Fosse, Bob (1927-1987), was an American director, dancer, and choreographer (creator of dances) known for his jazzy dance numbers. Fosse won the 1972 Academy Award as best director for Cabaret, which he also choreographed.
Robert Louis Fosse was born in Chicago. He began performing in vaudeville and burlesque shows as a teen-ager before dancing in touring productions of the musical revues Call Me Mister (1946) and Make Mine Manhattan (1948). He performed in the movie adaptations of the Broadway musicals Kiss Me Kate in 1953 and My Sister Eileen in 1955.
Fosse won immediate recognition on Broadway for the dances he created for The Pajama Game (1954). He then choreographed the Broadway musical Damn Yankees (1955), the first of five musicals he staged that starred the dancer and actress Gwen Verdon, whom he married in 1960. Fosse’s other early Broadway musical hits as choreographer were Bells Are Ringing (co-choreographed with Jerome Robbins, 1956), New Girl in Town (1957), and Redhead (1959), which he also directed. His later Broadway shows included How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (choreographer, 1961), Little Me (co-director and choreographer, 1962), Sweet Charity (director and choreographer, 1966), Pippin (director and choreographer, 1972), and Chicago (director and choreographer, 1975). His final Broadway hit was Dancin’ (1978), a musical revue that consisted entirely of dance numbers. Fosse’s last Broadway production was Big Deal (1986), which he choreographed and directed.
Fosse choreographed the motion-picture adaptations of The Pajama Game (1957) and Damn Yankees (1958). He directed and choreographed the movie version of Sweet Charity (1969) as well as Cabaret and an autobiographical musical called All That Jazz (1979). He also directed the nonmusical Lenny, a 1974 film biography of comedian Lenny Bruce.
