Here is the biography of Cliff Bemis:
Cliff Bemis grew up on a dairy farm outside of Cleveland, Ohio, in rural Elyria. He graduated from Clearview High School in Lorain, Ohio, in 1966 and was inducted into the CHS Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame.
After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1970, Cliff established the Cliff Bemis Music Theatre Scholarship and received the 1998 Alumni Merit Award. He was an active member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and was inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa Honorary Fraternity.
Cliff built a successful career in Cleveland, performing in musical theatre, opera, and commercial acting. He was one of the original cast members of the musical "Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living in Paris," which played for over two years on Playhouse Square.
For seven seasons, Cliff was a regular guest artist at The Cleveland Play House and sang the National Anthem for the Cleveland Indians, Browns, and Cavaliers, as well as the Cleveland National Air Show.
In 1987, Cliff met actor Robby Benson and his wife actress/singer Karla DeVito, who encouraged him to move to Los Angeles. He continued to build his career, appearing in over 70 TV shows, including "Law and Order, SVU," "White Collar," and "Married With Children."
Cliff has also appeared in several films, including "Pink Cadillac" with Clint Eastwood, "Distinguished Gentlemen" with Eddie Murphy, and "Naked Gun 2 1/2." He co-starred in "Reunited" with Julie Hagerty, "Wonderful Town" with Lucie Arnaz, and "Au Pair II" with Gregory Harrison and June Lockhart.
Cliff made his Hollywood Bowl debut in the concert version of the musical "Mame" and originated the role of Ezekiel Foster/Mr. Snoring Man in Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." He has also released three instrumental CDs of favorite hymns titled "Hear My Prayer, Vol. I, II, and III."
In the early 1990s, Cliff became the TV spokesperson for the IHOP restaurant chain, appearing in all of the TV ads and making personal appearances across the USA and Canada. He is a long-time supporter of law enforcement and has served on the Board of Directors for the Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors.
Cliff has also been a volunteer at The White House during the Christmas holidays and has met both Presidents and First Ladies Bush and Clinton on several occasions. He resides in New York City, where he continues his acting and singing career.
