Who is Harvey Fierstein? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Harvey Forbes Fierstein

Age: 70 Years, 70 Year Old Males

Family:

father: Irving Fierstein

mother: Jacqueline Harriet (née Gilbert)

Atheists Actors

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

City: Brooklyn, New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers

More Facts

education: Pratt Institute

Recommended For You

1

Is Harvey Fierstein still alive?

Yes, Harvey Fierstein is still alive. He was born on June 6, 1952.
2

What is Harvey Fierstein known for?

Harvey Fierstein is known for his work as a playwright and actor, particularly in the realm of LGBTQ+ theater.
3

Has Harvey Fierstein ever been married?

Harvey Fierstein has never been married.
4

How did Harvey Fierstein get his start in acting?

Harvey Fierstein began his acting career in Off-Off-Broadway productions in the 1970s before gaining recognition for his role in the play "Torch Song Trilogy."

Recommended Lists:

Childhood & Early Life

Harvey Fierstein was born as the younger of two sons of Jacqueline Harriet, a librarian, and Irving Fierstein, a handkerchief manufacturer.

He took creative writing classes in high school and performed in drag. He also performed in drag at various small clubs as characters named ‘Virginia’, ‘Kitty’ and ‘Bertha’.

Continue Reading Below

Recommended Lists:

Tall Celebrities

Tall Male Celebrities

Gemini Actors

American Actors

Career

He got his first breakthrough when he was offered the role of an asthmatic lesbian in one of Andy Warhol’s few theatrical productions, ‘Pork’, in 1971. The play made its debut at New York’s La Mama Experimental Theater Club.

He soon began to write his own plays and his first production, ‘International Stud’ was performed at La Mama in 1972. The play told the story of a drag queen and was well liked by the gay community.

He decided to continue his education and enrolled at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn from where he earned his bachelor of fine arts in 1973. He taught for a brief period before returning to writing and acting.

Throughout the 1970s, he wrote, reworked and improvised his plays and performed in many of them. He wrote two plays, ‘Fugue in a Nursery’ and ‘Widows and Children First!’ which he would later combine to form a collection of plays.

In 1982, he combined three of his plays, ‘International Stud’, ‘Fugue in a Nursery’ and ‘Widows and Children First!’ to form the ‘Torch Song Trilogy’, which focused on a torch song singing drag queen, Arnold Beckoff. The play became immensely popular.

He wrote the book for the musical play ‘‘La Cage aux Folles’ in 1983. The book musical was based on a 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret.

Along with theater, he was also active in films during the 1980’s playing small roles in ‘Garbo Talks’ (1984), ‘Miami Vice’ (1986), and ‘Tidy Endings’ (1988).

During the 1990s, he was more active in movies than in theater and his movies for the decade include: ‘The Harvest’ (1992), ‘Mrs.Doubtfire’ (1993), ‘Elmo Saves Christmas’ (1996), and ‘White Lies’ (1997).

He starred as Edna Turnblad in the 2002 musical ‘Hairspray’ which was based on a 1988 film of the same name by John Waters.

Continue Reading Below

He played the role of Tevye in the fourth Broadway revival of the musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ which opened in 2004.

He appeared in movies such as ‘Common Ground’ (2000), ‘Death to Smoochy’ (2002), ‘Duplex’ (2003), and ‘The Year without a Santa Claus’ (2006).

In 2007, he wrote the book for the musical ‘A Catered Affair’ which was based on a 1956 film by the same name, and on a 1955 teleplay.

He wrote the book for the musical ‘Newsies’ by Disney Theatrical Productions, which made its Broadway debut in 2012.

Recommended Lists:

Actors Who Are In Their 70s

American Film & Theater Personalities

Major Works

His best known work is the play ‘Torch Song Trilogy’ (1982) which he wrote and starred in. It revolved around the story of Arnold, a gay drag queen and his quest for love and family. The play is semi-autobiographical in nature as it reflected the dreams and struggles of Fierstein himself.

He wrote the award winning book for the musical ‘La Cage aux Folles’ which was originally produced by the Broadway in 1983 and revived in 2004 and 2010. The play focused on a gay couple and the funny incidents that follow when they receive conservative guests.

He acted as an over-weight woman in the 2002 musical ‘Hairspray’, immediately becoming popular with the audience. The play was basically a commentary on the social injustices prevalent in America during the 1960’s.

Awards & Achievements

He won the prestigious Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre twice in 1983, one for Best Play and one for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for ‘Torch Song Trilogy’.

Continue Reading Below

In 2003, he won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Edna Turnbald in ‘Hairspray’.

His book for ‘La Cage aux Folles’ won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical twice in 2005 and 2010.

Personal Life & Legacy

He is homosexual and had relationships with Bruce Bibby and Joe Grabarz.

He is an outspoken gay rights activist who also writes about gay issues.

Facts About Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein is known for his distinctive gravelly voice, which has become a signature trait in his performances on stage and screen.

In addition to his successful acting career, Fierstein is also an accomplished playwright, having written and produced several award-winning plays.

Fierstein is a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights and has been openly gay throughout his career, using his platform to raise awareness and support for the community.

Despite his larger-than-life persona on stage, Fierstein is known for his warmth and kindness offstage, often taking the time to connect with fans and fellow artists.

In 2002, Fierstein made history by becoming the first openly gay actor to win a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role in "Hairspray."

Harvey Fierstein Biography

You wanted to know

Is Harvey Fierstein still alive?

What is Harvey Fierstein known for?

Has Harvey Fierstein ever been married?

How did Harvey Fierstein get his start in acting?