Jonathan Freeman (actor)

Jonathan Freeman (born February 5, 1950) is an American actor and singer. He is known for voicing Jafar in Disney's Aladdin franchise, as well as the Kingdom Hearts franchise and the 2011 Aladdin musical.

Jonathan Freeman
Freeman at the 2020 GalaxyCon Richmond
Born (1950-02-05) February 5, 1950
Bay Village, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materOhio University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • puppeteer
Years active1972–present

Early life

Freeman was born in Bay Village, Ohio on February 5, 1950. He graduated from Ohio University.

Career

As well as being the voice of Jafar in Aladdin, a role he once said he's called in to reprise every 3 to 6 months,[1] Freeman is also known for being the puppeteer for Tito Swing of the Jukebox Band (Flexitoon Puppets) on the PBS series Shining Time Station. Freeman reprised his role as Jafar in the direct-to-video sequel to Aladdin, The Return of Jafar.

In 1994, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best 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.[2]

Freeman can be heard on the 1997 Varèse 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 Broadway production of The Little Mermaid.[3]

Freeman reprised his role as Jafar in the Hercules crossover with Aladdin.

Freeman began his run starring as Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on December 12, 2009.[4]

Freeman also reprised his role as Jafar on stage in the new musical adaptation of Aladdin, which played at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre from July 7–31, 2011.[5] He reprised the role in the Broadway production, which opened in March 2014 at the New Amsterdam Theatre,[6] and he is the only actor from the original cast of the animated film to do so. Also, he reprised the role in the special West End performance was filmed shot on location at the London's Prince Edward Theatre on August 31, 2019. After nearly eight years with the show, Freeman played his final performance with the company on January 23, 2022.[7]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Forever, Lulu Don
1988 Homeboy Hotel Room Man
1990 A Shock To The System Decorator
1992 Aladdin Jafar (voice)
1994 The Return of Jafar Direct-to-video
1996 The Associate Hockey Game Executive
1997 The Ice Storm Ted Franklin
2001 Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse Jafar (voice) Direct-to-video
2002 Mickey's House of Villains
2007 The Hoax Thick Voice (voice)
2011 Too Big to Fail Senator Richard Shelby TV film
2016 Life, Animated Himself
2020 The High Note Martin
TBA Aladdin: The Broadway Musical Jafar Filmed recording of 2019 West End musical

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1989K.I.D.S. TV NewsD.J. McCawUnknown episodes
The Days and Nights of Molly DoddWaiter #2Episode: "Here's a Cute Way to Wrap up the Holiday Season"
1989–1995Shining Time StationTito Swing58 episodes
1990MathnetJoshuaEpisode: "The Case of the Unkidnapping"
Shining Time Station: 'Tis a GiftTito Swing(TV special)
1995Aladdin on IceJafar (voice)(TV special) (uncredited)
1996–1998Remember WENNRollie PruittEpisodes: "Christmas in the Airwaves"
"Who's Scott Sherwood?"
"The New Actor"
"The Importance of Being Betty"
"Happy Homecomings"
"Some Time, Some Station"
1998HerculesJafar (voice)Episode: "Hercules and the Arabian Night"
2001–2003House of MouseEpisodes: "The Stolen Cartoons"
"Donald's Lamp Trade"
"Max's Embarrassing Date"
"Where's Minnie?"
"Donald and the Aracuan Bird"
"House of Crime"
"House of Magic"
"Pete's House of Villains"
"Pete's Christmas Caper"
"Halloween with Hades"
2002Teamo SupremoZomnambulist (voice)Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night!"
2005–2006American Dragon: Jake LongEli Excelsior Pandarus
Jack Frost (voice)		Episodes: "The Heist"
"Eye of the Beholder"
"A Befuddled Mind"
2008Gossip GirlButlerEpisode: "The Ex-Files"
2006–2009Law & Order: Criminal IntentMr. Marty Krebs
Wallace Thayer		Episodes: "Identity Crisis"
"The Healer"
2010Law & Order: Special Victims UnitBobbyEpisode: "Merchandise"
2011Submissions OnlyGreg BonomelliEpisode: "The Miller/Hennigan Act"
2016ElementaryHolderEpisode: "How the Sausage Is Made"
2017Oh My Disney Show: "Watch a Disney Movie With ... Aladdin's Jonathan Freeman"HimselfS2, EP 34
2019TODAYHimself"Jonathan Freeman, Voice of Jafar, Reveals A Secret To Playing Aladdin Villain"
2022Helluva BossPaimon and Cash Buckzo (voice)Episode: "The Circus"

Video games
YearTitleRoleNotes
1994Aladdin Activity CenterJafar
2001Aladdin in Nasira's Revenge
2002Kingdom Hearts
2005Kingdom Hearts II
2007Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+
2010Kingdom Hearts Re:coded

Web
YearTitleRoleNotes
2016bBroadway.com's Role Call: "Jonathan Freeman of Aladdin"Himself

Theme parks
YearTitleRoleNotes
1998 Fantasmic! Jafar Voice

Theatre work

Broadway credits

Off Broadway credits
  • Of Thee I Sing as Senator Lyons (City Center Encores)
  • Finian's Rainbow as Finian (Irish Repertory)
  • A Class Act as Lehman (Manhattan Theatre Club)
  • An Empty Plate In The Cafe Du Grand Boeuf as Claude (Primary Stages)
  • Sail Away as Joe (Carnegie Hall)
  • Wall To Wall as Frank Loesser (Symphony Space)
  • Li'l Abner as Dr. Rasmussen (City Center Encores)
  • On The Town as Pitkin W. Bridgework (Public Theater/Delacourte)
  • In A Pig's Valise as Zoot/Gut (Second Stage)
  • Claptrap as Harvey (Manhattan Theater Club)
  • Bertrano as Louie/Momo (Primary Stages)
  • Confessions Of Billie as Conrad Gerhardt (Performing Garage)
  • Thirteen Days To Broadway as Cy (890 Studios)
  • Babes In Arms as Steve (Playwrights' Horizon)
  • Pinocchio as Fire Eater (Marionette Theater)
  • The Miser as Cleante (Greenwich Mews)
  • Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme as Dancing Master

Regional/Stock credits

Soundtrack
YearArtist/WriterSongFilmRole
1989Kevin Roth"Cosher Bailey's Engine"
"Camptown Races"
"Jesse James"
"Celito Lindo"
"No Business like Show Business"
"Polly Wolly Doodle"
"The Desperado"
"Home on the Range"
"Jamaican Farewell"
"Born on the Fourth of July"		Shining Time StationTito Swing
1990Lydia Maria Child"'Tis A Gift"Shining Time Station: 'Tis a Gift
1992Alan Menken & Howard Ashman"Prince Ali Reprise"
"Humiliate the Boy"
"Why Me?"		AladdinJafar
1994"You're Only Second Rate"The Return of Jafar
2001Randy Petersen & Kevin Quinn"It's Our House Now"Mickey's House of Villains

References
  1. "Inside the Magic podcast LIVE - Show 330 - July 31, 2011". Inside The Magic. July 31, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  2. "Jonathan Freeman Gets Hung Up at Sardi's". Playbill, Inc. April 11, 2002. Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
  3. "Lewis, Palmer, Scott, Burgess and More Will Join Boggess in Disney's Little Mermaid". Playbill, Inc. March 20, 2007. Archived from the original on April 1, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2008.
  4. "Tony Nominee Freeman Joins Broadway's MARY POPPINS". December 11, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2009.
  5. Jonathan Freeman Will Bring Jafar from Screen to Stage in Disney's Aladdin at 5th Avenue Archived 2011-07-28 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed Will Co-Star in Disney's Aladdin; Complete Cast Announced Archived 2013-10-04 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, Retrieved September 17, 2013
  7. "Dennis Stowe Will Succeed Original Aladdin Cast Member Jonathan Freeman on Broadway". January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
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