Full name, Robert Louis Fosse; born June 23, 1927, in Chicago, IL; died of aheart attack in Washington, DC, September 23, 1987. Bob Fosse was acknowledged by critics and audiences as one of the musical theatre's greatest choreographers and directors. After appearing as a dancer in such films as Give a Girla Break and Kiss Me, Kate, both 1953, Fosse established himself as a top-flight choreographer with his first two Broadway efforts, The Pajama Game, 1954,and Damn Yankees, 1955. He brought an immediately recognizable, jazz influenced dance style of synchronized, undulating motions to some of Broadway's most successful and innovative shows such as How to Succeed in Business withoutReally Trying, 1960, Chicago, 1975, and Dancin', 1977. Fosse was the recipient of nine Antoinette Perry Awards for his Broadway work, including one as Best Director for Pippin, 1972. His first film directing effort, Cabaret, 1973,was both a critical and box office success, garnering Fosse an Academy Awardand establishing him as a creative force in Hollywood; other notable films hedirected were Lenny, 1974, his semi-autobiographical All That Jazz, 1979, and his final film, Star 80, 1983. Fosse's sole directorial credit in television, the 1973 special Liza with a "Z", 1973, earned him an Emmy Award, thus making him the first person to win a top director's award in all three media.
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