TED LANGE: ENJOY the RIDE

The former star of The Love Boat looks back at the long road he's traveled

- Susan Hornik

From 1977 to 1987, Ted Lange played cheerful bartender Isaac Washington, who dispensed tiki cocktails, advice and jokes in equal measure on The Love Boat. "We were like one big happy family," Ted tells Closer about his decade on the show. "It was a really special time in our lives, and all of us in the cast felt so grateful to be a part of the experience." While Ted, 74, is still recognized by Love Boat fans all the time, he's no one-hit wonder. Ted is also an accomplished playwright, director and a Shakespearean actor who studied at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. "Lynn Redgrave, who made a guest appearance on The Love Boat, suggested that I go because of my love of Shakespeare," Ted says. "She even wrote a letter of recommendation!"

You grew up in Oakland, Calif. How did you get into acting?

I took drama in high school, and my drama teacher suggested that I might have a career in show business.

One of your early successes was appearing on Broadway in Hair alongside Ben Vereen and Melba Moore.

Yes, I knew Ben and Melba in New York City during my "salad days." The fun moment is when we all acted together on The Love Boat!

What was the secret of The Love Boat cast's great chemistry?

We really knew each bother's sense of humor and thought of each other as funny. And we have stayed friends for all this time. Can you imagine how rare that is?

Very! I understand that you and Fred Grandy (Gopher) are especially close. 

We've had a close friendship, on set and off, for the past 40 years. We are both theater people. We started a production company recently with three other artists called Five for the Show. Our goal is to bring quality theater projects to the general public.

Have you done any shows together yet?