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Michael Bennett Biography (1943-)

Born Michael Bennett DeFiglia, April 8, 1943, in Buffalo, NY; died of AIDS-related lymphoma in Tucson, AZ, July 2, 1987; son of Salvatore Joseph (a factory worker) and Helen (a secretary; maiden name, Ternoff) DeFiglia; married Donna McKechnie (a dancer and actress), December, 1976 (divorced, 1977).

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Birth Details

April 8, 1943

Buffalo, New York, United States

Famous Works

• Credits
• STAGE DEBUT--Baby John, West Side Story, touring production, 1959.
• PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES; ALL AS CHORUS PERFORMER,IN NEW YORKCITY Subways Are for Sleeping, St. James Theatre, 1961.
• Here's Love, Shubert Theatre, 1963.
• Bajour, Shubert Theatre, 1964.
• FIRST NEW YORK STAGE WORK--Choreograper, A Joyful Noise, Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1966.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE WORK; ALL IN NEW YORK CITY UNLESS INDICATED
• Choreographer, Henry, Sweet Henry, Palace Theatre, 1968.
• choreographer, Promises, Promises, Shubert Theatre, 1968.
• choreographer, Coco, Mark Hellinger Theatre, 1969.
• choreographer, Company, Alvin Theatre, 1970, then Her Majesty's Theatre,London, 1972.
• co-director (with Harold Prince), choreographer, Follies, Winter Garden Theatre, 1971.
• producer, director, Twigs, Broadhurst Theatre, 1971.
• director, choreographer, Seesaw, Uris Theatre, 1973.
• director, God's Favorite, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1974.
• director, co-choreographer (with Bob Avian), A Chorus Line, Newman Theatre, then Shubert Theatre, both 1975, later Drury Lane Theatre, London, 1976.
• producer, director, co-choreographer (with Bob Avian), Ballroom, MajesticTheatre, 1978.
• producer, director, co-choreographer (with Michael Peters), Dreamgirls, Imperial Theatre, 1981.
• Also contributed work to By Jupiter, Theatre Four, 1967; How Now, Dow Jones, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, 1967; Your Own Thing, Orpheum Theatre, 1968.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Baby John, West Side Story, U.S. cities, 1959, then European cities, 1960.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION WORK; ALL AS CHOREOGRAPHER AND DANCER EPISODIC
• Hullabaloo, NBC.
• The Dean Martin Show, NBC.
• Hollywood Palace, ABC.
• The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM WORK
• Choreographer, What's So Bad About Feeling Good?, Universal, 1968.
• Writings;PLAYS; SEE PRODUCTION DETAILS ABOVE
• Reworked book for Seesaw; also credited with original conception of A Chorus Line.

Further Reference

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

• Variety, July 8, 1987.