Joel Higgins

Joel Higgins
Higgins in 1976
Born	Joel Franklin Higgins (1943-09-28) September 28, 1943 (age 73) Bloomington, Illinois, United States
Alma mater	Michigan State University
Occupation	Actor, singer
Spouse(s)	Stacy (? - present)
Children	Graham Higgins

Joel Franklin Higgins (born September 28, 1943) is an American actor and singer with a stage career spanning over 30 years.

A graduate of Michigan State University where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity, Higgins initially performed in coffee houses to help pay his way through school. After leaving with a degree in advertising and working for six months for General Motors, Higgins went to Europe to perform.

In 1968, Higgins enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at Camp Casey in Korea, serving as the Special Services Sergeant in charge of Entertainment. Following his Army days, he and several friends wrote a musical revue called The Green Apple Nasties. After leaving the Army, he sold the show to a producer and went on the road for two and a half years. During a performance in Louisville, Kentucky, Higgins was approached by a producer who asked him to play Sky Masterson in a local theater production of Guys and Dolls. He went on a 17-week tour of the Midwest in the role.

In 1973, Higgins landed the role of Vince in the first national tour of Grease, where he stayed for a year before leaving to join the pre-Broadway tryout of a new musical called Shenandoah. In 1975, he won the Theatre World Award for his role in the Broadway version of Shenandoah. In the same year, he began the role Bruce Carson in the CBS soap opera Search For Tomorrow, and in the following year he returned to Broadway for Music Is. In 1978, Higgins was featured in the role of Ben Gant in the Broadway musical Angel. While the show only ran for five nights, Higgins received a Drama Desk Award nomination for his performance.