Harvey Fierstein
Biography
Harvey Fierstein is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter who was born in Brooklyn in 1952. He started out in theater with the Gallery Players of Park Slope, where he was a founding member, before writing and starring in Torch Song Trilogy, which earned him Tony Awards for best play and for best actor in a play. He reprised that role in the film Torch Song Trilogy (1988). He won another Tony for the book of La Cage aux Folles, and later a Tony for playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray; he returned to that role for the television special Hairspray Live! (2016). His films include Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Independence Day (1996), and the voice of Yao in Mulan (1998) and Mulan II (2004). He narrated The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), wrote books for Kinky Boots and Newsies, and in 2007 entered the American Theater Hall of Fame. In 2025 he received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award.
74years old
Turns 75 on June 6in 236 days
- Born Brooklyn
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
- Also credited as Harvey Forbes Fierstein
Movie Career
- Films
- 22
- Career span
- 38 years1984 to 2022
Genres
First and latest
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First role
Fierstein started in the theater by helping found the Gallery Players of Park Slope. He was later cast in Pork, the only play Andy Warhol wrote.
Harvey Fierstein movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Tony Bancroft directed two of these films, Danny DeVito two. Sixteen actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Wallace Shawn's page
Robin Williams's page
Danny DeVito's page
Anne Bancroft's page
All films by Tony Bancroft
Also two films together10 more actors
- Pat MoritaMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- BD WongMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- Chris KattanFoodfight! (2012) and The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006)
- June ForayMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- Gedde WatanabeMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- Soon-Tek OhMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- Ming-Na WenMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- Freda Foh ShenMulan II (2004) and Mulan (1998)
- Billy EichnerBros (2022) and Hairspray Live! (2016)
- Lisa JakubIndependence Day (1996) and Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Harvey Fierstein's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$1.7 billion
12 of the 22 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 22 films: 12 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 3 never in cinemas; 2 figure not found.
- 12Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 3Never in cinemas
- 2Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$817M49.0% of the total
- 2$441M26.5% of the total
- 3$304M18.3% of the total
- 4$37M2.2% of the total
- 5$19M1.2% of the total
- 6$15M0.9% of the total
- 7$13M0.8% of the total
- 8$8.4M0.5% of the total
$11.1 millionfrom the other 4 films with a worldwide figure, 1% of the total
Awards
Ten awards and honors from 1983 to 2016, three of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | |||
| 2003 | Best Actor in a Musical | Won | |
| 1984 | Best Book of a Musical | La Cage aux Folles | Won |
| 1983 | Best Actor in a Play | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2016 | VH1 Trailblazer Honors | Won | |
| 1983 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play | Won | ||
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play | Won | ||
| Hull-Warriner Award | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.