Saturday 6 June 2009

"Remember - I'm the pretty one!"



Very many happy returns to the fantabulosa and multi-talented Harvey Fierstein, who celebrates his birthday today!

Harvey is probably best known for his trademark gravelly voice and for his outrageous role as the drag queen Arnold in the brilliant Torch Song Trilogy. But how many people really appreciate the breadth of his talents?

He not only wrote and directed the original trilogy of plays upon which that film was based, but also wrote the book and lyrics for Jerry Herman's musical of La Cage Aux Folles, and not only is he a character actor on the big screen (in films such as Mrs Doubtfire and Independence Day) and on TV (including Cheers and voices for The Simpsons and Family Guy), but was the original Edna Turnblad in the Broadway musical Hairspray, wrote and performed in his own one-man stand-up comedy show This Is Not Going To Be Be Pretty, and also writes and campaigns regularly on gay rights issues. Whew!

Born and brought up in a liberal Jewish family in Brooklyn, Harvey ironically made his acting debut in Andy Warhol's play Pork... His theatre career blossomed from there, and he has the accolade of being the only individual other than the wonderful Tommy Tune to win Tony Awards in four different categories. His latest play A Catered Affair was a critical, if not commercial, success on Broadway, and I hope it comes to the West End some day.

He is a remarkable man - I love Harvey Fierstein!

As "Virginia Ham":


As "Edna Turnblad":


And here is a monologue that everyone should listen to!


Harvey Forbes Fierstein (born 6th June 1954)

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