Joel Grey was actually born as Joel David Katz on 11 April 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio USA, to Goldie ‘Grace’ and Mickey Katz of Jewish descent, and is an actor, musician and comedian, and is probably best known for his role of the Master of Ceremonies in both the stage and film adaptations of the musical “Cabaret”.
So just how wealthy is Joel Grey? Sources state that Grey has acquired a net worth over $10 million, as of mid-2017. His wealth has been accumulated through his involvement in the entertainment industry.
Joel Grey Net Worth $10 million
Grey attended Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, California. His acting career started during his teenage years, performing with the Cleveland Play House’s Curtain Pullers children’s theatre program. His early stage appearances included productions such as “Grandmother Slyboots”, “Jack of Tarts” and “On Borrowed Time”.
His foray into film and television began in the ’50s, landing roles in films such as “About Face” and “Calypso Heat Wave”, and appearing in television series such as “Producers’ Showcase”, “Telephone Time” and “Little Women”. His net worth started to rise.
The ’60s saw the young actor appearing on Broadway in productions such as “Come Blow Your Horn”, “Stop the World – I Want to Get Off”, “Half a Sixpence” and “George M!”, earning his first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical for the latter project. However, it was his performance as the Master of Ceremonies in the hit Broadway musical “Cabaret” in 1966 that brought Grey instant fame and earned him a Tony Award. All contributed to his wealth. He then reprized this role in the 1972 film adaptation of “Cabaret”, which brought him further critical acclaim and several awards, including Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. The film reinforced his popularity in the acting world, greatly improving his net worth as well.
Grey’s Broadway credits of this decade include the productions of “Goodtime Charley” and “The Grand Tour”. He also landed several big screen parts during this time, appearing in films such as “Man on a Swing” and “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution”. As for TV, he appeared in series such as “Ironside” and “Night Gallery”. His wealth grew larger.
Grey played Master of Sinanju Chiun in the 1985 film “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins”, earning nominations for a Saturn Award and Golden Globe Award, and the ’90s saw him landing parts in films such as “Kafka” and “The Empty Mirror”, and making appearances in series including “Dallas” and “Brooklyn Bridge”, earning an Emmy nomination for the latter one. Broadway credits of the time include the production of “Chicago”. Enjoying the status of a star, his net worth further increased.
Grey starred as Amos Babcock Bellamy in the film The Fantasticks” in 2000, after which he appeared in the films “Dancer in the Dark” and “Choke”. As for the small screen, he had recurring roles in the series “Touched by an Angel”, “Oz” and “Alias”. On Broadway, he played the Wizard of Oz in “Wicked”, Moonface Martin in “Anything Goes” and Ned in “The Normal Heart”. All added to his fortune.
Aside from his acting career, Grey is also a photographer, who has released four books of photographs. In 2016 he wrote a memoir called “Master of Ceremonies”.
Speaking about his private life, in 2015 Grey stated that he is homosexual, however, he was married to actress Joe Wilder from 1958 to 1982 – the couple has two children together, their daughter being actress Jennifer Grey, star of the iconic “Dirty Dancing” film.
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