{{short description|American actor (born 1974)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}} '''Jason Kingsley''' (born June 27, 1974<ref name="Winerip">{{cite news|last1=Winerip|first1=Michael|title=They'll Do It Themselves, Thanks|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/11RCover.html|accessdate=May 3, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=March 11, 2007}}</ref>) is an American actor who was born with Down syndrome. In 1975, Kingsley made his television debut on ''Sesame Street'' at 15 months old and appeared in 55 episodes.<ref>{{cite book|last=Davis|first=Michael|title=Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i3ilsEuFUkAC&pg=PT232|accessdate=May 3, 2016|date=December 26, 2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-1-4406-5875-4|page=232|quote=Just like ''Sesame Street'' itself, it all started with a preschooler. For in the early-to-mid- 1970s, Jason Kingsley blended with the other kids on set, appearing in fifty-five episodes as his charming, exuberant self.}}</ref> He also guest-starred in a 1984 episode of ''The Fall Guy'',<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gunther|first1=Marc|title=A Tv Breakthrough|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1989/07/26/a-tv-breakthrough/|access-date=May 3, 2016|work=Chicago Tribune|date=July 26, 1989}}</ref> and episodes of ''All My Children'' and ''Touched by an Angel''.<ref name="Winerip"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Dickman|first1=Irving|last2=Gordon|first2=Sol|title=One Miracle at a Time: Getting Help for a Child with a Disability|url=https://archive.org/details/onemiracleattime00dick|url-access=registration|accessdate=May 3, 2016|date=February 1, 1993|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=978-0-671-78934-3|page=[https://archive.org/details/onemiracleattime00dick/page/23 23]}}</ref>
Kingsley was born to Emily and Charles Kingsley. His mother is a writer for ''Sesame Street'' and his father was a painting contractor.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Farrell|first1=Mary H.J.|last2=Sugden|first2=Jane|title=Growing Up Down|journal=People|date=May 2, 1994|volume=41|issue=16|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20107982,00.html|accessdate=May 3, 2016}}</ref> Kingsley graduated from Lakeland High School in 1994, and passed all six special education Regents Competency Tests. In June 1997, he graduated from Maplebrook School, a post-secondary school for students with learning disabilities.<ref name="NYT">{{cite news|last1=Wetzler|first1=Cynthia Magriel|title=Meeting the Challenge of Down Syndrome|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/24/nyregion/meeting-the-challenge-of-down-syndrome.html|accessdate=May 3, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=August 24, 1997}}</ref>
In 1994, Harcourt Brace published ''Count Us In: Growing Up with Down Syndrome'', a book Kingsley co-wrote with friend Mitchell Levitz about their experiences with Down syndrome.<ref name="NYT"/>
==Television== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |- | 1975–19?? | ''Sesame Street'' | Jason | 55 episodes |- | 1984 | ''The Fall Guy'' | Jason | Episode: "The Winner"<ref>{{cite web|title=The Winner|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-fall-guy/episode-11-season-4/the-winner/201263/|website=TV Guide|accessdate=March 22, 2017}}</ref> |- | 1997 | ''Touched by an Angel'' | David | Episode: "An Angel by Any Other Name"<ref>{{cite web|title=An Angel by Any Other Name|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/touched-by-an-angel/episode-28-season-3/an-angel-by-any-other-name/100551/|website=TV Guide|accessdate=March 22, 2017}}</ref> |- | 2004 | Sesame Street | Himself | Episode: 4072 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|nm7138454}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kingsley, Jason}} Category:1974 births Category:Actors with Down syndrome Category:American actors with disabilities Category:American male television actors Category:Living people