Actor (Musical Theatre)
Joel Grey is an American actor, singer, and dancer whose transformative performance as the morally ambiguous Emcee in Cabaret became one of Broadway's most iconic roles, earning him a Tony Award and defining a career spanning seven decades.
Defining moments and milestones
Joel Grey began his career in vaudeville and musical theatre during the 1950s, gradually building a reputation as a skilled performer before achieving international stardom with his creation of the Emcee in Cabaret (1966), a role that earned him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and became the cornerstone of his legacy. His subsequent decades were marked by selective, high-profile appearances across Broadway, film, and television, including notable roles in George M! and The Wizard of Oz, while also establishing himself as a director and mentor to younger performers. Now in his nineties, Grey remains a revered elder statesman of American musical theatre, celebrated for his artistic integrity, technical mastery, and the indelible mark he left on one of the genre's most important works.
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Cabaret (1967); Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Cabaret (1973)
Beverly Hills High School
Recordings featuring Joel Grey in the Society index
Additional recordings will appear here as the catalog expands.