Musicals

Olga James (1929–2025), Carmen Jones actress

Olga James was an actress and singer best known for her performance in the 1954 movie musical “Carmen Jones” opposite .

Tony Mordente (1935–2024), original West Side Story cast member

Tony Mordente was an actor in the original cast of “West Side Story,” the ex-husband of Broadway star , and a longtime television director.

Anne Whitfield (1938–2024), actress in White Christmas

Anne Whitfield was an actress best known for playing Susan Waverly in the classic Hollywood musical, “White Christmas.”

Tom Jones (1928–2023), lyricist known for The Fantasticks

Tom Jones was a lyricist and librettist who wrote “The Fantasticks,” an off-Broadway musical that ran for 42 years with over 17,000 productions.

Clifton Oliver (1975–2023), starred in The Lion King onstage

Clifton Oliver was a popular Broadway actor who appeared in such hits as “The Lion King” and the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical “In the Heights.”

Irene Cara (1959–2022), “Flashdance” and “Fame” singer and actress

Irene Cara was a singer and actress who starred in the movie “Fame” and sang the title song, as well as singing the Oscar- and Grammy Award-winning song “Flashdance… What a Feeling.”

Olivia Newton-John (1948–2022), “Grease” star and chart-topping singer

Olivia Newton-John was a singer and actress known for a country-turned-pop musical career and for roles in movies including “Grease.”

James Rado (1932–2022), co-creator of the hit rock musical ‘Hair’ 

James Rado was a co-writer of the story and lyrics for the groundbreaking musical ‘Hair,’ the first Broadway musical to feature rock music.    

Rosmarie von Trapp (1929–2022), daughter from “The Sound of Music” family  

Rosmarie von Trapp was a daughter of Georg and Maria von Trapp of the Trapp Family Singers whose story was told in the movie “The Sound of Music.”

Yvonne Wilder (1937–2021), "West Side Story" actor

Yvonne Wilder was an actor known for playing Consuelo in the classic film "West Side Story."

Jane Powell (1929–2021), star of Hollywood’s Golden Age musicals

Jane Powell was an actress and singer who starred in musicals of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”

Rebecca Luker (1961–2020), Broadway star

Rebecca Luker was a Tony-nominated Broadway star known for her roles in productions including the 1994 revival of “Showboat” and the 2000 revival of “The Music Man.”

Marge Champion (1919–2020), model for Snow White

Marge Champion was a dancer who was known for movie musicals, as well as for being the model for the main character of Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Naya Rivera (1987–2020), actress who starred as Santana Lopez in “Glee”

Naya Rivera was an actress best known for her role as Santana Lopez in the hit musical TV series “Glee.”

Nick Cordero (1978–2020), Broadway star of “Waitress,” “Rock of Ages”

Nick Cordero was an actor best known for starring roles in Broadway shows including “Waitress,” “Rock of Ages,” and “Bullets Over Broadway.”

Paula Kelly (1943–2020), actress and dancer starred on Broadway and in movies

Paula Kelly was an actress, dancer, and singer known for movies including Sweet Charity, Soylent Green, and Uptown Saturday Night. On Broadway, she debuted in 1964 in Something More! and appeared in other shows including The Dozens, Ovids Metamorphoses, and Sophisticated Ladies. In addition to appearing in Bob Fosses movie adaptation of Sweet Charity, she starred in the show on the London stage, where she won the London Variety Award for Best Supporting Actress. A frequent TV guest, Kelly was Emmy nominated for her recurring role on the first season of 1Night Court1 as Liz Williams. Her other TV appearances include 1The Carol Burnett Show,1 1Sanford and Son,1 1Police Woman,1 1The Golden Girls,1 and the miniseries 1The Women of Brewster Place.1

Allee Willis (1947–2019), songwriter who wrote “Friends” theme and “September”

Allee Willis was a songwriter who was nominated for an Emmy Award for writing the theme song to “Friends,” “I’ll Be There for You.” She worked with Earth, Wind & Fire frequently, co-writing their hits including “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” and “In the Stone.” Willis won two Grammy Awards, one for co-writing the music and lyrics for the stage adaptation of “The Color Purple,” and the other for her work for the “Beverly Hills Cop” soundtrack, for which she co-wrote the Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance” and Patti LaBelle’s “Stir it Up.” Her other notable songwriting credits include the Pet Shop Boys’ “What Have I Done to Deserve This” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Got You on My Mind.” She was a 2018 inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Jeff Fenholt (1950–2019), original star of “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Broadway

Jeff Fenholt starred in the original Broadway production of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” playing the title role.

Hal Prince (1928–2019), Broadway musical giant

Legendary producer and director won a record-breaking 21 Tony Awards.

Doris Day (1922–2019), legendary actress and singer

She was a symbol of innocence and wholesomeness as she starred in popular movies of the 1950s and '60s.

Fay McKenzie (1918–2019), actress whose career spanned 100 years

Fay McKenzie had an acting career that spanned from her first appearance in a 1918 silent film at just 10 weeks old to a final cameo in the yet to be released "Kill a Better Mousetrap."

Stanley Donen (1924–2019), "Singin' in the Rain" director and choreographer

The last of the great directors of Hollywood's golden age.

Mable Lee (1921–2019), tap-dancing "Queen of the Soundies"

Mable Lee was the "Queen of the Soundies," a dancer and singer who delighted 1940s audiences in more than 100 musical short films that were designed to be played on jukeboxes in nightclubs and restaurants. Lee's "million dollar legs" made her a tap-dancing star, and her success outlived that of the soundies. She traveled with the first all-Black USO troupe during World War II, and after the war, she had a decades-long career in Broadway. She was inducted into the Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2008, and she continued to dance until the last years of her life.

Albert Finney (1936–2019), Oscar-nominated British actor

Albert Finney was an Oscar-nominated star of movies including “Murder on the Orient Express” (1974), “Annie” (1982), and “Erin Brockovich.” The British actor built his career on the London stage and moved to the big screen with celebrated roles including the lead in 1963's “Tom Jones.” He was a hit as Hercule Poirot in the original adaptation of Agatha Christie's “Murder on the Orient Express,” earning Oscar and BAFTA nominations for Best Actor. He sang as he played Daddy Warbucks in “Annie,” and he portrayed Winston Churchill in the television drama “The Gathering Storm,” winning Emmy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA awards.

Gillian Lynne (1926 – 2018) “Cats” choreographer

Worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber on "Phantom of the Opera"…

Donald McKayle (1930–2018), pioneering African-American choreographer

Directed and choreographed the Tony Award-winning musical “Raisin.”

Harvey Schmidt (1929–2018), composer of "The Fantasticks"

"The Fantasticks" was the longest running musical in history…

Vic Damone (1928 – 2018), popular crooner

Frank Sinatra said he had "the best pipes in the business"…

Michael Friedman (1975–2017), Composer for “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”

Composer and lyricist for the rock musical “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.”

Thomas Meehan (1929 - 2017)

Tony Award-winning book writer of “Annie” and “The Producers”…

Surprising Musical Tony Award Winners (video)

A video tribute to musical Tony-winning stars of film and TV.

Linda Hopkins (1924–2017), actress and gospel singer

Linda Hopkins, the actress and gospel singer who won a Tony Award in 1972 for her show-stopping performance in the musical "Inner City," died Monday, April 10, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, according to multiple news sources. She was 92.

Dick Gautier (1931 - 2017), Get Smart's Hymie the Robot

Dick Gautier, the comedic actor who played Hymie the Robot on “Get Smart,” died Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, in Arcadia, California, after a long illness, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 85.

For Hamilton's Birthday, 11 Things You Didn't Know

Because Lin-Manuel Miranda couldn't fit all the awesome into the musical.

Debbie Reynolds (1932–2016), Singin' in the Rain star

Debbie Reynolds, the actress and singer who starred in "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," died Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016. She was 84.

Charmian Carr (1942 - 2016), The Sound of Music actress

Charmian Carr, an actress known best for playing the eldest daughter in “The Sound of Music” movie, died Sept. 17, 2016, according to multiple news sources. She was 73.

Gloria DeHaven (1925 - 2016)

Gloria DeHaven, a singer and actress who starred in a number of MGM musicals, died July 30, 2016, one week after her birthday, in Las Vegas, Nevada, according to multiple news sources. She was 91.

Marni Nixon (1930 - 2016), ghost singer for Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe

Marni Nixon, a singer who ghost sang for leading actresses in films including "The King and I" and "West Side Story," died July 24, 2016, according to multiple news sources. She was 86. The cause was breast cancer, according to Randy Banner, a friend of Nixon. Nixon, who was born Margaret Nixon McEathron Feb. 22, 1930, in Altadena, California, also acted in films and on TV and Broadway. Her film credits include "The Sound of Music" and "I Think I Do." She also appeared on TV's "Law and Order."

Broadway's Tribute to Elaine Stritch

The lights of Broadway went dark in July to honor the memory of Elaine Stritch, one of the greatest players who ever graced the Great White Way.

Geoffrey Holder: Absolutely Maaarvelous!

Actor, director, dancer, and choreographer died Oct. 5, 2014, at age 84.

Bob Hope on the Road

Alongside costars Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, Bob Hope made seven classic adventure comedies between 1940 and 1962: the "Road" series.

Buddy Ebsen, Hoofer at Heart

Buddy Ebsen became famous as an actor, but his first love was dancing.

Betty Grable's Million Dollar Legs

Blonde bombshell Betty Grable wowed crowds in Technicolor musicals of the 1940s and '50s, showing off her strong voice, skilled dancing and, of course, her million dollar legs.

Ginger Never Cried

Fred Astairedanced with many women over the course of his movie career.ButGinger Rogersis the one we remember as his constant partner, and theree28099s a reason for that. Anything Astaire threw at her, she handled gracefully, and that impressed the man who was accustomed to reducing other dancers to tears.

Ann Miller: Top of the Taps

Ann Miller was a multi-talented star – she could sing, she could act, she was funny – but all these skills were eclipsed by her magnificent dancing...

Remembering Raul Julia

Raul Julia's celebrated acting career made him one of Puerto Rico's most famous native sons. Born March 9, 1940, Julia was a success on stage with multiple Tony Award nominations to his credit, as well as on TV and movie screens, making his mark with well-loved and award-winning roles. We're celebrating his life today with a look at some of the highlights of his career.

The Highs and Lows of Nell Carter

Nell Carter's life was a study in extremes.

Danny Kaye: Fast-Talking Funny Man

Danny Kaye was as generous as he was funny...

The Stars of Oz

Three quarters of a decade after it was first in theaters, "The Wizard of Oz" remains one of the most-loved movies of all time.