Gwen Verdon
| Gwen Verdon | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon January 13, 1925 Culver City, California, U.S. |
| Died | October 18, 2000 (aged 75) , U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, dancer |
| Years active | 1936–2000 |
| Spouse(s) | James Henaghan (1942–1947) Bob Fosse (1960–1987) |
| Children | 2 |
Gwyneth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon (January 13, 1925 – October 18, 2000) was an American actress and dancer. She won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances and served as uncredited choreographers assistant and specialty dance coach for both theater and film. With flaming red hair and a quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed performer on Broadway in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970's. 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.
Verdon was born in Culver City, California, the second child of Gertrude Lilian (née Standring; October 24, 1896 – October 16, 1956) and Joseph William Verdon (December 31, 1896 – June 23, 1978), British immigrants to the United States by way of Canada. Her brother was William Farrell Verdon (August 1, 1923–June 10, 1991). 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.
As a toddler, she had rickets, which left her legs so badly misshapen she was called "Gimpy" by other children and spent her early years in orthopedic boots and rigid leg braces. Her mother put the three-year-old in dance classes. Further ballet training strengthened her legs and improved her carriage.
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. She even added juggling to her repertoire. 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. She attended Hamilton High School in Los Angeles and studied under famed balletomane Ernest Belcher. While in high school, she was cast in a revival of Show Boat.
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