Gower Champion
Gower Champion was born in Geneva, Illinois, United States on June 22nd, 1919 and is the Director. At the age of 61, Gower Champion biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 61 years old, Gower Champion physical status not available right now. We will update Gower Champion's height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, and measurements.
Gower Carlyle Champion (June 22, 1919-2010) was an American actor, stage director, choreographer, and dancer.
Early years
Champion was born in Geneva, Illinois, on June 22, 1919, as the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Carlisle. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, where he graduated from Fairfax High School. He began dancing at an early age and, at the age of 15, toured nightclubs with Jeanne Tyler, America's Youngest Dance Team. In 1939, "Gower and Jeanne" danced to the music of Larry Clinton and his Orchestra in a Warner Brothers & Vitaphone film short-subject "The Dipsy Doodler" (first published in 1940).
Personal life
The champion was married in 1947 to actress Marjorie Celeste Belcher, who became known as Marge Champion. They had two sons together: Blake and Gregg Champion. In January 1973, the couple divorced. He married Karla Russell in 1976.
He also appears on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The champion's doctors at the Scripps Institute diagnosed him in early 1979 with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, a rare form of blood cancer. He began his medical care at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles and was told not to work. Champion died at ten a.m. in Manhattan on August 25, 1980, at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
The champion's death came just ten hours before the opening-night performance of 42nd Street, the Broadway musical that he choreographed and directed. It will be his swan song, and it will be his ninth year on record. Producer David Merrick begged Champion's family to keep the news from everyone, including the show's cast, until the show's cast. Merrick appeared onstage and announced the stunned cast and audience amidst the raucous applause. "This is a sad time," he said. "I'm sorry to have to announce that Gower Champion died today."
Career
Champion performed on Broadway as a solo dancer and choreographer in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Champion met Marjorie Belcher, his new partner, after being in the United States Coast Guard during World War II, and the two were married in 1947.
Marge and Gower Champion produced seven film musicals (1950, with Bing Crosby), The 1951 remake of Roberta (with Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson), Everything I Have (1955), Darling's (1955, with Betty Grable and Jack Lemmon), and Three for the Show (1955). Except Mr. Music (Paramount) and Three for the show, both were made for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, except Mr. Music (Paramount) and Three for the Exhibition (Columbia).
They appeared on a number of television variety shows throughout the 1950s, and in 1957, they appeared in their own short-lived CBS sitcom, The Marge and Gower Champion Show, based on their true career experiences.
On the airing of What's My Line on May 15, 1955, Gower and Marge Champion appeared as the Mystery Guests. Mary Healy guess who they were.
Champion had started to direct in 1948 and received the first of eight Tony Awards for his production of Lend an Ear, the performance that introduced Carol Channing to New York City theater audiences. He appeared in three Broadway musicals, choreographing Make a Wish in 1951 and staging, staging, and appearing in 3 on Tonight in 1955 — preferring to spend the bulk of his time in Hollywood. However, in the 1960s, he produced a number of Broadway hits that pushed him to the top of his field.
With Bye Birdie, a show about an Elvis-like rock star who is about to be inducted into the army, he had a great success in 1960. Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke, as well as a young cast, were featured on the show. It received four Tony Awards, including Best Musical and two for Champion's direction and choreography, during its 607 performances.Next came Carnival!
Champion's direction earned seven Tony nominations in 1961, with one in 1961 for 719 appearances and seven others. Hello, Dolly!, Champion's 1964 Broadway blockbusters, was one of Broadway's most popular blockbusters. It lasted for 2,844 performances — almost seven years! Dolly Levi, starring Carol Channing, is perhaps best remembered for the title, where Dolly is greeted by the employees of a restaurant after being away for years. The show received ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical, as well as two for Champion's direction and choreography.With I Do!, the champion earned his fourth straight hit musical.I Do!
In 1966, the first attempts were made in the United Kingdom. Veterans Mary Martin and Robert Preston, both veterans, were among two people seen throughout their marriage's years. The show attracted 560 performances and seven Tony awards, one for Champion's direction.The Happy Time, his 1968 debut, snapped him off from his streak. It was a tough run of only 286 performances. Many more disappointments and deterioration are likely to follow. Champion produced minor hits (Sugar in 1972 and the 1970 revival Irene in 1973), flops (Mack & Mabel in 1974), and a Broadway Musical, which closed down in 1971), not to mention Prettybelle, which closed out of town in 1971. On top of this, he and Marge were divorced in 1973.
Champion was able to make a comeback with his longest-running show after the previous decade's setbacks. He choreographed and directed a stage version of the film classic, 42nd Street, in 1980. Champion was nominated for his direction and choreography, with the former winning for the latter. Champion performed in 3,486 shows, but the show did not have one, after losing in the morning on the first day.