Born in Flushing, New York, Ted Bassell grew up gearing up for a classical musician career. However after graduating in 1958 he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse and later appeared in the Broadway production of Same Time Next Year. He then began his 30 year acting career.

He appeared in at least 30 television productions including Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Breaking Up is Hard to Do and Don’t Drink the Water. Perhaps his best-known role was as Donald Hollinger, the steady but suffering boyfriend of Ms. Thomas’s character in That Girl, from 1966 to 1971.

More recently he worked almost exclusively behind the camera, most notably with the Tracey Ullman Show, (1987-90) which won an Emmy Award for best comedy variety series while he was a director. He also directed a feature-film remake of the 1960’s television series Bewitched with Penny Marshall’s production company, Parkway Productions.