Berkeley, Busby (1895-1976), was an American dance director famous for his extravagant dance sequences in motion-picture musicals of the 1930’s. Berkeley’s production numbers featured masses of chorus girls, animation, spectacular sets, distinctive lighting, and creative and daring use of the camera.
Berkeley was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 29, 1895. His real name was William Berkeley Enos. He was nicknamed Busby after Amy Busby, a Broadway star of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Berkeley began his show business career as a stage performer and director. He turned to choreography (dance designing) in 1925. He created dances for several musicals and operettas in New York City through the rest of the 1920’s before moving to Hollywood. His first film as choreographer was Whoopee (1930). He gained fame for his lavish dance numbers in such films as 42nd Street (1933), Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) and three later Gold Diggers musicals, along with Footlight Parade (1933), Fashions of 1934 (1934), and Babes in Arms (1939).
Berkeley continued to direct musical sequences in Hollywood movies into the 1940’s and 1950’s, notably in Ziegfeld Girl (1941), Lady Be Good (1941), For Me and My Gal (1942), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), Rose Marie (1954), and Jumbo (1962). He also directed a few nonmusical films. Berkeley died on March 14, 1976.
