*A Star Is Born*
In her earlier career she was billed as "Gwyneth Verdon." Later, she was nicknamed by the public and her friends "Gwennie." A star was born January 13, 1925 in Culver City, California. Her name was Gwyneth Evelyn Verdon, and she would be the second child of English emigrants Joseph William and Gertrude Standring Verdon. She had an older brother, William "Red" Farrell Verdon (nicknamed "Red" because he too was a redhead) who was born August 1, 1922 and died June 10, 1991. Joseph was an electrician at MGM and Gertrude, a vaudeville verteran and a protege of Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, managed a Denishawn school of dance in Culver City. But baby Gwen was stricken with rickets, a disease that left her legs so badly misshapen that she was called "Gimpy" by other children and had to wear orthopedic boots and stiff braces. In hopes of strengthening her daughter's legs and improving her carriage, Gertrude enrolled Gwen in her own dance studio, and also in ballet training from Ernest Belcher, the father of Marge Champion. (On a side note, Gwen, Marge and Cyd Charisse--who at that time was Tula Ellice Finklea-- all were in the same dance class together.) Gertrude was, indeed, quite the quintessential stage mother. She even attempted to get Red onstage, but to no avail. Red had not been bitten by the performance bug that seemed to be a part of the rest of his family. Gertrude even dressed him up when he was 14-15 years old in a trench coat to audition for the part of Huck Finn (you had to be at least 16, thus the coat). But it seemed that Gwen was the only Verdon child that had the drive and the passion to become a performer.
*Before Can-Can*
She attended Hamilton High School in LA, where, at age 17, she was cast in a production of the musical "Show Boat." However, she shocked her parents and instructors by abandoning her budding career to elope with tabloid reporter James Henaghan. The marriage lasted 5 years (due to Henaghan's drinking) and left Gwen 22 years old, divorced and with a son, Jimmy. She trusted Jimmy to the care of her parents and decided to look for a job. Indeed, she found a job -- as a columnist and film critic for the "Hollywood Reporter," which is how she saw Jack Cole one evening in a night club. Inspired by Cole, she dusted off her dancing shoes and went to work as the temperamental choreographer's assistant for five years. Cole cast Gwen in his Broadway shows "Alive and Kicking" and "Magdalena," but the shows were a bitter disappointment to both Cole and Gwen and closed quickly. So Ms. Verdon returned to Hollywood to raise her son and teach dance. Although she landed a few small film roles as a 'specialty dancer' ("On the Riviera" with Danny Kaye, "David and Bathsheba" with Gregory Peck, "Meet Me After The Show" with Betty Grable and "The Mississippi Gambler", all choreographed by Cole), Gwen was more often delegated to instruct actresses such as Jane Russell, Lana Turner, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe.
*The Lithe, Little Redhead Hits The Big Time with Can-Can*
However, 1953 brought 28 year old Gwen a big break in the Cole Porter muscal "Can Can" which was choreographed by Michael Kidd. Her role as Claudine brought Gwen her first Tony. It was no shock to the theatre community that she would receive such an honor, either. After all, this petite redhead had evoked the ultimate comparison -- Gwen Verdon was being hailed the greatest Broadway discovery since Mary Martin's historic debut 14 years earlier singing "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" in Cole Porter's "Leave It To Me." The morning after "Can-Can"'s opening, the reviews were full of Gwen Verdon. The show was thought to be "okay", but not really the best work considering the mass of talent that was involved (except for, of course, Gwen Verdon). Porter's enticing score was said to have fallen "pleasantly on the ears", "some good Porter tunes", "few people can write such an insinuating score" and so forth and so on. Lilo, the "star," who had sailed into New York from France for the show, was called appealing and charming. But it was Verdon who was being universally hailed as a sensation. Of course, this caused some problems between Lilo and Gwen. Lilo was unhappy, and even admitted herself that she was jealous. "I was the star of the show. I had the billing," she said. "There was something wrong when the star of the show is not the star. The leading lady should be the leading lady. And after I cried, I said, 'Bravo Gwen-- but don't go to sleep because I am going to catch up with you!' I called it The Battle of Verdon." Critics went crazy with warm praise for the newcomer. Michael Kidd had given her two fabulous dance numbers, the "Garden of Eden Ballet" and the "Apache Dance." On opening night however, something went wrong with the "Apache Dance." Gwen was supposed to grab a cake-knife and plunge it into her dancing partner. Gwen grabbed the cake-knife alright, but the top came off in her hand. So when it came apart, Gwen did the only thing she knew to do. She grabbed the guy and kissed him. The audience went wild, and wouldn't stop cheering until Gwen came back onstage to take a bow... which she did, in her bathrobe. "Can-Can" ran 892 performances, with Lilo staying the entire run. Gwen had to leave the show in September of 1954 to do "Damn Yankees."
*Whatever Lola Wants (Damn Yankees and meeting Bob Fosse)*
Gwen's next role would be as Lola, the sexy, volatile, but compassionate seductress and assistant to the Devil in "Damn Yankees". Not only would this musical change her life in assuring her a permanent niche as a Broadway star, but it would change her personal life as well. The choreographer of the show was a 28 year-old man by the name of Bob Fosse, who had come to "Damn Yankees" from his previous success with "The Pajama Game." Fosse was married at the time to another dancer, Joan McCracken. He quickly recognized what a brilliant dancer Gwen was, and was, at first, very nervous about choreographing the musical. Gwen once recalled, "He looked at me and said 'I'm very nervous.' And I said 'I'm very nervous.'" Gwen's stunning portrayal of Lola would bring her another well-deserved Tony. Fosse's choreography worked most brilliantly with her, especially in the showstopping "Whatever Lola Wants", a scene where Lola has been sent by the devil to seduce ballplayer Joe Hardy. "Damn Yankees" would run for 1,019 performances, and would be turned into a movie in 1958. The film kept the original cast, with the exception of Stephen Douglass (Joe Hardy), whose part was played by hearthrob Tab Hunter. The film also kept most of the original songs, only eliminating "A Man Doesn't Know", "The Game", and "Near To You", and adding in "There's Something About An Empty Chair."
*New Girl In Town*
Gwen's next musical would be "New Girl In Town" in 1957. In this musical Gwen played Anna, a prostitute who was returning to her New England home in hopes of a better way of life. Fosse also choreographed this one, bringing the two even closer, on stage and off. This musical would bring Gwen her 3rd Tony, an honor which she shared with Thelma Ritter also won for "New Girl In Town".
*Redhead and Mrs. Gwyneth Fosse*
Reportedly one of Gwen's favorites, "Redhead" (1959) was a musical where Gwen as English-woman Essie Whimple was a potential victim for Jack The Ripper. Again, choreographed by Fosse, it was another smash and brought Gwen her fourth and, sadly, final Tony. A year later in 1960, Bob and Gwen were wed (he and McCracken had divorced in 1956). They were most happy, and it has often been said that they were the loves of each others lives. However, there was one thing missing. They both wanted a child. So 35 year old Gwen took a six year hiatus from the stage in '60 to have a baby. The baby was born March 3, 1963 and her name was Nicole Providence Fosse.
*If Her Friends Could See Her Now and A Separation to Remember*
Ready for the stage, Gwen returned in 1966 to do "Sweet Charity", a musical comedy staged and choreographed by Bob Fosse, score by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields, and book by the legendary Neil Simon. It opened January 29, 1966 at the re-opening of the Palace Theatre (it was being re-born as a legitimate theatre) in New York City and ran for 608 performances. In the musical, Gwen Verdon played Charity Hope Valentine, a dance-hall hostess with a great big heart that was filled with optimism. With showstopping tunes like "If My Friends Could See Me Now" and "Big Spender" (though Gwen did not sing the latter) it was a huge success, and even Ethel Merman said she thought Gwen was "absolutely fabulous." Gwen was nominated for a Tony, but lost. In 1969, a movie version of "Sweet Charity" was created, with Shirley MacLaine in tow as Charity (who had worked with Fosse years earlier in "The Pajama Game" on Broadway), and the fantastic Broadway star Chita Rivera as Nickie. MacLaine, with her fair skin, flaming red hair, long limbs, and little black shift-dress, bore quite a resemblance to Verdon throughout the movie. Gwen was assistant choreographer to Fosse throughout the film. In 1971, Gwen and Fosse separated due to Bob's infidelities. However, they would always remain the closest of friends.
*Foxy Roxie Hart*
Gwen decided to try her hand at straight acting in a play called "Children, Children!" However, the project was a dismal failure. So Bob Fosse went to work on a project for Gwyneth Evelyn. He approached the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb, who had previously worked with him on the film adaptation of "Cabaret" (for which Bob won an Oscar) and the televised special "Liza With A Z" (for which Bob won an Emmy), both with Liza Minnelli. Fosse had optioned the rights to the play "Chicago" by Maurine Watkins several years before as a possible vehicle for Gwen (during this time they were still married). "Chicago", before that time, was probably best remembered in terms of the film "Roxie Hart" with Ginger Rogers playing the title role. Based on a true story, "Chicago" is the story of a chorus girl who, in the jazz and prohibition age of 1927, shoots her lover and is acquitted after her shyster lawyer manipulates the media in her favor. Bob came to Kander and Ebb wanting to make a show for Gwen that he felt would probably be her last show. He and Gwen had always loved the part of Roxie Hart, and Bob felt that Kander and Ebb could come up with a wonderful score for it. Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse wrote the book, and while they kept the basic storyline, they added their own touches. They fleshed up the part of Velma for Chita Rivera to play opposite Gwen's Roxie. They also created an emcee to announce each number as if it were a vaudeville act. Also, they added things like the six merry murderesses, bulked up the part of Matron Mama Morton just a bit, and made it quite a satirical comedy. However, writing the book was a hard task. Fred Ebb found it hard because shortly after rehearsals began, Bob Fosse suffered a heart attack. Fosse pulled through, but the heart attack significantly altered his initial vison about the musical. Between the time he, Gwen Verdon and Robert Fryer acquired the rights in '69, and the moment the show went into rehearsal, Fosse had become very angry at the world around him, and it was reflected in "Chicago." When the show hit Broadway on June 1, 1975, critics were quick to comment. They noticed it's downbeat tone, but also noticed it's creativeness. But above all, the musical had three knock-'em-in-the-aisles powerhouses: Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart, Chita Rivera as Velma Kelly, and Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn. And they had a heck of a time calming the audience down when Gwen broke into her electrifying rendition of "Roxie". "Chicago", at that time, never got to be the success it could have been however, because "Chicago" opened only a few weeks prior to the success of the year, "A Chorus Line." However, Gwen was once again nominated for a Tony. She did not win. Gwen had to leave the show due to a throat infection that kept her hospitalized, and Roxie was then played for a brief period by Liza Minnelli, and then by Fosse's then-lover, Ann Reinking.
*Life After Chicago, And Losing A Great Star*
After "Chicago," Gwen focused more on movies and TV than on the stage. Although her name was still of the upmost regard by Broadway musical fans, she did shows like "M*A*S*H," "Magnum P.I." (where she played Tom Selleck's mother) and "Walker, Texas Ranger." She also did several highly successful films, such as "Cocoon" (directed by Ron Howard), "The Cotton Club", and "Alice" to name a few. In 1987, at the opening of a revival of "Sweet Charity," Gwen was leaving the theatre with Bob Fosse whenever he collapsed. It was another heart attack. However, this time, he would not pull through. Bob Fosse had died at age 60 possibly in the best way he could -- with Gwen at his side. You see, he and Gwen never officially divorced. In late 1999, Gwen and daughter Nicole teamed up with Ann Reinking to create the musical "Fosse: A Celebration of Song and Dance." In it, several of Fosse's showstopping choreographed pieces (such as "Mein Herr," "Steam Heat," "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo." and so on and so forth) have been recreated by those who knew and loved him best. However, on October 18, 2000, while visiting Nicole at her home in Woodstock, VT, Gwen died, and the world mourned. No longer would the vivacious, petite redhead (who, even in her 70s, could high kick with the best of 'em) be able to grace us all with her voice -- that voice that throaty, grainy, girlish voice. No longer could she dance for us, demonstrating moves that she had done in one of her many shows. No longer could she act with her "Chaplin-esque quality" (as "Sweet Charity" co-star Helen Gallagher [Nickie] once said of her) that could make you laugh one minute and cry the next. Gwen had died at age 75 from natural causes. The same day, the lights were dimmed on Broadway in honor of the passing of one of it's brightest stars. At her funeral, many were present... BeBe Neuwirth, Ann Reinking, Ben Vereen to name a few. Several people spoke words about her. Her granddaughter, Jennifer Henaghan, said "She was a better person than she was a dancer." Her nephew, Paul Verdon, remembers: " I have a lot of fond memories of Gwen and still miss her. We danced together for the first time about five months before her death. It was my dream and she was of course really supportive. We'd tap together to a routine an instructor choreographed for us. I have a lot of proud moments with her." But I think close friend Chita Rivera summed it up best when she closed her speech with "My God, how she danced."