Gwen Verdon
Gwen Verdon | |
---|---|
Born | Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon January 13, 1925[1] Culver City, California, U.S. |
Died | October 18, 2000 Woodstock, Vermont, U.S. | (aged 75)
Occupation(s) | Actress, dancer |
Years active | 1936–2000 |
Spouses |
|
Children | 2, including Nicole Fosse |
Gwyneth Evelyn "Gwen" Verdon (January 13, 1925 – October 18, 2000) was an American actress and dancer. She won four
Her second husband was director-choreographer Bob Fosse. The couple collaborated on a number of theater and film projects. After Fosse's death, she worked to preserve his legacy.[2]
Early life
Verdon was born in
As a toddler, she suffered from
By age six, she was dancing on stage. She went on to study multiple dance forms, ranging from tap, jazz, ballroom and flamenco to Balinese. She also studied juggling. At age 11, she appeared as a solo ballerina in the musical romance film
In 1942, Verdon's parents asked her to marry family friend and tabloid reporter James Henaghan after he got her pregnant at 17 years old, and she quit her dancing career to raise their child.
Career
Early on, Verdon found a job as assistant to choreographer
Verdon started out on Broadway going from one
Verdon's biggest critical and commercial success was her following show, George Abbott's Damn Yankees (1955), based on the novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant. The musical ran for 1,019 performances. Verdon won another Tony and went to Hollywood to repeat her role in the 1958 movie version Damn Yankees, famously singing "Whatever Lola Wants". (Fosse can be seen partnered with her in the original mambo duet "Who's Got the Pain".)[citation needed]
Verdon won another Tony for her performance in the musical New Girl in Town as a hard-luck girl fleeing from her past as a prostitute. She won her fourth Tony for the murder-mystery musical Redhead, Fosse's Broadway debut as a director/choreographer. In 1960, Fosse and Verdon wed.[10]
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 and directed by husband Fosse. The show is loosely based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria. It was followed by a movie version starring Shirley MacLaine as Charity, featuring Ricardo Montalbán, Sammy Davis Jr. and Chita Rivera, with Fosse at the helm of his very first film as director and choreographer. Verdon helped with the choreography. The numbers include the famed "Big Spender", "Rhythm of Life", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", and "I'm a Brass Band". Verdon also traveled to Berlin to help Fosse with Cabaret, the musical film for which he won an Oscar for Best Director.[citation needed]
Although estranged as a couple, Verdon and Fosse continued to collaborate on projects such as the musical Chicago (1975) (in which she originated the role of murderess Roxie Hart) and the musical Dancin' (1978), as well as Fosse's autobiographical movie All That Jazz (1979).[11] The helpmate/peer played by Leland Palmer in that film is based on the role Verdon played in Fosse's real life. She also developed a close working relationship with Fosse's partner, Broadway dancer Ann Reinking, and was an instructor for Reinking's musical theatre classes.[citation needed]
After originating the role of Roxie opposite
In 1997 Verdon appeared in an episode of
Verdon played Alora in the movie
Verdon was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1981.[13] In 1998, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts.[14]
Personal life
Verdon was married twice and had two children. She married tabloid reporter James Archibald Henaghan in 1942. They had a son, Jim, the following year and divorced in 1947. In 1960, Verdon married choreographer Bob Fosse. They had a daughter, Nicole, in 1963. Fosse's extramarital affairs put a strain on their marriage, and by 1971, Verdon and Fosse were separated, but never divorced. She was involved in relationships with actor Scott Brady and actor Jerry Lanning, son of Roberta Sherwood.[15] Verdon was with Fosse when he suffered a fatal heart attack at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., in September 1987.[16]
Verdon was a cat fancier, having up to six cats at one time, with the pets carrying names such as "Feets Fosse", "Junie Moon", and "Tidbits Tumbler Fosse".[17]
Verdon was a mental health-care advocate; later in life, she openly spoke about the positive effects of mental-health counseling. Along with teaching dance as a form of therapy, she sat on the board of directors for the New York Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, and actively raised funds to support mental health-care research.[18]
She also stated to be a big fan of baseball, and went to day games with her scout son. [19]
Popular culture
Death and legacy
Verdon died from a heart attack on October 18, 2000, aged 75, at her daughter's home in Woodstock, Vermont.[23][24][10] Later that night, at 8 pm, all marquee lights on Broadway were dimmed in a tribute to Verdon.[10]
Work
Stage
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | Alive and Kicking | Herself | Musical revue |
1953 | Can-Can | Claudine/Eve | Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical |
1955 | Damn Yankees | Lola | Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical |
1957 | New Girl in Town | Anna | Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical |
1959 | Redhead | Essie Whimple | Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical |
1966 | Sweet Charity | Charity Hope Valentine | Nominated – Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical |
1972 | Children! Children! | Helen Giles | Only played one performance (13 previews) |
1975 | Chicago | Roxie Hart | Nominated – Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical |
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1936 | The King Steps Out | Specialty Ballerina | Uncredited |
1941 | The Girl After My Heart | Specialty Ballerina | Credited as "Gwen Verdun" [sic] a featurette by Roy Mack |
1943 | Hoosier Holiday | Cheerleader | Uncredited |
1945 | Blonde from Brooklyn | Girl in Nightclub | Uncredited |
1951 | On the Riviera | Specialty Dancer | Uncredited |
1951 | David and Bathsheba | Specialty Dancer | Uncredited |
1951 | Meet Me After the Show | Sappho | Uncredited prominent dancer in "No Talent Joe" |
1952 | Dreamboat | Girl | Uncredited |
1952 | The Merry Widow | Specialty Can-Can Dancer | Uncredited |
1953 | The I Don't Care Girl | Specialty Dancer | Uncredited |
1953 | The Mississippi Gambler | Voodoo Dancer | Uncredited |
1953 | The Farmer Takes a Wife | Abigail | Uncredited |
1955 | Gentlemen Marry Brunettes | Specialty Dancer | Uncredited |
1958 | Damn Yankees |
Lola | |
1978 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | Our Guests at Heartland | |
1982 | Creepshow | Voice of Lenora Castonmeyer | Uncredited |
1984 | The Cotton Club | Tish Dwyer | |
1985 | Cocoon | Bess McCarthy | |
1987 | Nadine | Vera | |
1988 | Cocoon: The Return | Bess McCarthy Selwyn | |
1990 | Alice | Alice's mother | |
1994 | Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All | Etta Pell, Nursing Home Resident | |
1996 | Marvin's Room | Ruth Wakefield | |
1999 | Walking Across Egypt | Alora | |
2000 | Bruno | Mrs. Drago |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1954 | Goodyear Playhouse | Shirley Kochendorfer | Episode: "Native Dancer" |
1972 | Love, American Style | Estelle Mayberry | Segment: "Love and the New Act" |
1973 | The $10,000 Pyramid |
Celebrity Guest | Week of October 22–26, playing against Godfrey Cambridge[25] |
1981 | M*A*S*H | Brandy Doyle (USO performer) | Episodes: "That's Show Biz" (two episodes, Parts 1 and 2) |
1982 | Fame | Melinda MacNeil | Episode: "Come One, Come All" |
1982 | All My Children | Judith Kingsley Sawyer | Unknown episodes |
1983 | Legs | Maureen Comly | Television movie |
1984 | The Jerk, Too | Bag Lady | Television movie; uncredited |
1984 | Gimme a Break! | Lily | Episode: "The Center" |
1985 | Trapper John, M.D. | Ms. Taylor | Episode: "All the King's Horses" |
1985 | Kids Incorporated | Ruth | Episode: "Grandma, Won't You Dance with Me" |
1985–1988 | Magnum, P.I. | Katherine Peterson | 5 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
1986 | The Equalizer | Kelly Sterling | Episode: "Unnatural Causes" |
1986 | All Is Forgiven | Bonita Harrell | Episode: "I Can't Say No" |
1986–1988 | Webster | Aunt Charlotte | 3 episodes |
1987 | Hotel |
Iris Lloyd | Episode: "Second Thoughts" |
1989 | Dear John |
Yvonne | Episode: "The Second Time Around" |
1990 | Paris is Burning | Herself | Uncredited |
1992 | Dream On | Kitty Brewer | Episode: "For Peter's Sake" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series |
1993 | Homicide: Life on the Street | Jessie Doohen | Episode: "Ghost of a Chance" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
1993 | Key West | Sister Grace | Episode: "Gimme Shelter" |
1994 | The Cosby Mysteries | Yolanda | 2 episodes |
1996 | In Cold Blood | Sadie Truitt | 2 episodes |
1997 | Touched by an Angel | Lorraine McCully | Episode: "Missing in Action" |
1997–1999 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Maisie Whitman | 2 episodes |
1998 | Promised Land | Karen Hatcher | Episode: "Undercover Granny" |
Music
In 1956, Verdon released an album titled The Girl I Left Home For. The album includes her covers of popular jazz standards of the time.[26]
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1953 | Theatre World Award | Can-Can | Won | ||
1954 | Tony Award
|
Best Featured Actress in a Musical | Won | ||
1956 | Best Leading Actress in a Musical | Damn Yankees | Won | ||
1958 | New Girl in Town † | Won | |||
1959 | Redhead | Won | |||
1966 | Sweet Charity | Nominated | |||
1976 | Chicago | Nominated | |||
1960 | Grammy Award
|
Best Broadway Show Album | Redhead †† | Won | |
1959 | BAFTA Awards
|
Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles | Damn Yankees
|
Nominated | |
1966 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Performance
|
Sweet Charity | Won | |
1979 | Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award | Choreography | Dancin' ††† | Won | |
1988 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Magnum, P.I. | Nominated | |
1993 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Dream On
|
Nominated | ||
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Nominated | |||
1997 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role | Marvin's Room | Nominated | |
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated |
† Tied with co-star Thelma Ritter
†† Tied with Ethel Merman for Gypsy
††† Shared with Bob Fosse
References
- ISSN 0551-0678. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
Ms. Verdon was born to Joseph William and Gertrude Verdon on Jan. 13, 1925, in Culver City, CA.
- ^ Miller, Julie (April 9, 2019). "Inside Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse's Unconventional Marriage". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- ^ Pacheco, Patrick (November 3, 2000). "Remembering Gwen Verdon". Entertainment Weekly. New York City: Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
- ^ Birthdata, californiabirthindex.org; accessed June 24, 2015.
- ^ Miller, Julie (April 24, 2019). "'Fosse/Verdon' Reveals the Sad Secret of Gwen Verdon's First Marriage". Vanity Fair. New York City: Condé Nast. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) - Trivia - IMDb, retrieved March 11, 2024
- ^ Levine, Debra (August 9, 2009). "Moving Marilyn Monroe". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ "Jack Cole: The 'scary' dancer who made Marilyn sparkle". April 10, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ "Gwen Verdon #5" youtube.com, retrieved June 4, 2019
- ^ a b c Berkvist, Robert (October 19, 2000). "Gwen Verdon, Redhead Who High-Kicked Her Way to Stardom, Dies at 75". The New York Times. New York City.
- ^ a b Thulin, Lila. "How Broadway Legends Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon Made Headlines Long Before 'Fosse/Verdon'". Smithsonian. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
- ^ "2ND Annual Grammy Awards (1959) Redhead" grammy.com, retrieved June 4, 2019
- ^ "26 Elected to the Theater Hall of Fame". The New York Times, March 3, 1981.
- ^ Lifetime Honors – National Medal of Arts Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine, nea.gov; accessed June 24, 2015.
- ^ "Scott Brady And Gwen Verdon News Photo" gettyimages.com, January 10, 1955
- ^ Molotsky, Irvin. "Bob Fosse, Director and Choreographer, Dies" The New York Times, September 24, 1987
- ^ Cat People, Bill Hayward, introduction by Rogers E. M. Whitaker. New York: Dolphin/Doubleday, 1978 (p. 70)
- ^ Taylor, Clarke. "Separated but Still Mated Professionally" People, Vol.3, No.4, June 23, 1975
- ^ ""Gwen Verdon: too hot for Hollywood?" Tempo News, 1955". The Verdon Fosse® Legacy. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ Fosse/Verdon (Biography, Drama, Music), Sam Rockwell, Michelle Williams, Norbert Leo Butz, FX Productions, The VerdonFosse Legacy, West Egg Studios, April 9, 2019, retrieved April 19, 2024
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Schubak, Adam (March 1, 2019). "Everything You Need to Know About Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon". ELLE. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "Fosse/Verdon". Television Academy. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ Kuchwara, Michael (October 19, 2000). "Gwen Verdon, Broadway's Lola, Sweet Charity and Roxie Hart, dies at 75". Associated Press.
- Playbill. New York City: Playbill Inc.
- ^ " 10,000 Pyramid Gwen Verdon & Godfrey Cambridge, Aired Oct 22, 1973" tv.com, retrieved June 4, 2019
- ^ " The Girl I Left Home For RCA Victor LPM-1152" discogs.com, retrieved June 4, 2019
External links
- Gwen Verdon at IMDb
- Gwen Verdon at the Internet Broadway Database
- Gwen Verdon at the TCM Movie Database