Joel Grey

Joel married Jo Wilder in 1958. They have two children, Jennifer and James. Jennifer Grey is the actress of Dirty Dancing fame and James is a successful chef. Joel and Jo divorced in 1982.

Joel revealed his sexuality as gay in January 2015 and also explained how he faced difficulties while paying the Master of Ceremonies.

According to him, “I don't like labels, but if you have to put a label on it, I'm a gay man.”

Joel Grey was born Joel David Katz on 11th April, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, Mickey Katz, was a Jewish actor, musician and comedian while his mother was Goldie “Grace” (nee Epstein).

Joel attended the Alexander Hamilton High School while living in Los Angeles, California. Being from a family of actors, Joel too was attracted to acting at a very young age.

He began his acting career in the Cleveland’s Play House’s Curtain Pullers Children’s Theatre Programme at the age of 8. His first plays included ‘On Borrowed Time’, ‘Jack of Tarts’, and ‘Grandmother’s Slyboots’.

Joel Gray made his film debut in 1952 in the film ‘About Face’. His TV debut was in 1956 in ‘Producer’s Showcase’.

From 1952 to 1958, he appeared in TV shows like ‘Telephone Time’, ‘December Bride’, ‘The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom’, and ‘The Court of Last Resort’ before appearing in the popular ‘Little Women’ in which he played Theodore “Laurie” Lawrence.

A year later, in 1959, he played Billy the Kid, in the famous American Western TV series, ‘Maverick’.

Although he made his Broadway debut in 1951, his first successful play came in 1961. It was ‘Come Blow Your Horn’ by Neil Simon. After this, he worked in a few TV series like ‘Bronco’, ‘The Ann Southern Show’, ‘Lawman’, ‘Yes, Yes Nanette’, ‘77 Sunset Trip’ and others.

In 1966, he appeared in the Musical Play ‘Cabaret’ by Christopher Isherwood as Master of Ceremonies. His role was appreciated by many audiences and thus, a film adaptation of the play was made in 1972. He played the same role in the film and it won him many awards and nominations.

Joel Gray’s first book of his photography was published in 2003. It was called ‘Pictures I Had To Take’.His second book was called ‘Looking Hard At Unexpected Things’ and it was published in 2006. The third one, Images from MyPhone was published in 2009.

He held an exhibition of his work in 2011 at the Museum of the City of New York. It was titled ‘Joel Grey/ A New York Life’.

He published his 4th book in 2013 that featured the multilayered billboard of New York City. It was called ‘The Billboard Papers: Photographs by Joel Grey’.