Gwen Verdon

Gwyneth Evelyn 'Gwen' Verdon (born January 13, 1925 – died October 18, 2000) was a critically acclaimed American actress and dancer. She won four Tony Awards for her performances in musical comedies and served crucial roles behind the scenes in theater and film as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach. Verdon's Broadway career spanned the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with her lending her talents to numerous original roles in musicals, such as Lola in Damn Yankees, the title character in Sweet Charity, and Roxie Hart in Chicago. Her second husband, director-choreographer Bob Fosse, collaborated with her on multiple theater and film projects. After Fosse's death, Verdon continued to work diligently to preserve his legacy. Verdon's career began as an assistant to choreographer Jack Cole, who was renowned in both Broadway and Hollywood circles. Eventually, Verdon transitioned into performing, finding her breakthrough role in Cole Porter's musical Can-Can in 1953. Despite experiencing a tumultuous start on Broadway, Verdon's perseverance paid off, resulting in her winning her first Tony Award. Throughout her career, Verdon achieved critical and commercial success, winning multiple Tony awards and shifting her focus to film acting in later years. Her roles included appearing in The Cotton Club and Cocoon movies and teaching dance and musical theatre.