Ted Liss

Once named the "enfante terrible" of the American stage prior to WWII, Ted returned from service in Alaska to open the Ted Liss Studio for Performing Arts in Chicago in 1946 (many of his early students were funded by money from the GI bill). He continued teaching acting, directing and commercial voiceover performance for 46 years until his death in 1992. Famous alumni of his studio include Tom Bosley (who cast Ted as "Bishop MacNee" in the pilot of his Father Dowling Mysteries (1989)), Robert Urich, and current stars Virginia Madsen and Billy Campbell. One of the eulogies at Ted's funeral was given by famous Chicago sportscaster Jack Brickhouse. At ceremony's end, Ted's family led the mourners in a rousing standing ovation. Though he appeared in two notable films (Child's Play (1988) and Somewhere in Time (1980)), Ted is best-known for his commercial voice overs, including the infamous "Willie Horton" commercial for George Bush in 1988 (which was done with some ambivalence by lifelong liberal Ted).