Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein

CountryUnited States United States
GenderMale
BirthdayJun 6, 1954
BiographyHarvey Forbes Fierstein ( FIRE-steen; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter, known for his distinctive gravelly voice. He gained notice for his theater work in Torch Song Trilogy, winning both the Tony Award for Best Play and Best Actor in a Play. He went on to win the Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical for La Cage aux Folles, then Best Actor in a Musical for playing Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, a role he reprised for the Hairspray Live! television special.

On film he reprised his role in the film version of Torch Song Trilogy (1988), appeared in Mrs. Doubtfire, Independence Day, and as the voice of Yao in both Mulan and Mulan II.

Fierstein also wrote the books for the Tony Award-winning musicals Kinky Boots, Newsies, and Tony Award-nominated, Drama League Award-winner A Catered Affair. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2007.

In 2025 he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award.

As one of the first openly gay celebrities in the United States, Fierstein helped turn gay and lesbian life into a viable subject for contemporary drama "with no apologies and no climactic suicides".

Fierstein's distinctive gravelly voice is a result of an overdeveloped vestibular fold in his vocal cords, essentially giving him a "double voice" when he speaks.

Biography from the Wikipedia article Harvey Fierstein. Licensed under CC-BY-SA. Full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
American Dad!
Running

American Dad!

In American Dad!, Stan Smith leads the all-American family in this animated sitcom filled with wild and crazy extremes. Everyday life is taken to the limit as Stan applies the same drastic measures used in his job at the CIA to his home life. Driven by machismo and the American dream, he often is blind to how horribly he fails at his attempts. This father might not know best, but he never stops trying.

NCIS: Origins
Running

NCIS: Origins

In NCIS: Origins, young Leroy Jethro Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.

Silent Witness
Running

Silent Witness

Expert forensic pathologists speak on behalf of the voiceless in this compelling crime drama.

GenreDrama, Crime
Swamp People
Running

Swamp People

The Swamp People featured in this History series are the proud descendants of French Canadian refugees who settled in the swamp region of Louisiana in the 18th century. Cameras follow members of this fiercely independent group as they struggle to preserve their way of life in the Atchafalaya Basin during the most important time of the year for them: alligator-hunting season.

Ghost Adventures
Running

Ghost Adventures

Are you ready for the lockdown?

Ghost Adventures crew -- Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley, and Jay Wasley -- is back to investigate the scariest, most notorious, haunted places in the world.

The trio will interview eyewitnesses and historians at each location, arming themselves with the stories of the ghosts they will later provoke and confront during their dusk-to-dawn lockdowns. (Note: They don't always come out unscathed!) Then they'll review and analyze their findings with some the most respected experts and specialists in the paranormal field.