He rose to prominence as a teen idol in the late s, appearing in the films Ode to Billy Joe , One on One and Ice Castles He subsequently garnered more fame for voicing the Beast in the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast and its numerous sequels and spin-offs. He has also worked as a television director, including six episodes of the sitcom Friends.
In addition to acting and directing, Benson is an activist in the field of heart research, having undergone four open-heart surgeries since age 28 to correct congenital aortic valve defects and related damage.
In , he published a memoir recounting his medical journey and numerous surgeries. Benson made his film debut with an uncredited role in Wait Until Dark as the Boy Tossing Ball and his Broadway debut in the play Zelda followed by the musical The Rothschilds In , he co-starred in The End and Ice Castles.
In , he costarred in The Chosen , based on the book of the same name by Chaim Potok. From the filming of this movie Benson implemented his training for the New York City Marathon , completing the race in Later in the s he voiced lead character J.
Marsh on the sci-fi cartoon series Exosquad. His novel Who Stole the Funny? Benson has been married to singer and actress Karla DeVito since July 11, The pair met while starring together in The Pirates of Penzance. While a teenager, Benson was diagnosed with a heart murmur caused by a bicuspid aortic valve defect. For six years after his second surgery, Benson had consistent struggles breathing.
