Friday, March 21, 2008

Out in Film: Harvey Fierstein

Idol worship: Harvey Fierstein, actor/writer.

- He has been nominated for a Tony Award four times in four different categories -- and won each time: as actor and playwright of Torch Song Trilogy, as librettist for La Cage aux Folles and as actor for his legendary performance as Edna Turnblad in the musical Hairspray; he is tied with Tommy Tune as the most categorically diverse Tony winner ever.

- Other stage works include the ill-fated Peter Allen musical Legs Diamond, Safe Sex, Spookhouse and Forget Him; he also played Tevye in the most recent revival of Fiddler on the Roof.

- In addition to reprising his starring role in the movie version of Torch Song, he has co-starred in Garbo Talks, Mrs. Doubtfire, Bullets Over Broadway, Independence Day and Mulan; he also narrated the Oscar winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk and appeared in The Celluloid Closet.

- Television guest shots include The Simpsons; Murder, She Wrote; Ellen; The Larry Sanders Show; Sesame Street and Cheers, receiving an Emmy nomination for the latter.

- He will return to the Great White Way later this month with A Catered Affair, a new musical based on the Bette Davis movie The Catered Affair. In addition to starring, he also wrote the book; could two more Tonys be in his future?

1 comment:

Bette Dillinger said...

But you forget his great voice in "Queer Duck". What a forgotten hilarious treasure that little animated movie is!
xo
Bette