Grey, Joel (1932-…), is a popular American singer, dancer, actor, and director who gained success on both the stage and in motion pictures. Grey is best known as the master of ceremonies in the musical Cabaret. He won the 1966 Tony Award for his performance in the role on Broadway and won the 1972 Academy Award as best supporting actor in the film version of the show.
Grey was born in Cleveland on April 11, 1932. His real name was Joel Katz. His father, Mickey Katz, was a popular Yiddish comedian. Grey made his show-business debut at the age of 9 in his father’s act and was performing in nightclubs, cabarets, and on the stage as a teenager.
Grey made his New York stage debut in The Littlest Revue (1956) and appeared in several Broadway musicals and plays. However, he did not become a star until his appearance in Cabaret. Grey won praise as showman George M. Cohan in the Broadway musical George M! (1968). He also starred in the musicals Goodtime Charley (1975) and The Grand Tour (1979). He appeared in revivals of Cabaret in 1987 and the musical Chicago in 1996. Grey’s other motion pictures include Man on a Swing (1974), The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976), Kafka (1991), The Music of Chance (1993), and The Empty Mirror (1996). In 2011, Grey co-directed the Broadway revival of The Normal Heart (1985). It won a Tony Award for best revival of a play. Jennifer Grey, his daughter, is a motion-picture actress.
