January 13
Born Today:
Gwen Verdon
You may know Gwen Verdon (1925-2000) from the excellent TV series Fosse/Verdon, but you may not know that when she met Bob Fosse (1927-1987), the choreographer who would go on to make her most memorable dance roles, Verdon was already a rising star on Broadway, having wowed audiences in Michael Kidd’s Can-Can (1953). For the show Damn Yankees (1955 Broadway) Fosse created a playful striptease for her, in the number Whatever Lola Wants. Check out her performance in the 1958 movie version of Damn Yankees - her performance is riveting. She created memorable performances in several other Broadway shows, including Redhead (1959), Sweet Charity (1966), and Chicago (1975), but Verdon didn’t return to film until 1984, in the dance movie The Cotton Club.
Also Born Today: Modern dance choreographer and teacher, Bella Lewitzky (1916-2004). Ballet dancer and choreographer Roland Petit (1924-2011), best known for his haunting piece Le Jeune Homme et la Morte (1946). Janet Hubert (1956-) is perhaps best known as the original Aunt Viv on the TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Before that part, she originated the role of Tantomile in the musical Cats (1982). Ballet choreographer Matthew Bourne (1960-), created the groundbreaking production of Swan Lake featuring an all-male cast of dancers.