GWEN VERDON-SIGNED Redhead Playbill—Fosse Damn Yankees Cocoon Marilyn Monroe

Description: GWEN VERDON SIGNED AUTOGRAPHEDREDHEAD PLAYBILL COVER Verdon (1925-2000) was dancing on stage at age six. She went on to study multiple dance forms, ranging from tap, jazz, ballroom and flamenco to Balinese. She also studied juggling. At age 11, she was 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. While in high school, she was cast in a revival of Show Boat.In 1945, she appeared as a dancer in the movie musical Blonde From Brooklyn. Early on, Verdon found work ans an assistant to choreographer Jack Cole. During her five-years with Cole, she took small roles in movies as a "specialty dancer", and taught dance to stars such as Jane Russell, Fernando Lamas, Lana Turner, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe. Verdon started on Broadway in one chorus line then another. Her breakthrough came when choreographer Michael Kidd cast her as the second female lead in Cole Porter's Can-Can (1953), starring Lilo. Out-of-town reviewers hailed Verdon's interpretation of Eve in the Garden of Eden ballet as a performance that upstaged the show's star, who reputedly demanded Verdon's role be cut to only two featured dance numbers. With her role reduced to little more than an ensemble part, Verdon formally announced her intention to quit by the time the show premiered on Broadway. But her opening-night Garden of Eden performance was so well-received that the audience screamed her name until the startled actress was brought from her dressing room in a towel to take a curtain call. Verdon received a pay increase and her first Tony Award for her performance. Verdon's biggest critical and commercial success was her next show, George Abbott's Damn Yankees (1955).It ran for 1,019 performances, and she won another Tony and her role in the 1958 movie version, famously singing "Whatever Lola Wants". (Bob Fosse can be seen paired with her in the original mambo duet "Who's Got the Pain". Verdon nabbed Tony #3 for New Girl in Town as a hard-luck girl fleeing from her past as a prostitute. and a fourth for the murder-mystery musical Redhead, Fosse's Broadway debut as director / choreographer. In 1960, Fosse and Verdon wed. Verdon returned to the stage in the title role in Sweet Charity (1966), which was also directed by husband Fosse. The show is loosely based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria. It was followed by a movie version starring Shirley MacLaine as Charity, featuring Ricardo Montalbán, Sammy Davis Jr. and Chita Rivera, with Fosse at the helm of his very first film as director and choreographer. Verdon helped with the choreography. The numbers include the famed "Big Spender", "Rhythm of Life", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", and "I'm a Brass Band". Verdon also traveled to Berlin to help Fosse with Cabaret, the musical film for which he won an Oscar for Best Director.Although estranged as a couple, Verdon and Fosse continued to collaborate on projects such as the musical Chicago (1975) (in which she originated the role of murderess Roxie Hart) and the musical Dancin' (1978), as well as Fosse's autobiographical movie All That Jazz (1979). The helpmate/peer played by Leland Palmer in that film is based on the role Verdon played in Fosse's real life. She also developed a close working relationship with Fosse's partner, Broadway dancer Ann Reinking, and was an instructor for Reinking's musical theatre classes. 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 (1984), Cocoon (1985) and Cocoon: The Return (1988). She continued to teach dance and musical theater and to act. She received three Emmy nominations for appearances on Magnum, P.I. (1988), Dream On (1993) and Homicide: Life on the Street (1993). Verdon portrayed the title character's mother in the Woody Allen movie Alice (1990) and Ruth in Marvin's Room (1996), co-starring Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, and Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1999, Verdon served as artistic consultant on a Broadway musical designed to showcase examples of classic Fosse choreography. Called simply Fosse, the revue was conceived and directed by Richard Maltby Jr. and Ann Reinking and choreographed by Reinking and Chet Walker. Verdon's daughter Nicole received a "special thanks" credit. The show won a Tony Award for Best Musical.In 1997 Verdon appeared in an episode of Walker Texas Ranger as Maisie Whitman. She reprised the role in 1999.Verdon played Alora in the movie Walking Across Egypt (1999) and appeared in the film Bruno, released in 2000. Verdon received a total of four Tonys, for best featured actress for Can-Can (1953) and best leading actress for Damn Yankees (1955), New Girl in Town (1957) and Redhead (1959). She also won a Grammy Award for the cast recording of Redhead.[ Stage 1950Alive and Kicking1953Can-Can Tony Award 1955Damn YankeesTony Award1957New Girl in TownTony Award1959Redhead Tony Award 1966Sweet Charity Tony Nom1972Children! Children!1975ChicagoTony NomFilm 1936The King Steps Out1941The Girl After My Heart1943Hoosier Holiday1945Blonde from Brooklyn1951On the Riviera1951David and Bathsheba1951Meet Me After the Show1952Dreamboat1952The Merry Widow1953The I Don't Care Girl1953The Mississippi Gambler1953The Farmer Takes a Wife1955Gentlemen Marry Brunettes1958Damn Yankeesas Lola1978Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band1982CreepshowVoice of Lenora1984The Cotton Club1985Cocoon1987Nadine1988Cocoon: The Return1990Alice1994Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All1996Marvin's Room1999Walking Across Egypt2000BrunolTelevisionYearTitleRoleNotes1954Goodyear PlayhouseShirley KochendorferEpisode: "Native Dancer"1972Love, American StyleEstelle MayberrySegment: "Love and the New Act"1973The $10,000 PyramidCelebrity GuestWeek of October 22–26, playing against Godfrey Cambridge[26]1981M*A*S*HBrandy Doyle (USO performer)Episodes: "That's Show Biz" (two episodes, Parts 1 and 2)1982FameMelinda MacNeilEpisode: "Come One, Come All"1982All My ChildrenJudith Kingsley SawyerUnknown episodes1983LegsMaureen ComlyTelevision movie1984The Jerk, TooBag LadyTelevision movie; uncredited1984Gimme a Break!LilyEpisode: "The Center"1985Trapper John, M.D.Ms. TaylorEpisode: "All the King's Horses"1985Kids IncorporatedRuthEpisode: "Grandma, Won't You Dance with Me"1985–1988Magnum, P.I.Katherine Peterson5 episodesNominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series1986The EqualizerKelly SterlingEpisode: "Unnatural Causes"1986All Is ForgivenBonita HarrellEpisode: "I Can't Say No"1986–1988WebsterAunt Charlotte3 episodes1987HotelIris LloydEpisode: "Second Thoughts"1989Dear JohnYvonneEpisode: "The Second Time Around"1990Paris is BurningHerselfUncredited1992Dream OnKitty BrewerEpisode: "For Peter's Sake"Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series1993Homicide: Life on the StreetJessie DoohenEpisode: "Ghost of a Chance"Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series1993Key WestSister GraceEpisode: "Gimme Shelter"1994The Cosby MysteriesYolanda2 episodes1996In Cold BloodSadie Truitt2 episodes1997Touched by an AngelLorraine McCullyEpisode: "Missing in Action"1997–1999Walker, Texas RangerMaisie Whitman2 episodes1998Promised LandKaren HatcherEpisode: "Undercover Granny"Music Insured Boxed Media MailShipping For $6.00 WithinTwo Business Days of Payment

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End Time: 2025-01-26T08:00:00.000Z

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