Ted Lange

Theodore William Lange III (; born January 5, 1948) is an American actor, director and screenwriter best known for his roles as bartender Isaac Washington in the TV series The Love Boat (1977–1986) and Junior in That's My Mama (1974–75).

Early life, family and education Lange was born in Oakland, California, in 1948, the son of Geraldine and Theodore William Jr., both working in theatre and television. Lange graduated from Oakland Technical High School where he was class and student body president. He completed an associate of arts degree at Merritt Junior College in Oakland before majoring in Drama at San Francisco City College. At City College, Lange was particularly active on the theatre scene and named Best Actor by the Black Students Association. He also won a scholarship to the University of Colorado Shakespearean Festival in the summer of 1968. Lange is a directing alumnus of The American Film Institute.

Career Career beginnings After college, Lange started in theatre appearing in local Oakland productions and as guest artist in residence at the University of Santa Clara. Later, he joined the New Shakespearan Company, acting in plays at the University of California, Berkeley. He also performed in a one-man show, Behind the Mask: An Evening with Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Lange's first screen appearance was in the documentary film Wattstax in 1973. After appearing in the film Black Belt Jones in 1974, he portrayed Junior on the series That's My Mama before landing the role of the ship's bartender, Isaac, on The Love Boat in 1977, opposite Gavin MacLeod. After he left the show in 1987, Lange appeared in various films and in guest roles on 227, In the Heat of the Night, Evening Shade, Boy Meets World, The King of Queens, Scrubs, Drake & Josh, Psych, The Cleveland Show, and Are We There Yet?

In the early 1980s, following a letter of recommendation from Lynn Redgrave (whom he met on an episode of The Love Boat), Lange attended a summer school at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art to perfect his Shakespeare acting skills.

Directing and writing In 1977, he co-wrote the screenplay for the drama Passing Through, starring Nathaniel Taylor. During the run of The Love Boat, Lange also served as director and screenwriter of several episodes of the series. In 1999, Lange directed two episodes of Love Boat: The Next Wave, the UPN series based on The Love Boat. He also directed episodes of Moesha, Dharma & Greg, and Eve. In 2008, he directed the drama For Love of Amy.

Lange has also done extensive theater work as playwright and stage director. He has penned 17 plays, including George Washington's Boy, a historical drama about the relationship between the first president and his favorite slave, along with the comedy Lemon Meringue Facade.

Lange remained close to Gavin MacLeod, his acting mentor, who was a Palm Springs resident and saw his plays. In a 2014 interview with CBS New York, he said of his long-running friendship with him "Gavin lives in Palm Springs, I'm in LA. So, when I do my plays, he comes down and sees my plays or I'll go see what he's doing!" Lange also said in a 2017 interview with The Wiseguyz Show: "Oh yeah, sure, Gavin was wonderful. Gavin lives down here in Palm Springs and we're still tight, all of us, Gavin and Bernie and Jill; we still see each other. Fred lives in a different state, we're still close, we're still good friends."

"Ask Isaac" Before the American edition of FHM folded in 2006, Lange wrote a sex and advice column, titled "Ask Isaac", with adult film actress Jenna Jameson.

Celebrity Fit Club In 2006, Lange appeared in the fourth season of the VH1 reality show Celebrity Fit Club. He lost 28 pounds during the show's run.

Personal life Lange married Sheryl Thompson in 1978, and they divorced in 1989. The couple has two children, Theodore William IV and Turner Wallace Lange. His mother, Geraldine Lange, was a personal secretary to a San Francisco mayor and was public affairs director of KBHK-TV in San Francisco in the early 1970s. She also hosted programs on KBHK-TV. She died from COVID-19 on April 10, 2021 at the age of 96.

Awards For his work theater directing, Lange received the NAACP's Renaissance Man Theatre Award, the Heroes and Legends HAL Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Dramalogue Award. Lange has also been the recipient of the James Cagney Directing Fellow Scholarship Award from the American Film Institute along with the Paul Robeson Award from Oakland's Ensemble Theatre.

Filmography Film Year Film Role Other notes1973 Wattstax Himself Documentary film Trick Baby Melvin the Pimp Alternative title: The Double Con Blade Henry Watson 1974 Black Belt Jones Militant Uncredited 1975 Friday Foster Fancy Dexter 1977 Passing Through Co-writer 1978 Record City The Wiz 1987 Terminal Exposure Fantastic Alternative title: Double Exposure 1988 Glitch! DuBois 1989 Othello Othello Also director 1990 Penny Ante: The Motion Picture The Deacon 1991 Perfume George 1992 The Naked Truth The Flower Peddler 1998 Sandman Gnome 2000 The Redemption Reverend 2002 Is This Your Mother?2003 Banana Moon Prof. Williams Also co-producer Gang of Roses Bartender #22006 Uncle Tom's Apartment Pops National Lampoon's Dorm Daze 2 Celebrity Judge #22007 Last of the Romantics Cole Henderson Carts Sam 2008 Senior Skip Day Reverend Alternative title: High School's Day Off2009 Who Shot Mamba? Dr. Crazy The Adventures of Umbweki Airline Captain Boka For Love of Amy Director 2010 Bed & Breakfast Judge / Mediator 2011 Phil Cobb's Dinner for Four Old Friend Television Year Title Role Notes 1974–1975 That's My Mama Junior 39 episodes 1976 Mr. T and Tina Harvard 5 episodes 1977–1987 The Love Boat Bartender Isaac Washington 246 episodes, also director and writer1977 The Love Boat II Bartender Isaac Washington Television movie The New Love Boat Bartender Isaac Washington Television movie1979 Fantasy Island The Great Scott 1 episode Charlie's Angels Bartender Isaac Washington 1 episode1983 The Fall Guy Bartender 3 episodes, director Fantasy Island 1 episode, director 1984 Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer 2 episodes, director 1986 That's My Mama Now! Junior Television movie 1986 John Grin's Christmas Ghost of Christmas Present Television movie 1987 Starman 1 episode, director1988 Christmas Ghost of Christmas Present Television movie 227 Lou Wilson 1 episode In the Heat of the Night James Jeffson 1 episode 1989 It Nearly Wasn't Christmas Napoleon Television movie 1990 The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage Bartender Isaac Washington Television movie 1993 Evening Shade Mr. Taxerman 1 episode 1995 Platypus Man Mr. Angel 1 episode 1996 Weird Science Isaac 1 episode 1996–2000 Moesha Director, 5 episodes1997 Martin Bartender Isaac Washington 2 episodes Family Matters Frank Winslow 1 episode Boy Meets World Himself 1 episode1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Bartender Isaac Washington 1 episode The Wayans Bros. Director, 1 episode1999 L.A. Heat Frank Millan 1 episode Love Boat: The Next Wave Director, 2 episodes2001 Cody: An Evening with Buffalo Bill Director Dharma & Greg Director, 2 episodes2002 The Hughleys Mr. Henderson 1 episode Scrubs Mr. Blair 1 episode 2003 Half & Half Repairman 1 episode 2004 Eve Director, 1 episode 2004–2005 Drake & Josh Mr. Calvert 2 episodes2005 All of Us Director, 1 episode The King of Queens Himself 1 episode 2007 General Hospital Judge 2 episodes 2008 Psych Pookie 1 episode 2010 The Cleveland Show Himself (voice) 1 episode 2011 A Russell Peters Christmas Himself 1 episode 2011–2012 Are We There Yet?Ad Director / Captain2 episodes; also director 2012 Betty White's Off Their Rockers Various characters Main cast 2012–2015 Mr. Box Office Director, 33 episodes 2012–2013 The First Family Director, 23 episodes 2014 Maron Wise Stranger 1 episode 2022 The Real Love Boat Himself Video Games Year Title Voice Notes 1996 You Don't Know Jack Volume 2 Himself