Born Joseph Lichtman, May 3, 1931, in Brooklyn, NY; died after a long illness, May 5, 1994, in Key West, FL. Choreographer, stage and film director. Joe Layton's fame followed his Antoinette Perry Award- winning choreography of Rogers and Hammerstein's No Strings in 1962 and George M! in 1969. His professional debut was as a dancer in a Broadway production of Oklahoma! when he was just sixteen years old, but he did not begin directing and choreographing productions until the 1950s, when he was in the Army Special Services. Upon his discharge, Layton went to Europe where he worked as a choreographer and dancerwith the Ballet Ho de George Reich until 1956. His choreography of 1959's Once upon a Mattress attracted critical attention, securing him a job as the choreographer of 1960's The Sound of Music. Layton also choreographed numerousmovies and television specials, including the 1965 Barbra Streisand special that won him an Emmy. He was the creator of live concert shows for Julio Iglesias, Raquel Welch, Harry Connick, Jr., and Travis Tritt, among others, and directed the concert film Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip. Most recently, Layton staged President Bush's 1990 inauguration anniversary and PresidentClinton's 1993 inaugural celebration.
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