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Gwen Verdon
Born Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon
January 13, 1925(1925-01-13)
Culver City, California
Died October 18, 2000 (aged 75)
Woodstock, Vermont
Spouse(s) James Henaghan (1942-1947)
Bob Fosse (1960-1987)

Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon (January 13, 1925 – October 18, 2000) was an acclaimed Tony Award-winning American dancer and actress, known professionally as Gwen Verdon. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County California. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Woodstock is a town in and the shire town ( County seat) of Windsor County, Vermont, in the United States. Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse ( June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American Musical theater Choreographer and Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is an Art form that generally refers to movement of the body usually rhythmic An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works

Contents

Biography

Early life & career

Verdon was born in Culver City, California, the second child of Joseph William Verdon (December 31, 1896-June 23, 1978) and Gertrude Lilian Standring (October 24, 1896-October 16, 1956), who were British emigrants to the United States by way of Canada. Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County California. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page [1] Her brother was William Farrell Verdon (August 1, 1923-June 10, 1991). Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1923 ( MCMXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The Verdon family could be described as "showpeople. " Her father was an electrician at MGM Studios, and her mother was a former vaudevillian of the Denishawn dance troupe, as well as a dance teacher. An electrician is a Tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings and related equipment Vaudeville was a Genre of variety entertainment prevalent on the stage in the United States and Canada, from the early 1880s [2]

As a child, Gwen was afflicted with rickets, leaving her legs so badly misshapen she was called "Gimpy" by other children and spent her early years in orthopedic boots and rigid leg braces. Rickets is a softening of the bones in children potentially leading to fractures and deformity Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics (also spelled orthopaedics) is the branch of Surgery concerned with injuries to or conditions involving the Her mother put three-year-old Gwen in dance classes; ballet training strengthened her legs and improved her carriage. Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance

By age six, the redheaded Gwen was performing on stage as a tap dancer. She went on to study multiple dance forms, ranging from tap, jazz, ballroom and flamenco, to Balinese and juggling. At age 11, she appeared as a solo ballerina in the musical romance film The King Steps Out (1936), directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Grace Moore and Franchot Tone. Josef von Sternberg aka Jonas Sternberg ( 29 May 1894, Vienna, Austria &ndash 22 December 1969, Los WikipediaWikiProject_Opera#Infoboxes --> Grace Moore ( December 5, 1898 - January 26, 1947 Franchot Tone ( February 27, 1905 &ndash September 18, 1968) was an American Actor. She attended Hamilton High School in Los Angeles and also studied under the renowned ballet master, Ernest Belcher. Alexander Hamilton High School is a public High school within the Westside (Los Angeles County in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West While in high school, she was cast in a revival of Show Boat. A revival is a restaging of a former hit play at a later date Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book (based on a novel by Edna Ferber) and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein

Verdon shocked her parents and instructors when she abandoned her budding career at age 17 to elope with her first husband in 1942. Career is a term defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as an individual's "course or progress through life (or a distinct portion of life" In 1945, she appeared as a dancer in the movie musical The Blonde From Brooklyn. After her divorce, she entrusted her young son, Jimmy, to the care of her parents.

Adult career

Early on, Verdon found a job as assistant to choreographer Jack Cole, whose work was respected by both Broadway and major Hollywood movie studios. A movie studio (aka film studio) is in the established sense of the term a company that distributes films. During her five-year employment with Cole, she took small roles in movie musicals as a "specialty dancer". She also gave dance instruction to performers who eventually became stars, such as Jane Russell, Gene Kelly, Fernando Lamas, Lana Turner, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe. Jane Russell (born June 21) is an American film actress and Sex symbol. Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly ( August 23, &ndash February 2,) was an American Dancer, Actor, Singer, director Fernando Álvaro Lamas (January 9 1915 Buenos Aires, Argentina – October 8 1982 Los Angeles, California) was an Argentina -born Lana Turner ( February 8, 1921 &ndash June 29, 1995) was an Academy Award -nominated American Film Betty Grable ( December 18, 1916 &ndash July 2, 1973) was an American Dancer Singer, and actress Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson, June 1 1926 &ndash August 5 1962 baptized Norma

Verdon started out on Broadway as a "gypsy", going from one chorus line to another. A chorus line is a substantial group of Dancers who together perform Synchronized routines usually in Musical theatre. Her breakthrough role finally came when she was cast by choreographer Michael Kidd as the second female lead in Cole Porter's musical Can-Can (1953), which starred French prima donna Lilo. Michael Kidd ( August 12 1915 &ndash December 23 2007) was an American Film and stage Choreographer Cole Albert Porter (June 9 1891 &ndash October 15 1964 was an American Composer and songwriter from Peru, Indiana. Can-Can is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and a book by Abe Burrows. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Originally used in Opera companies " prima donna " is Italian for "first lady" Out-of-town reviewers hailed Verdon's interpretation of Eve in the Garden of Eden ballet as a performance that upstaged the show's star, who jealously demanded Verdon's role be cut to only two featured dance numbers. With her role reduced to little more than an ensemble part, Verdon formally announced her intention to quit by the time the show premiered on Broadway. But her opening night Garden of Eden performance was so well-received, the audience screamed her name until the startled actress was brought out of her dressing room in her bathrobe to take a curtain call. Verdon received a pay increase and her first Tony Award for her triumphant performance. The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented

With flaming red hair and an irreverent attitude, Verdon was considered the best dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s. She would forever be identified with her role as the vampish "Lola" in Bob Fosse's Damn Yankees (1955), which is based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant. Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse ( June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American Musical theater Choreographer and Damn Yankees is a Musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is a 1954 novel by Douglass Wallop. In the play, Verdon played a Devil's disciple who entices a baseball aficionado to sell his soul to play for the Washington Senators. Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr The musical ran for 1,019 performances. She won another Tony and went to Hollywood to repeat her role in the 1958 movie version, Damn Yankees, singing the memorable lyrics, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets. Damn Yankees is a Musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and "

In 1966, Verdon returned to the stage in the role of Charity in Sweet Charity, which like many of her earlier Broadway triumphs was choreographed by longtime husband Bob Fosse. This is the article on the musical For the 1969 film see Sweet Charity (film. The show became a Broadway cult classic and was followed by a movie version starring Shirley MacLaine, Ricardo Montalban, Sammy Davis Jr. and Chita Rivera. Shirley MacLaine (born April 24, 1934) is an American Academy Award -winning Film and Theater Actress, well-known Ricardo Gonzálo Pedro Montalbán Merino KCSG (born November 25, 1920) is a Mexican Television, Theatre, and Film Samuel George “Sammy” Davis Jr (8 December 1925 &ndash 16 May 1990 was an American Entertainer. Chita Rivera (born on January 23, 1933) is an American actress Dancer, and Singer best known for her roles in Musical theater Verdon helped choreograph the numbers, which included the legendary "Big Spender", the fast-paced "Rhythm of Life" and the show-stopping "If My Friends Could See Me Now".

She and estranged husband Bob Fosse collaborated on projects like Chicago (1975) (in which she played murderess Roxie Hart) and the musical Dancin' (1978), as well as Fosse's autobiographical movie, All That Jazz (1979). Chicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. Dancin is a musical Revue first produced in 1978 directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse, who won a Tony Award for the choreography All That Jazz is a Palme D'Or winning 1979 American Musical film directed by Bob Fosse. The year 1979 in film involved some significant events Events March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode She developed a close working relationship with Fosse's domestic companion, actress Ann Reinking, and instructed for Reinking's musical theatre classes. Ann Reinking (born November 10, 1949) is an American actress, Dancer, and Choreographer.

After playing Roxie Hart in Chicago, Verdon focused on acting, playing character roles in movies such as The Cotton Club (1984), Cocoon (1985) and Cocoon: The Return (1988). Cocoon is a 1985 Science fiction film, directed by Ron Howard about a group of elderly people who are rejuvenated by aliens Cocoon The Return is a 1988 science fiction Film that is the sequel to the feature film Cocoon. She continued to instruct dance and musical theatre and to act, including receiving three Emmy Award nominations for appearances on Magnum PI (1988), Dream On (1993) and Homicide (1993). Magnum PI is an American Television show starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a fictional Private investigator Dream On is a cult American adult Situation comedy about Martin Tupper a dreamer whose life is full of colorful characters For the American series see Homicide Life on the Street. Homicide was an Australian Police procedural Verdon appeared as the Alice's mother in the Woody Allen movie Alice (1990) and as Ruth in Marvin's Room (1996), co-starring Meryl Streep and Hume Cronyn. Woody Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; December 1 1935 is an American Film director, Writer, Actor, Comedian, and Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an award-winning American Actress who has worked in Theatre, Hume Blake Cronyn, OC ( July 18, 1911 – June 15, 2003) was a Canadian - American Actor of In 1999, Verdon served as artistic consultant on the stage biography of her late husband's life in theatre, the current stage musical Fosse, and her daughter Nicole received a "special thanks" credit. Fosse is a Tony Award winning three-act musical Revue showcasing the Choreography of Bob Fosse. The show received a Tony for best musical.

Verdon played Alora in the movie Walking Across Egypt (1999) and appeared in the movie Bruno, released in 2000. Walking Across Egypt is a 1999 coming-of-age Drama Film shot in the state of Florida.

Verdon received a total of four Tonys, for Can-Can (1953), Damn Yankees (1955), New Girl in Town (1957) and Redhead (1959), a murder-mystery musical. Redhead is a Broadway musical set in London in the 1880s around the time of Jack the Ripper. She also won a Grammy Award for the cast recording of Redhead. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

Personal life and death

Verdon had two husbands, tabloid reporter James Henaghan (married 1942, divorced 1947) and Bob Fosse (married 1960, his death 1987). She and Henaghan had one son, Jim Henaghan (born 1943); she and Fosse had a daughter, Nicole Fosse (born 1963). Nicole Providence Fosse (born March 24 1963) daughter of the late Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, is an American Dancer.

In 1971, Verdon filed a legal separation from Fosse (but never divorced) because of his extramarital affairs. Verdon was accompanying Fosse to the 1987 revival of Sweet Charity starring Donna McKechnie in Washington and held him in her arms when he suffered a fatal heart attack on the walk outside the theatre. Donna McKechnie (born November 16, 1940) is an American Musical theater Dancer, Singer, actress, and choreographer Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply

Verdon died quietly in her sleep in 2000 of a heart attack at the home of her daughter, Nicole, in Woodstock, Vermont, at the age of 75 [3]. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply Woodstock is a town in and the shire town ( County seat) of Windsor County, Vermont, in the United States. At 8 p. m. on the night she died, all marquee lights on Broadway were dimmed in tribute to one of its greatest and brightest stars.

Stage appearances

Filmography

Awards
Preceded by
Sheila Bond
for Wish You Were Here		 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
1954
for Can-Can		 Succeeded by
Carol Haney
for The Pajama Game
Preceded by
Mary Martin
in Peter Pan		 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical
1956
for Damn Yankees		 Succeeded by
Judy Holliday
in Bells Are Ringing
Preceded by
Judy Holliday
in Bells Are Ringing		 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical
1958
for New Girl In Town		 Succeeded by
Gwen Verdon
in Redhead
Preceded by
(tie) Thelma Ritter
in New Girl In Town
and
Gwen Verdon
in New Girl In Town		 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical
1959
for Redhead		 Succeeded by
Mary Martin
in The Sound of Music

References

  1. ^ Sweet Rarity | Gwen Verdon | Obituary | News | Entertainment Weekly
  2. ^ Gwen Verdon Biography (1925-2000)
  3. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0893862/ Gwen Verdon at the Internet Movie Database

External links

Alive and Kicking is a musical Revue with sketches by Ray Golden I Can-Can is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and a book by Abe Burrows. Damn Yankees is a Musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and New Girl in Town is a musical with a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill based on Eugene O'Neill 's 1921 Redhead is a Broadway musical set in London in the 1880s around the time of Jack the Ripper. This is the article on the musical For the 1969 film see Sweet Charity (film. Chicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. On the Riviera is a 1951 comedy musical film made by 20th Century Fox. David and Bathsheba is a 1951 historical Epic film about King David made by 20th Century Fox. "Dreamboat" is a Popular song, the words and music to which were written by Jack Hoffman (sometimes incorrectly attributed to Al Hoffman The Farmer Takes a Wife is a 1934 play by Frank B Elser and Marc Connelly based on the novel Rome Haul by Walter Gentlemen Marry Brunettes is a 1955 Musical film made by Russ-Field productions starring Jane Russell and Jeanne Crain, and Damn Yankees is a 1958 Musical film made by Warner Bros, a modern version of the Faust legend set in 1950 involving the Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the British rock band The Beatles. Tagline General information Stephen King's Creepshow is a 1982 anthology Horror movie directed by George A Legs is a 1983 TV musical Drama film starring Shanna Reed, Deborah Geffner and Maureen Teefy. Cocoon is a 1985 Science fiction film, directed by Ron Howard about a group of elderly people who are rejuvenated by aliens Cocoon The Return is a 1988 science fiction Film that is the sequel to the feature film Cocoon. Sheila Bond (born March 16 1928, New York City New York) is an American Actress perhaps best know for her 1953 Tony Award -winning Wish You Were Here is a musical with a book by Arthur Kober and Joshua Logan and music and lyrics by Harold Rome. This is a list of the winners and nominations of Tony Award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Can-Can is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, and a book by Abe Burrows. Carol Haney ( December 24, 1924 – May 10, 1964) was an American dancer and actress The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7-1/2 Cents by Richard Bissell. Mary Virginia Martin ( December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American Tony Award -winning star of stage film Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J The Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical is the Tony Awards award given to the actress who was voted as the best actress in a musical, whether a new production Damn Yankees is a Musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop and music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Judy Holliday (June 21 1921 – June 7 1965 was an American Academy - and Tony Award -winning Actress. This article is about the stage musical For the 1960 film see Bells Are Ringing Bells Are Ringing is a musical with Judy Holliday (June 21 1921 – June 7 1965 was an American Academy - and Tony Award -winning Actress. This article is about the stage musical For the 1960 film see Bells Are Ringing Bells Are Ringing is a musical with The Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical is the Tony Awards award given to the actress who was voted as the best actress in a musical, whether a new production New Girl in Town is a musical with a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill based on Eugene O'Neill 's 1921 Redhead is a Broadway musical set in London in the 1880s around the time of Jack the Ripper. Thelma Ritter ( February 14 1902 – February 5 1969) was an American Tony Award -winning character actress New Girl in Town is a musical with a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill based on Eugene O'Neill 's 1921 New Girl in Town is a musical with a book by George Abbott and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill based on Eugene O'Neill 's 1921 The Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical is the Tony Awards award given to the actress who was voted as the best actress in a musical, whether a new production Redhead is a Broadway musical set in London in the 1880s around the time of Jack the Ripper. Mary Virginia Martin ( December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American Tony Award -winning star of stage film The Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay The Internet Broadway Database ( IBDB) is an online Database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel
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