Jesus Christ Superstar (film) Jesus Christ Superstar (film) Jesus Christ Superstar is a 1973 American musical drama film directed by Norman Jewison and co-written by Jewison and Melvyn Bragg based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice rock opera of the same name. The film, featuring a cast of Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen, Bob Bingham, and Kurt Yaghjian, centers on the conflict between Judas and Jesus during the week before the crucifixion of Jesus. Neeley and Anderson were nominated for two Golden Globe Awards in 1974 for their portrayals of Jesus and Judas, respectively. Although it attracted criticism from some religious
Ted Neeley close friend Carl Anderson was touring also as a Judas understudy. Having also performed the title role in "Tommy" in Los Angeles, Neeley was led to reprise the title role in the film version of "Jesus Christ Superstar", directed by Norman Jewison, alongside Anderson as Judas. For his performance in the film, he received nominations for "Best Motion Picture Actor in a Musical or Comedy", as well as "Best Newcomer", at the 1974 Golden Globe Awards. In 1974, fresh from the success of "Superstar", Neeley released a solo album, "1974 A.D." (1974), and played the role of Billy Shears in