active = 1970–1974
| spouse =
| children = 2
}}
Robert Franklin Bingham (October 29, 1946 – February 8, 2025) was an American actor and singer. Bingham is best known for playing the role of Caiaphas in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar in the first USA concert tour, original Broadway cast, original French cast, and in the 1973 film version.Smith, Gary Allen. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ihaBCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA137 Epic Films: Casts, Credits and Commentary on More Than 350 Historical Spectacle Movies], McFarland & Company, Inc. (2006), p. 137Dietz, Dan. [https://books.google.com/books?id=12NECgAAQBAJ&pg=PA72 The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals], Rowman & Littlefield (2015), p. 72
Life and career
Bingham was born on October 29, 1946, in Seattle, and was raised in Edmonds, Washington. He attended the University of Washington for three years and studied singing with Ernest J. Anderson and acting with Larry and Pamela Liester's Home Adjunct, Inc.{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?documentid=302846&start=84&page=157|title=Bingham's resumé on the History For Sale website|website=HistoryForSale - Autographs, Collectibles & Memorabilia}} His first professional appearance was in a touring production of the musical Hair in 1970, first at the Moore Theatre in Seattle that ran for more than three months, a local record, and then in Miami, Florida.Johnson, Jonathon. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9ry4zgiDwGwC&pg=PA63 Good HAIR Days: A Personal Journey with the American Tribal Love-rock Musical HAIR], iUniverse (2004), pp. 63 and 93 {{ISBN|0595312977}}Crowley, Walt. [http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=3741 "First Seattle production of Hair debuts at the Moore Theater on April 18, 1970"], HistoryLink.org Essay 3741, April 8, 2002, accessed January 23, 2016 In the 1970s Bingham led a Buddhist group dedicated to world peace.Bigsby, Christopher. Arthur Miller: 1962–2005, p. 254, Orion (2011) {{ISBN|0297863169}}
Bingham played the role of Caiaphas in the original concert tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and went on to perform the role in the original Broadway production[http://www.ibdb.com/Person/View/96322 Bob Bingham], Internet Broadway Database, accessed January 23, 2016{{Cite web |url=http://jcsarchive.8m.com/casts.htm |title=Bingham on the JCS Recording Casts Lists website |access-date=January 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130141638/http://jcsarchive.8m.com/casts.htm |archive-date=January 30, 2016 |url-status=dead }} which ran from 1971 to 1973, and in a Paris production.Biographical notes in the Jesus Christ Superstar film souvenir booklet (1973) He appeared in the film by Juan Orol, El fantástico mundo de los hippies in 1972. Along with Barry Dennen (Pilate) and Yvonne Elliman (Mary Magdalene) and Carl Anderson (Judas), Bingham reprised his Broadway role in the 1973 film Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1974, he played God in the original production of Up from Paradise, by Arthur Miller, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[http://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Bob-Bingham/ "Bob Bingham Theatre Credits"], BroadwayWorld.com, accessed January 23, 2016 He retired from show business soon afterwards{{Cite web|url=http://thingsilikemorethanpeople.tumblr.com/post/92105372|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224457/http://thingsilikemorethanpeople.tumblr.com/post/92105372|url-status=dead|title=The Bob Bingham Enigma|archivedate=July 14, 2014}} and worked as COO managerial position in a Talon zipper factory.{{cn|date=January 2020}}
In April 2015, he appeared on-stage at the Hollywood Boulevard Cinema in a question and answer session with Ted Neeley, Barry Dennen and Kurt Yaghjian following a showing of a remastered version of the 1973 film Jesus Christ Superstar. This was as part of a national screening tour.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodblvdcinema.com/events/2015/04/03/special-events/jesus-christ-superstar-cast-live-in-person/#sthash.grxGKtFS.dpuf|title=Jesus Christ Superstar Cast, Live in Person - Hollywood Blvd Cinema - Dinner and a Movie|website=www.hollywoodblvdcinema.com}} His reminiscences of appearing in the 1973 film were recorded with those of the rest of the original cast in the DVD Superstar: the Making and Reunion of the Film (2015).{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Superstars-Ted-Neeley/dp/B016QE3YAG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449860727&sr=8-2&keywords=ted+neeley+superstars+dvd|title=Amazon.com|website=Amazon }}
Bingham lived in Brewster, New York, with his wife Idilcia Aracena, and his two children, Franklin and Yasamin. He died on February 8, 2025, at the age of 78.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beecherfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Robert-Franklin-Bingham?obId=36318473|title=Robert Franklin Bingham|website=Beecher Funeral Home}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0082922}}
- [https://www.facebook.com/BobBinghamUS Bingham's Official Facebook Page]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110522101743/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800083233 Bob Bingham on Yahoo! Movies]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071116055755/http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=168853 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on MSN movies]
- {{discogs artist|Bob Bingham}}
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Category:American male stage actors
Category:Male actors from Seattle