Born in Newark, New Jersey, Ted Prior and his two siblings were raised in a middle-class neighborhood. His father was a stand-up comic and his mother was an on-stage assistant to magician Harry Blackstone When Ted was five his parents divorced and his mother soon remarried. The family later decided to settle down and relocate to Baltimore, where his stepfather became an art teacher and his mother became a seamstress for local theater companies. Ted quickly became involved in the theater as a child actor. It became clear as the years went by that he also wanted to become a professional actor, and in 1979 he left for Los Angeles to embark on an acting career, which has lasted over 26 years.

He has enjoyed working in everything from feature film and television to commercials and stage work. His credits include starring roles in some 28 feature films and he has worked with such actors as Tony Curtis, Cher, Powers Boothe, Heather Locklear, Glenn Ford, Lance Henriksen, Robert Davi, David Carradine, Michael Ironside, Wilford Brimley, Sandahl Bergman, Stacy Keach and many more. In 2002 Ted started teaching acting with a longtime friend at the "Working Stage" in Hollywood, California. His experience both in front of and behind the camera has given him the ability to teach from the "reality of doing" perspective. Ted owns and runs "Next Level Acting Studios" in Santa Clarita, California, and is also a partner in the successful production company "All American Pictures". The company was formed in July of 2005 with two other veterans of the film industry, his brother David A. Prior and Bill Ferrell. Together these three have produced some 50 feature-length motion pictures and have a combined 80 years in the business.