Joel Grey
Biography
Joel Grey is an American performer who has worked as an actor, singer, dancer, photographer and theater director. He started in a children's theater program at the Cleveland Play House and made his Broadway debut in Borscht Capades. His breakthrough came when he originated the Emcee in Cabaret on Broadway in 1966, a role he repeated in Bob Fosse's 1972 film Cabaret and for which he won an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award. His films include Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985), Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson (1976), Kafka (1991), The Music of Chance (1993), The Fantasticks (2000), Dancer in the Dark (2000) and Choke (2008). On Broadway he played Amos Hart in Chicago, originated the Wizard of Oz in Wicked and played Moonface Martin in Anything Goes, and he co-directed The Normal Heart with George C. Wolfe. He received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2023.
94years old
Turns 95 on April 11in 151 days
- Born Cleveland
- Star sign: AriesThe sign runs March 21 to April 19
- Joel David Katz (birth name)Also credited as Joel Kaye and Joel Katz
Movie Career
- Films
- 20
- Career span
- 64 years1961 to 2025
Genres
- Comedy30%, 6 films
- Drama30%, 6 films
- Documentary25%, 5 films
- Musical20%, 4 films
- Crime15%, 3 films
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First role
At 10 years old, Grey began his career in the Curtain Pullers children's theater program at the Cleveland Play House. He appeared there in Grandmother Slyboots, Jack of Tarts and had a lead role in On Borrowed Time.
A role that slipped away
Fosse was brought in to direct the film version since Harold Prince could not do it. He wanted someone else as the Emcee, but the studio insisted on Grey.
Behind the camera
In 2011, Grey and George C. Wolfe co-directed a revival of Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart. Their work brought Grey a Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Play.
Behind the camera
In 2018, Grey took the director's chair for a Yiddish-language Fiddler on the Roof. It began at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, later moved to Stage 42 Off-Broadway, and became a surprise hit that ran over a year and earned the 2019 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical.
Joel Grey movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson1976as The Producer (Nate Salisbury)
IMDb rating 6.15.9K votes
Most often with
Three 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
Mandy Patinkin's page
Liza Minnelli's page
Chita Rivera's page
Box office
What Joel Grey's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$115 million
6 of the 20 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 20 films: 6 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 4 never in cinemas; 5 figure not found.
- 6Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 4Never in cinemas
- 5Figure not found
Highest grossing
The six biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$43M37.1% of the total
- 2$40M34.7% of the total
- 3$14M12.5% of the total
- 4$14M12.3% of the total
- 5$4.0M3.4% of the total
- 6$50K0.0% of the total
Awards
Nine awards and honors from 1967 to 2011, four of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1973 | Best Supporting Actor | Cabaret | Won |
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1972 | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Cabaret | Won |
| BAFTA | |||
| 1973 | Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles | Cabaret | Won |
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1967 | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2011 | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play | Won | |
| 1997 | Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Won | |
| 1972 | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor | Cabaret | Won |
| Drama League Award | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.