Broadway legend Hinton Battle, who originally played Scarecrow in 'The Wiz', has died

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Let's take a moment to remember a Broadway legend. Actor and choreographer Hinton Battle died this week at the age of 67.

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Battle is perhaps best known for playing the original Scarecrow in the Broadway production of "The Wiz."

Keep up with LAist.

If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.

Subscribe

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I WAS BORN ON THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY")

HINTON BATTLE: (As Scarecrow, singing) Yeah, they took the jacket and the pants, found a brown paper bag, and they filled it with straw. And to top off the drag, they gave me penciled-in eyes and a penciled-in nose. And they stuck me up there and said, strike me a pose.

SHAPIRO: "The Wiz" was just the beginning for Battle. He went on to win three Tony Awards for his roles in "Sophisticated Ladies," "The Tap Dance Kid" and "Miss Saigon."

KELLY: And Battle dazzled on screen, too, in movies like the 2006 "Dreamgirls."

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "STEPPIN' TO THE BAD SIDE")

HINTON BATTLE, JAMIE FOXX, EDDIE MURPHY AND KEITH ROBINSON: (As Wayne, Curtis Taylor Jr., Jimmy Early and C.C. White, singing) Steppin' to the bad side. Ooh, ooh, ooh. Going to take a mean ride. Ooh, ooh, ooh.

KEITH ROBINSON: (As C.C. White, singing) The smile I had is gone away.

BATTLE: (As Wayne, singing) Those that steal are going to pay.

BATTLE, FOXX, MURPHY AND ROBINSON: (As Wayne, Curtis Taylor Jr., Jimmy Early and C.C. White, singing) Steppin' to the bad side today.

SHAPIRO: He had a long list of television credits, including "Quantum Leap" and "Touched By An Angel." He even played a singing demon in a musical episode of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," compelling his victims to burst into song and dance.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER")

BATTLE: (As Sweet, singing) I come from the imagination, and I'm here strictly by your invocation. So what do you say? Why don't we dance a while?

KELLY: In a post on X, Stephanie Mills, who played Dorothy alongside Hinton Battle on Broadway, wrote, my dear Scarecrow, you've joined the heavenly cast. I will miss you forever.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HOME")

STEPHANIE MILLS: (As Dorothy, singing) Maybe there's a chance for me to go back now that I have some direction. It sure would be nice to be back home where there's love and affection. And just maybe I can convince time to slow up, giving... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.