NYFA JAZZ 1 - Notes on Bob Fosse

Bob Fosse was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1927.

At an early age he teamed up with another young dancer named Charles Grass and they formed a dance troupe called the Riff Brothers. They performed in theaters in and around Chicago.

Bob decided he would move to New York City to make it big. He worked a little but, then decided that he wanted to move to Hollywood to become the next Fred Astaire and dance in the movies. His career in film was cut short because of his premature balding. So, he moved back to NYC and in 1954 he choreographed his first Broadway musical, THE PAJAMA GAME, followed by the show DAMN YANKEES in 1955. While working on DAMN YANKEES he met the talented dancer Gwen Verdon, whom he would marry in 1960. Fosse was the winner of 9 Tony Awards.

Bob Fosse developed a Jazz style that was immediately recognizable and distinct. He took a great deal of inspiration from Jack Cole, The Father of Theatrical Jazz Dance. The Fosse style included turned in Knees, rolled shoulders and isolations. The style was also very sexual and cynical at the same time. He also used many props such as bowler hats, canes and chairs. The use of hats came from Fosse being self-conscious of his own balding and the turned in knees came out of Fosse not having a great natural turn out.

Bob Fosse later directed 5 feature films. His first film was SWEET CHARITY which was an adaptation of the Broadway musical SWEET CHARITY that Fosse directed and choreographed. His second film, CABARET, won 8 Academy Awards. Bob won an Academy Award for Best Director for CABARET over Francis Ford Coppola for THE GODFATHER. In 1973 Bob Fosse became the first multimedia triple threat by wining an Academy Award for Best Director (CABARET), an Emmy for Best Director (LIZA WITH A Z), and a Tony Award for Best Director (PIPPIN). No one else has yet to match this accomplishment. But, from working too hard Fosse’s health began to fail and he had to undergo open heart surgery.

In 1979, Fosse Co-wrote and directed a semi-autobiographical film called ALL THAT JAZZ. It was about a Choreographer/Director who was a womanizer and a drug addict. He went so far as to include his real life girlfriend, Ann Reinking, in the film as his girlfriend whom he was cheating on.

Bob died of a heart attack at 60 years old. It was the SWEET CHARITY Revival opening night at The National Theater in Washington D.C. on September 23, 1987. Bob and Gwen had left their hotel room and were walking to the theater when Bob collapsed on a street corner and never made it to opening night.