September 16
Born Today:
George Chakiris
The ever-glorious George Chakiris (1934-), who you may know from the movie West Side Story (1961), appeared as a background dancer in movies throughout the 1950s, such as Brigadoon and White Christmas (both 1954). He danced in West Side Story on Broadway and was cast for the film version as well. But did you know that he also appeared in a great many TV shows during the 1970s and 1980s, including The Partridge Family, Wonder Woman, Dallas, Fantasy Island (naturally), and Murder, She Wrote?
Also Born Today: Chief dance critic for the NYT from 2004-2006, John Rockwell (1940-) served as the director for the Lincoln Center Festival in the late 1990s. Dancer Travis Michael Wall (1987-) was a competitor and choreographer for the TV show, So You Think You Can Dance.