All His Jazz: The Life And Death Of Bob Fosse

Winner of an Oscar for Cabaret, a Tony for Pippin' , and an Emmy for Liza with a ‘Z' —all in one year, 1972—Bob Fosse (1927–1987) was one of America's greatest choreographers and directors. Born in Chicago, young Fosse began his career tap-dancing as part of the Riff Brothers in sleazy strip joints, where he encountered the erotic style that later became his signature. Best known for his Broadway hits ( The Pajama Game, Damn Yankees, Sweet Charity, and Chicago ), he was also a successful movie director. Three of his five films were nominated for Academy Awards: Cabaret, Lenny, and the autobiographical All That Jazz. A compulsive womanizer, he had many affairs, even during his three marriages, the last of which was to actress Gwen Verdon, with whom he shared his most fruitful Broadway collaborations. As his fame grew, so too did his insecurities and addictions. He survived two heart attacks and several epileptic seizures, only to die on a street corner in Washington, D.C., in Verdon's arms. After his death Fosse became a Broadway legend. Based on interviews with friends, family, and colleagues, this eloquent biography provides a vivid connection between Bob Fosse's life and his work for stage and screen.