Gerome Bernard Ragni (September 11, 1942 - July 10, 1991) was an American actor, singer and songwriter, best known as the co-author of the groundbreaking 1960s rock musical HAIR. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of ten children from a poor Italian family, though others say the birth took place in Canada. When he was 5 years old, he began painting crazy, beautiful pictures all over the walls of his family's house and his parents couldn't stop him. Even then, he believed he was a genius. ...show more

Gerome Bernard Ragni (September 11, 1942 - July 10, 1991) was an American actor, singer and songwriter, best known as the co-author of the groundbreaking 1960s rock musical HAIR. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, one of ten children from a poor Italian family, though others say the birth took place in Canada. When he was 5 years old, he began painting crazy, beautiful pictures all over the walls of his family's house and his parents couldn't stop him. Even then, he believed he was a genius.

That belief made him tireless. He attended Georgetown University and The Catholic University of America. It was at the latter that he found a flair for the dramatic and he began studying acting with Philip Burton. Gerry made his acting debut in Washington, DC in 1954, playing Father Corr in Shadow and Substance.

From then on, he acted whenever he could find work. In 1963, he appeared in the New York production of the hit play War at the Village South Theatre, for which he won the Barter Theatre Award for Outstanding Actor. On May 18 of that year, he married his longtime girlfriend Stephanie. They had a son, Erick, soon after. ...show less