Joel Grey

Joel Grey, born Joel David Katz on April 11, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio, is an iconic American performer whose career spans more than seven decades across stage, screen, and photography. From his earliest days at the Cleveland Play House’s Curtain Pullers, he displayed a precocious talent that carried him to New York’s Copacabana by age twenty, where his charismatic stage presence began to attract attention. Grey’s breakthrough came in 1966 when he originated the role of the Master of Ceremonies in the Broadway hit Cabaret, delivering a performance that combined sly menace with flamboyant charisma, earning him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He carried the same role to the 1972 film adaptation directed by Bob Fosse, a portrayal that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and cemented his status as one of the few artists to claim both a Tony and an Oscar for the same role. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Grey demonstrated remarkable versatility, appearing in a wide range of productions from George M! and The Grand Tour on Broadway to memorable film roles such as Master of Sinanju Chiun in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins and a part in Steven Soderbergh’s Kafka. In addition to acting, he pursued directing, co‑helming the acclaimed 2011 revival of The Normal Heart with George C. Wolfe, earning a Tony nomination for direction. Grey’s later Broadway work includes originating the Wizard of Oz in Wicked (2003) and returning as Moonface Martin in Anything Goes (2011), showing his enduring appeal. Beyond the stage, he is a celebrated photographer, publishing several books of his work and holding exhibitions that capture the spirit of New York City. Open about his sexuality, Grey has been an influential figure in the LGBTQ + community and continues to act, direct, and inspire new generations of performers.