Gwen Verdon

A hugely successful and influential force in the realm of musical theater, Gwen Verdon was born in Culver City, California in 1925. Though she suffered from rickets as a child and was forced to wear orthopedic boots, the young Verdon helped overcome the effects of the disease by strengthening her body through dance, beginning ballet classes at age six. By 15, she was appearing in the Los Angeles Light Opera Festival's revival of "Show Boat." Though she would make a few uncredited appearances in the choruses of movie musicals like "The Girl After My Heart" (1941), Verdon would ultimately switch coasts to pursue a chance to work as an assistant to Broadway choreographer Jack Cole. She eventually made her Broadway debut in the chorus of the musical revue "Alive and Kicking" in 1950, though her big break would come three years later when she was cast as the second female lead in Cole Porter's "Can-Can." By the time Verdon took on the role of Lola in another Broadway hit, "Damn Yankees," she had become an icon of the musical theater stage. She moved on to star in "New Girls in Town," a musical based on Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie," before returning briefly to Hollywood to reprise the role of Lola for the film adaptation of "Damn Yankees" (1958). In 1960, Verdon began a partnership with legendary dancer and choreographer Bob Fosse, starring in his Broadway directorial debut "Redhead." The pair would marry that same year, and would collaborate on further Broadway hits like "Sweet Charity" and "Chicago," in which Verdon originated the role of Roxie Hart. Though she and Fosse would legally separate in 1971, their creative partnership continued unabated. Verdon would even serve as the real-life inspiration for the character of the friend and helper played by Leland Palmer in Fosse's autobiographical film "All That Jazz" (1979). Verdon would eventually transition into film, appearing in films like "Cocoon" (1985) and on TV shows like "Magnum P.I." (CBS, 1980-88). She also choreographed the 1996 revival of "Chicago" to ensure that the dancing reflected Fosse's distinct style. Verdon passed away in 2000 at 75 years old. In keeping with theater tradition, all the marquee lights on Broadway were dimmed at 8:00 p.m. in tribute to her memory.