Gwen Verdon
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- January 13, 1925
- Died
- October 18, 2000 (aged 75)
- Birthplace
- Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA
Biography
Gwyneth Evelyn "Gwen" Verdon was an American actress and dancer. She won four Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach for theater and film. With flaming red hair and a quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed performer on Broadway from the 1950s-70s. Having originated many roles in musicals she is also strongly identified with her second husband, director–choreographer Bob Fosse, remembered as the dancer–collaborator–muse for whom he choreographed much of his work and as the guardian of his legacy after his death. By the time she was six, she was already dancing on stage. She went on to study multiple dance forms, ranging from tap, jazz, ballroom and flamenco to Balinese. In 1942, Verdon’s parents asked her to marry family friend and tabloid reporter James Henaghan after he got her pregnant at 17, and she quit her dancing career to raise their child. After her divorce, she entrusted her son Jimmy to the care of her parents. Early on, Verdon found a job as assistant to choreographer Jack Cole. During her five-year employment with Cole, she took small roles in movie musicals as a "specialty dancer" She also taught dance to stars such as Jane Russell, Fernando Lamas, and Lana Turner. Verdon started out on Broadway as a "gypsy," going from one chorus line to another. Her breakthrough role finally came as second female lead in Cole Porter's musical Can-Can. Verdon's biggest success was George Abbott's Damn Yankees. Verdon won another Tony and went to Hollywood to repeat her role in the 1958 movie version Damn Yankees. Verdon won another Tony for her performance in the musical, New Girl in Town, and won her fourth Tony for Redhead. Verdon and Fosse continued to collaborate on projects such as musicals Chicago and Dancin', as well as All That Jazz. After originating the role of Roxie opposite Chita Rivera's Velma Kelly in Chicago, Verdon focused on film acting, playing character roles in movies such as The Cotton Club, Cocoon and its sequel. She continued to teach dance and musical theater and to act. She received three Emmy Award nominations for appearances on Magnum, P.I., Dream On, and Homicide: Life on the Street. Verdon appeared in Alice and Marvin's Room). In 1999, Verdon served as artistic consultant on a Broadway musical designed to showcase examples of classic Fosse choreography, called Fosse. which won a Tony Award for best musical. Verdon appeared in the movie Walking Across Egypt, as well as Bruno. Verdon received a total of four Tonys, for best featured actress for Can-Can and best leading actress for Damn Yankees, New Girl in Town, and Redhead. She also won a Grammy Award for the cast recording of Redhead. Verdon was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1981, and in 1998, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Merely Marvelous: The Dancing Genius of Gwen Verdon
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
Movie · as Lola (segment "Damn Yankees") (archive footage)
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Movie · as Self
Broadway's Lost Treasures
Movie · as Roxie Hart (segment "Chicago")
Bruno
Movie · as Mrs. Drago
Walking Across Egypt
Movie · as Alora
Best Friends for Life
Movie · as Edith Cooper
The Music of Kander & Ebb: Razzle Dazzle
Movie · as Self
Marvin's Room
Movie · as Ruth Wakefield
In Cold Blood
TV · as Sadie Truitt · 2 eps
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
Movie · as Etta Pell
Touched by an Angel
TV · as Lorraine McCully · 1 ep
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
TV · as Etta Pell · 2 eps
Walker, Texas Ranger
TV · as Maisie Whitman · 2 eps
Homicide: Life on the Street
TV · as Jessie Doohen · 1 ep
Alice
Movie · as Alice's Mother
Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret
Movie · as Self
Bob Fosse: Steam Heat
Movie · as Herself - Narrator
Dream On
TV · as Kitty Brewer · 1 ep
Cocoon: The Return
Movie · as Bess McCarthy
Dear John
TV · as Yvonne · 1 ep
Nadine
Movie · as Vera
All Is Forgiven
TV · as Bonita Harrell · 1 ep
Cocoon
Movie · as Bess McCarthy
Night of 100 Stars II
Movie · as Self
That's Dancing!
Movie · as Lola (archive footage)
The Equalizer
TV · as Kelly Sterling · 1 ep
The Cotton Club
Movie · as Tish Dwyer
The Jerk, Too
Movie · as Bag Lady (uncredited)
Legs
Movie · as Maureen Comly
American Dance Machine Presents a Celebration of Broadway Dance
Movie · as Herself - Host
Fame
TV · 1 ep
Hotel
TV · 1 ep
Magnum, P.I.
TV · as Katherine Peterson · 4 eps
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Movie · as Our Guests at Heartland
That's Entertainment, Part II
Movie · as (archive footage)
The Deadly Visitor
Movie · as Mrs. Moffat
Liza with a "Z"
Movie · as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
M*A*S*H
TV · as Brandy Doyle · 1 ep
The Don Knotts Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Dick Cavett Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
The Carol Burnett Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
The Danny Kaye Show
TV · as Self · 6 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 4 eps
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self - Co-Host · 2 eps
Damn Yankees
Movie · as Lola
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter, Self - Performer, Self - Winner · 2 eps
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
Movie · as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
The I Don't Care Girl
Movie · as Specialty Dancer
The Farmer Takes a Wife
Movie · as Abigail (uncredited)
The Mississippi Gambler
Movie · as Voodoo Chicken Dancer (uncredited)
Dreamboat
Movie · as Girl in Commercial (uncredited)
The Merry Widow
Movie · as Specialty Can-Can Dancer (uncredited)
On the Riviera
Movie · as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
David and Bathsheba
Movie · as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Meet Me After the Show
Movie · as Gwen Verdon / Sappho, Dancer in No Talent Joe (uncredited)
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV · as Self · 2 eps
What's My Line?
TV · as Self - Mystery Guest · 1 ep
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Blonde from Brooklyn
Movie · as Girl in Nightclub (uncredited)
Hoosier Holiday
Movie · as Cheerleader
The King Steps Out
Movie · as Specialty Ballerina (uncredited)