Bob Fosse Essay

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Bob Fosse Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor, and film director. He was born on June 23, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois. He started his career as a dancer in the late 1940s touring with companies of Call Me Mister and Make Mine Manhattan. When he finished playing in a summer-stock production of Pal Joey, then he choreographed a showcase called Talent 51. He had a screen test by M-G-M, he appeared in the film Kiss Me Kate (1953). Since Kiss Me Kate was a highly original dance number, this led him to his first job as a choreographer. It was the Broadway hit directed by Jerome Robbins, The Pajama Game (1954). A little while later he met Gwen Verdon, who was a talented dancer. The two collaborated on several hit shows such as, Damn Yankee (1955, film 1958), New Girl in Town (1957), and Redhead (1959). In the shows How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1962) and Little Me (1962) he tried to be the “doctor” on the shows in trouble. Sweet Charity (1966, film 1969) is thought to be his best work by many. He worked with Gwen Verdon in this production. It showed his trademark style as a choreographer. He was very influenced by Jack Cole. Fosse staged numbers that were highly stylized; he used staccato movements and an erotic suggestion. “Hey Big Spender” from Sweet Charity and “The Steam Heat” from The Pajama Game became Fosse’s trademark numbers. In 1973 in addition to his Cabaret Oscar he won Tonys for his direction and choreography of the Broadway musical Pippin. Pippin became his longest running Broadway show. He also won an Emmy for directing and choreographing Minnelli’s television special Liza with a Z. Fosse's next was In Lenny (1974) an exploration of the life of the controversial comic Lenny Bruce. Fosse suffered a heart attack while rehearsing

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