His birthday is September 20.

Personal:

When the WriterGroupie was in college, she had the singular experience of meeting Teddy Neeley. At the time she was inspired to write a poem about 'sitting in a theater next to Jesus'. Meeting this actor was one of the most overwhelming experiences the ActorGroupie has ever had.

Though almost 20 years older than when he first played the role of Jesus that the WriterGroupie had adored so early on, Teddy Neeley was as handsome as ever. Time had given his features a ruggedness that was incredibly appealing. And oh, those cheekbones and those beautiful eyes...

The occasion was a play readthrough of a friend of a friend of the WriterGroupie's mother. Teddy was in town to visit both the friend in the reading and the friend of the WriterGroupie's mother. The WriterGroupie, her mother and her friend drove to pick up Teddy from where he was staying. The WriterGroupie was so overwhelmed she literally could not speak to him throughout the entire car ride. Then she wound up sitting next to Teddy in the theater. The WriterGroupie sat through the play next to him trying not to tremble.

After the play, Teddy escorted the WriterGroupie and her mother while her mother's friend went to get the car. As Teddy shepherded them outside with an arm around both the WriterGroupie and her mother (in a friendly, protective gesture), the WriterGroupie was ready to collapse from nerves and was actually relieved when they started to walk towards the car. The WriterGroupie credits her mother for walking ahead towards her friend and the car, leaving the WriterGroupie to walk behind with Teddy and creating the opportunity for her to finally speak to him.

Upon doing so, she found him to be warm, charming, friendly and very definitely human despite her lifelong seeming deification of him. They had a long conversation about musicals, particularly the rock operas of the 70's. They spoke of Carl Anderson's recent appearance on the television show, Cop Rock. And suddenly the time was all too short and they were dropping him off again and he was gone. But the WriterGroupie is extraordinarily grateful to have had the chance to meet this talented and very nice man.

For the record, the WriterGroupie is only ever this much of a pile of mush meeting a performer when it is one of her loves from childhood. With other actors, she usually holds herself together much better than this!