Tommy Tune Biography (1939-)

Full name, Thomas James Tune; born February 28, 1939, in Wichita Falls, TX; son of Jim Pridemore (an oil rig worker, horse trainer, and restaurateur) andEva Mae (maiden name, Clark) Tune. Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.; Contact: c/oTommy Tune, Inc., 50 E. 89th St., New York, NY 10128.

Nationality: American
Gender: Male
Occupation: Director, choreographer, dancer, actor
Birth Details: February 28, 1939; Wichita Falls, Texas, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
(Broadway debut) Chorus, Baker Street, Broadway Theatre, New YorkCity, 1965
Tommy, A Joyful Noise, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1966
How Now Dow Jones, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1967
David, Seesaw, Uris Theatre, New York City, 1973
Captain Billy Buck Chandler, My One and Only, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1983
EFX, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV, 1999-
Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails, Little Shubert Theatre, New YorkCity, 2002-2003
Major Tours
David, Seesaw, U.S. cities, 1974
Captain Billy Buck Chandler, My One and Only, U.S. cities, 1985-1986
Albert Peterson, Bye Bye Birdie, U.S. cities, 1991
Two for the Show, U.S. cities, 2001-2002
Also appeared in a touring company of Irma la Douce.
Stage Work
Director, The Club, Circle in the Square Downtown, New York City,1976
Director, Sunset, Studio Arena, Buffalo, NY, 1977
Choreographer and (with Peter Masterson) director, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Entermedia Theatre, New York City, 1978, then 46th Street Theatre, New York City, 1979
Choreographer, Double Feature, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT,1979
Director and choreographer, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1980
Director, Cloud 9, Theatre De Lys, New York City, 1981
Director and choreographer, Nine, 46th Street Theatre, 1982
(With Thommie Walsh) Director and choreographer, My One and Only,St. James Theatre, New York City, 1983
Director, Stepping Out, John Golden Theatre, 1987
Director and choreographer, Grand Hotel, Martin Beck Theatre, NewYork City, 1989, then John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1990-1991
Director and choreographer, The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Revue, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1991
Director and choreographer, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1994
Production supervisor, Grease, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1994-1998
Major Tours
Work
Choreographer, Canterbury Tales, U.S. cities, 1969
Choreographer and (with Peter Masterson) director, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, U.S. cities, 1979
Director and choreographer, Nine, U.S. cities, 1984
(With Thommie Walsh) Director and choreographer, My One and Only,U.S. cities, 1985-1986
Director and choreographer, Grand Hotel, U.S. cities, 1991
Director, Two for the Show, U.S. cities, 2001-2002
Film Appearances
Ambrose Kemper, Hello, Dolly! (musical), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1969
Tommy, The Boy Friend (musical; also known as The Boyfriend), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1971

Film Work
Choreographed a scene in Postcards from the Edge.
Television Appearances
Series
Dean Martin Presents the Golddiggers (also known as The Golddiggers in London, Dean Martin Presents, Dean Martin Presents Music Country, and Dean Martin Presents the Bobby Darin Amusement Co.), NBC, 1969-1970
Specials
Welcome to the World, 1975
Mimi Bluette ... fiore del mio giardino, 1977
The 1984 Miss USA Pageant, CBS, 1984
Texas 150: A Celebration Special, ABC, 1986
The 1986 Miss USA Pageant, CBS, 1986
The Kraft All-Star Salute to Ford's Theatre (also known as TheAll-Star Salute to Ford's Theatre), CBS, 1986
"Celebrating Gershwin" (also known as "The Jazz Age" and "'S Wonderful"),Great Performances, PBS, 1987
Evening at Pops, PBS, 1988
Host, Irving Berlin: The Voice of the City, Arts and Entertainment, 1988
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts (also known as The Kennedy Center Honors), CBS, 1988
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration (also known as Irving Berlin: 100th Birthday Anniversary), CBS, 1988
Himself, Walt Disney World 4th of July Spectacular, 1988
Evening at Pops, PBS, 1988
The 1989 Miss USA Pageant, CBS, 1989
The 5th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame (also known as The Television Academy Hall of Fame), Fox, 1989
The Songwriters Hall of Fame 20th Anniversary ... The Magic of Music, CBS, 1989
The Presidential Inaugural Gala, CBS, 1989
"Gregory Hines' Tap Dance in America" (also known as "Tap Dance in America"), Great Performances, PBS, 1989
The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1990
A Festival at Ford's Theatre: The Stars Salute the President, TBS,1990
America's Dance Honors (also known as The America's Dance Awards), ABC, 1990
The 14th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the PerformingArts, CBS, 1991
Children's Miracle Network Telethon, syndicated, 1991
Host, Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling, PBS, 1992
Broadway 98: Launching the Tony Awards, PBS, 1998
Love Letter to New York, PBS, 2000
Himself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (also known as Broadway: The Golden Age), 2002
Awards Presentations
The 34th Annual Tony Awards, 1980
The 41st Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1987
The 43rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1989
The 11th Annual ACE Awards, syndicated and numerous cable channels, 1990
The 45th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1991
The 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1991
The 47th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1993
The 49th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1995
The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996
The 52nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1998
Episodic
Carnival barker, "The Human Fly," Nanny and the Professor, 1971
Ernie Lewis, "The Communication Gap," Nanny and the Professor, 1971
Chris, The City, PBS and CTV, 1996
RECORDINGS
Broadway Musical Original Cast Albums
Seesaw, DRG Records, 1973
My One and Only, Atlantic, 1983
Solo Albums
Slow Dancing, RCA/Victor, 1997
Other
Guest appearance, Close as Pages in a Book, DRG Records, 1993
WRITINGS
Book
Footnotes, Simon & Schuster, 1997

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

Dance Magazine, January, 2003, p. 84
Interview, October, 1989, pp. 66, 122-26
Playbill, December 31, 2002
Vanity Fair, May, 1991, pp. 153-54, 200-03
Variety, January 7, 2002, p. 54

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