Gwen Verdon, a four-time Tony Award winner from Broadway’s Golden Age, has died at age 75 from natural causes at her daughter’s Vermont home. The petite, redheaded performer captivated audiences in musicals such as “Damn Yankees,” “Chicago” and “Sweet Charity.”
Verdon was married to director-choreographer Bob Fosse, whom she married in 1960, and the couple worked together on “Anna Christie” and “Redhead” along with “Chicago” and “Damn Yankees.” Her last Broadway appearance was in “Chicago” in 1975 with Chita Rivera and Jerry Orbach.
Broadway theaters dimmed their lights at 8 p.m. Wednesday in honor of the legend.
ACTRESS JULIE LONDON DIES: Julie London, nurse Dixie McCall of television’s “Emergency!”, died Wednesday of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. London, who had been in poor health since suffering a stroke five years ago, was married to “Dragnet” actor Jack Webb, then jazz composer and actor Bobby Troup, who portrayed resident brain surgeon Dr. Joe Early alongside his wife on “Emergency!”
In her youth, London appeared in films with Hollywood legends such as Rock Hudson, Edward G. Robinson and Gary Cooper, and Billboard magazine voted her one of the top female vocalists of 1955, 1956 and 1957.
PRODUCER WALTER SHENSON DIES: Walter Shenson, who produced “Help!” and “A Hard Day’s Night” for the Beatles and 12 other films, has died from complications from a stroke in Los Angeles. He was 81.
Shenson worked as a publicist for Paramount Pictures on the films “The Caine Mutiny” and “From Here to Eternity” before turning to producing. Among Shenson’s other films: “The Mouse That Roared” with Peter Sellers and “Reuben, Reuben” with Tom Conti.
ACTOR RICK JASON DIES: Rick Jason, who portrayed Lt. Gil Hanley on the 1960s TV series “Combat!”, committed suicide at his in Moorpark, Calif., home officials said Tuesday. Jason was 74 and had been depressed over personal matters, officials told Reuters.
Before becoming a household name on “Combat!”, Jason starred in the short-lived series “The Case of the Dangerous Robin” and a TV movie, “The Fountain of Youth,” directed by Orson Welles. Other TV appearances include “Murder, She Wrote,” “Wonder Woman,” “Fantasy Island” and “Dallas.” Jason also had regular appearances on the soap opera “The Young and the Restless.”
