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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

7.3

Self (archive footage)

Merely Marvelous: The Dancing Genius of Gwen Verdon

2019

0.0

Self (archive footage)

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

2015

7.2

Lola (segment "Damn Yankees") (archive footage)

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards

2005

6.1

Roxie Hart (segment "Chicago")

Broadway's Lost Treasures

2003

7.0

Self

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There

2003

6.4

Mrs. Drago

Bruno

2000

4.7

Alora

Walking Across Egypt

1999

0.0

Edith Cooper

Best Friends for Life

1998

0.0

Self

The Music of Kander & Ebb: Razzle Dazzle

1997

6.7

Ruth Wakefield

Marvin's Room

1996

Credits

Merely Marvelous: The Dancing Genius of Gwen Verdon

as Self (archive footage)

2019

7.3

Chita Rivera: A Lot Of Livin' To Do

as Self (archive footage)

2015

0.0

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards

as Lola (segment "Damn Yankees") (archive footage)

2005

7.2

Broadway's Lost Treasures

as Roxie Hart (segment "Chicago")

2003

6.1

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There

as Self

2003

7.0

Bruno

as Mrs. Drago

2000

6.4

Walking Across Egypt

as Alora

1999

4.7

Best Friends for Life

as Edith Cooper

1998

0.0

The Music of Kander & Ebb: Razzle Dazzle

as Self

1997

0.0

Marvin's Room

as Ruth Wakefield

1996

6.7

In Cold Blood

as Sadie Truitt

1996

6.0

Touched by an Angel

as Lorraine McCully

1994

7.2

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

as Etta Pell

1994

5.0

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

as Etta Pell

1994

5.4

Walker, Texas Ranger

as Maisie Whitman

1993

6.9

Homicide: Life on the Street

1993

8.1

Alice

as Alice's Mother

1990

6.3

🎬

Sanford Meisner: The American Theatre's Best Kept Secret

as Self

1990

0.0

Dream On

as Kitty Brewer

1990

6.9

Bob Fosse: Steam Heat

as Herself - Narrator

1990

0.0

Dear John

as Yvonne

1988

5.5

Cocoon: The Return

as Bess McCarthy

1988

6.5

Nadine

as Vera

1987

5.4

All is Forgiven

as Bonita Harrell

1986

5.0

The Equalizer

as Kelly Sterling

1985

7.1

Cocoon

as Bess McCarthy

1985

6.6

Night of 100 Stars II

as Self

1985

8.0

That's Dancing!

as Lola (archive footage)

1985

7.0

The Cotton Club

as Tish Dwyer

1984

6.5

The Jerk, Too

as Bag Lady (uncredited)

1984

3.0

American Dance Machine Presents a Celebration of Broadway Dance

as Herself - Host

1983

0.0

Legs

as Maureen Comly

1983

0.0

Hotel

1982

6.8

Fame

1982

6.8

Magnum, P.I.

as Katherine Peterson

1980

7.3

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

as Our Guests at Heartland

1978

4.3

That's Entertainment, Part II

as (archive footage)

1976

6.9

The Deadly Visitor

as Mrs. Moffat

1973

6.0

M*A*S*H

as Brandy Doyle

1972

7.9

Liza with a Z

as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)

1972

7.5

🎬

The Don Knotts Show

as Self

1970

0.0

The Dick Cavett Show

as Self - Guest

1968

6.8

The Carol Burnett Show

as Self - Guest

1967

7.7

The Danny Kaye Show

as Self

1963

6.3

The Merv Griffin Show

as Self

1962

6.2

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self - Co-Host

1961

5.4

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

1961

5.4

Damn Yankees

as Lola

1958

6.4

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

as Self

1956

6.0

Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

1956

5.9

Tony Awards

as Self - Performer

1956

5.9

Tony Awards

as Self - Winner

1956

5.9

Gentlemen Marry Brunettes

as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)

1955

5.0

The Farmer Takes a Wife

as Abigail (uncredited)

1953

3.3

The Mississippi Gambler

as Voodoo Chicken Dancer (uncredited)

1953

7.2

The I Don't Care Girl

as Specialty Dancer

1953

6.5

The Merry Widow

as Specialty Can-Can Dancer (uncredited)

1952

6.2

Dreamboat

as Girl in Commercial (uncredited)

1952

5.7

Meet Me After the Show

as Gwen Verdon / Sappho, Dancer in No Talent Joe (uncredited)

1951

4.7

David and Bathsheba

as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)

1951

5.7

On the Riviera

as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)

1951

5.9

The Colgate Comedy Hour

as Self

1950

6.8

What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest

1950

6.9

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

1948

6.8

Blonde from Brooklyn

as Girl in Nightclub (uncredited)

1945

5.0

🎬

Hoosier Holiday

as Cheerleader

1943

0.0

The King Steps Out

as Specialty Ballerina (uncredited)

1936

5.9