Todd Graff
Todd Graff (born October 22, 1959) is an American actor, writer and director, best known for his 2003 independent film "Camp" and his role as Alan "Hippy" Carnes in the 1989 science fiction film "The Abyss". Early life. Graff was born in New York City, the son of Judith Clarice (née Oxhorn), a piano teacher and choirmaster, and Jerome Lawrence Graff, a musician. His sister is actress Ilene Graff. Career. Graff is an alumnus both as a camper and counselor of the Stagedoor Manor performing arts summer camp in upstate New York. He sang on the original-cast  albums of "Sesame Street" (1970) and the follow-up "Sesame Street 2" (1971). He garnered fame in 1975 when he joined the cast of the PBS children's television series "The Electric Company". Playing the role of Jesse, a member of the Short Circus, he remained with the show to the end of its production in 1977 (replacing Stephen Gustafson). Graff's writing credits include "Camp", "Used People", "The Vanishing", and "The Beautician and the Beast". Graff acted in several films including "Death to Smoochy", "Dominick and Eugene", "Strange Days", "Not Quite Paradise", and "The Abyss". He was nominated for  a Tony Award for his portrayal of Danny in Broadway's "Baby" in 1984. He starred in the 1987 Off-Broadway musical "Birds of Paradise" as Homer. In 2006, Graff directed the stage musical "13" by Jason Robert Brown and Dan Elish at the Mark Taper Forum. In 2009, he co-wrote and directed the film "Bandslam". In 2012 he wrote and directed the film "Joyful Noise".