Hinton Battle

About

Acclaimed actor and dancer who originated the role of The Scarecrow in the Broadway production of The Wiz, and received Tony Awards for his performances in Sophisticated Ladies, The Tap Dance Kid, and Miss Saigon.

Before Fame

As a young boy he studied ballet, first at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet and then at The School of American Ballet under George Balanchine.

Trivia

As a choreographer, his work has been featured on the hit TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sister, Sister, the Golden Globe Awards, and the Academy Awards. He wrote a children's book and was working on his autobiography before his death at 67. 

Family Life

His mother was a homemaker and his father was a United States Army officer, and though he was born in West Germany, he was raised in Washington, D.C. and New York City. 

Associated With

He and Stephanie Mills starred in the original Broadway cast of The Wiz.