Bob Fosse

Robert Louis Fosse (June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American choreographer, dancer, actor, filmmaker, and stage director. He is known for his work on stage and screen, and was arguably the most influential figure in the field of jazz dance in the twentieth century. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, nine Tony Awards, and the Palme d'Or.

His career began as an actor in the musical productions Call Me Mister (1947), Billion Dollar Baby (1951), and Pal Joey (1952). He transitioned into directing and choreographing musical works, winning Tony Awards for choreographing The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), Redhead (1959), Little Me (1963), Sweet Charity (1966), Pippin (1972), Dancin' (1978), and Big Deal (1986), and for directing Pippin. He worked on Bells Are Ringing (1956), New Girl in Town (1958), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961), and Chicago (1975).

In film, he played Hortensio in the MGM musical Kiss Me Kate (1953) and his directorial debut was in the musical Sweet Charity (1969). He won the Academy Award for Best Director for the musical drama Cabaret (1972). He was Oscar-nominated for directing the dramas Lenny (1974) and All That Jazz (1979), the latter of which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He directed the concert film Liza with a Z (1972), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, and his final film is Star 80 (1983).

Fosse forged an uncompromising modern style, characterized by finger-snapping, tilted bowler hats, fishnet stockings, splayed gloved fingers, turned-in knees and toes, shoulder rolls, and jazz hands. His third wife was the actor–dancer Gwen Verdon, with whom he collaborated on several theater and film projects.