Hinton Battle, three-Time Tony-winning actor, dancer, and Broadway icon who originated the role of "Scarecrow" in "The Wiz," passed away at 67 years old last Monday, Jan. 29, after a long illness.
The actor's representative confirmed his death to USA TODAY in an emailed statement on Jan. 31, adding that his family wishes not to disclose the exact nature of his passing.
Long-time collaborator and Battle's dear friend Debbie Allen wrote a tribute on Instagram, saying, "He fought this battle to live and be creative impacting audiences and young people across the globe."
"Let us always hold him high in our hearts and in our mind's eye and forever speak his name," she added.
The Illustrious Stage Career of Hinton Battle
Battle was born to a US Army Officer and his wife in West Germany. He displayed an aptitude for the arts and movement at a young age, which prompted the start of his three-year-long education at the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet.
He eventually earned a training scholarship at the School of American Ballet and studied under the tutelage of George Balanchine.
At age 18, Battle made his Broadway debut as the original "Scarecrow," which served as a career-setting breakthrough for the then-young actor. Following his performance, he developed acclaim for his frenetic and mesmerizing style of dancing.
Later on, Battle attracted the attention of some of the industry's most influential choreographers at the time and eventually worked with them, including Bob Foss in the inaugural production of "Dancin'" and Michael Bennett in the original production of "Dreamgirls."
The actor would also go on to receive his three Tony wins after originating three tonally different but equally impressive roles in the productions of "Sophisticated Ladies," "The Tap Dance Kid," and "Miss Saigon."
His wins as Best Featured Actor in a Musical for these roles also cemented him as the most-awarded in the category's long-standing history within the prestigious ceremony.
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Winton Battle's Iconic Work in TV and Film
Aside from his distinguished career on Broadway, Battle also developed prominence as a choreographer for known TV and film productions. For one, he staged the fan-favorite musical episode of the series "Buffy The Vampire," which was dubbed "Once More With Feeling."
He also contributed choreography work on the sitcoms "Fired Up," "Sister Sister," "The Trouble with Normal," and "The Boys." For commercial work, Battle choreographed for Warner Brothers, Coca-Cola, Chicago's The Millie Hotel, and New York Top Appliances.
Battle returned to the prestigious stages of award ceremonies, specifically, as an Associate Choreographer for the 65th and 66th Academy Awards alongside Debbie Allen. Coincidentally, he also choreographed for The Golden Globes.
He also contributed choreography for Outkast's film musical called "Idlewild." Then, he worked on another film named "The Buddy Bolden Story," which is about the man who originated American jazz, alongside Wynton Marsalis.
Perhaps one of his proudest achievements, however, is the founding of the Hinton Battle Dance Academy which was based in Japan. Battle worked with Yoshimoto Kogyo to co-found the institution and taught countless students about the entertainment industry and life as a whole. The company closed its operations in 2021.
Battle is currently survived by his sisters, Eddie and Lettie.
