Mimi Hines, Star of ‘Funny Girl’ on Broadway, Dies at 91

As a movie lover who has had the privilege of witnessing the golden age of Broadway, I can’t help but feel a profound sense of loss with the passing of Mimi Hines. At 91, she was not just a performer, but a living testament to an era when talent, charisma, and raw emotion could captivate audiences like no other.


Mimi Hines, a renowned Canadian comedienne and stage actress, who took over from Barbra Streisand in the Broadway play “Funny Girl,” has passed away at the age of 91.

On October 21st, Hines passed away peacefully at her residence in Las Vegas, as confirmed by her long-standing legal representative, Mark Sendroff, due to natural circumstances.

Hines achieved her breakthrough in Hollywood by appearing on “The Tonight Show” with her deceased spouse, Phil Ford. Her emotional rendition of “Till There Was You” left Jack Paar, the show’s host at the time, in tears. The duo instantly became popular as a result. Subsequently, they managed to secure appearances on numerous other late-night shows and headlined nightclub acts across the country.

1965 saw Hines stepping into the role originally played by Streisand in the Broadway production of “Funny Girl,” a part she held for approximately 18 months. After her successful run with “Funny Girl,” Hines went on to feature in various national productions, including “I Do! I Do!”, “Prisoner of Second Avenue”, “Sugar Babies”, “Hello, Dolly!”, “Anything Goes”, “Never Too Late”, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”, “No, No, Nanette”, “Sugar”, “On The Twentieth Century” and “Nite Club Confidential”.

In the 1960s, Mimi Hines additionally put out three studio albums: “Mimi Hines Is a Happening”, “Mimi Hines Sings”, and “Stars for Defense”. These records were made alongside Ford. (Paraphrased)

Following her role as Mrs. Latimer on the NBC sitcom “Frasier” in 1999, Hines went back to Broadway, playing Miss Lynch in “Grease” and Hattie Walker in the New York City Center’s production of “Follies”.

Recently, Hines and Ford received a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame. An upcoming event has been planned to honor Mimi’s life, her career, and her collaborative work with Ford.

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2024-10-22 22:17