Jonathan Freeman (born February 5, 1950) is an American actor and puppeteer. He is known for voicing Jafar in Disney's Aladdin franchise, as well as the Kingdom Hearts franchise and the 2011 Aladdin musical.
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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 sorcerer Jafar in Aladdin, a role he once said he is called in to reprise every 3 to 6 months, 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 Aladdin sequel The Return of Jafar and the Hercules crossover episode "Hercules and the Arabian Night".
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.
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.
Freeman began his run starring as Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on December 12, 2009.
Freeman also reprised his role as Jafar in the musical adaptation of Aladdin, which played at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre from July 7–31, 2011. After nearly eight years with the show, Freeman played his final performance with the company on January 23, 2022.
Filmography
Theatre work
Broadway credits
Aladdin as Jafar (Original Broadway Cast)
Mary Poppins as Admiral Boom and the Bank Chairman (Replacement)
The Little Mermaid as Grimsby (Original Broadway Cast)
Beauty and the Beast as Cogsworth (Replacement)
The Producers as Roger De Bris (Replacement)
42nd Street as Bert Barry
On the Town as Pitkin W. Bridgework
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as Mr. Bratt
She Loves Me as Headwaiter – Nominated – Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Platinum as Minky
Sherlock Holmes as Lightfoot McTague (Replacement – RSC Transfer)
Off Broadway credits
His Off Broadwat credits include:
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
Restoration Comedy as Sir Novelty (Seattle Repertory Theater)
A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge (Bay Street Theater)
You Can't Take It with You as Boris Kolenkov (Bay Street Theater)
An Empty Plate In The Cafe Du Grand Boeuf as Claude (Berkshire Theater Festival)
Peter Pan as Hook/Mr. Darling (Austin Musical Theater)
How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as Bert Bratt (La Jolla Playhouse)
Fortinbras as Claudius (La Jolla Playhouse)
Babes In Toyland as Gonzorgo (Houston Grand Opera)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as Marcus Lycus (La Jolla Playhouse/Orange County Performing Arts Center)
The Flowering Peach as Shem (Coconut Grove Playhouse)
Emigration Of Adam as Issac Kurtzik (Williamstown Theater Festival)
Gay Divorce as Teddy (Goodspeed Opera House)
The Student Prince as Hubert (Milwaukee Melody Top)
Can-Can as Boris
Arsenic and Old Lace as Jonathan (Meadowbrook Theater)
The Desert Song as Benny (Coachlight Theater)