Our Inductees: Mimi Hines & Phil Ford

Biography

In 1958, they appeared on Jack Paar’s “Tonight Show”, which launched a succession of guest appearances on TV variety shows. They appeared as guests on the shows of Johnny Carson, Ed Sullivan, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin.

Mimi Hines (born July 17, 1933) is a Canadian singer and comedian best known for her appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show The Tonight Show and her work on Broadway. She succeeded Barbra Streisand in the original production of Funny Girl. In 1966, Hines succeeded Barbra Streisand on Broadway in Funny Girl, performing the role for eighteen months, after which she starred in touring companies of I Do! I Do! and The Prisoner of Second Avenue, as well as productions of Anything Goes, Never Too Late, The Pajama Game, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, No, No, Nanette and Sugar.

She played at Feinstein’s at the Regency in New York City. She appeared with the Los Angeles Pops Orchestra and starred in national tours of Sugar Babies and Nite Club Confidential and on a recorded salute to Johnny Mercer called Mostly Mercer.

Phil Ford (June 21, 1919 – June 15, 2005) was a vaudeville performer, musician, and comedian, whose career spanned over seven decades. He met his future wife, singer and dancer Mimi Hines in 1952, hiring her after his former female partner broke her ankle. They were married in 1954, his second marriage. Thus began the comedy and music team of Ford and Hines.

Phil was the writer of all of their comedy routines.

When Mimi was offered the role of Fanny Brice in the hit musical “Funny Girl” in 1965 (which was being vacated by Barbra Steisand), Ford

was given the part of Eddie to enhance the marquee value.

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