july september american choreographer director producer involved production dozens motion pictures mainly paramount_pictures choreographed broadway musicals nominated times 1930s won films dances choreographed boat blue early life military service born missouri grandfather dancing master father taught ballroom dancing young men women according account sent reform school chasing carving knife newspaper profiles claimed running away boarding school age freight came new_york_city began song dance act young black man met way later year told went ship europe cabin boy jumped ship traveled europe introducing american step return meals lodging joined serving represented rubber company kansas_city outbreak world war returned france trained pilot served french aviation corps captain squadron november june switched 27th squadron stayed november 27th duties included working aircraft acceptance park test facility subsequently told journalists crashed nicknamed america german ace result called crash ace wounded war carried silver plate head plane crash october article war correspondent described separated flight venture german territory returned home minor injuries journey career according obituary los_angeles_times returned studied theater graduation northwestern newspaper reported returned france worked choreographer paris november report states employed portion featuring actor touring area newspaper gives rank captain states flight partner wisconsin newspaper reported said danced teaching dance vacation camp wounded veterans newspaper said fallen feet recovered newspaper profiles claimed worked dancer aviation instructor mexican government ferried ammunition rebel leader told worked gangster restaurant chicago produced stage shows claimed new_york_times profile hired book entertainment stage floor shows eighteen chicago left chicago worked dance director new_york florida mexico cuba employers included broadway family philadelphia choreographed broadway shows employment films director employed dance director filming clashed niece brought dance sequences according biographer uncle deferred reliable pedestrian agreeing niece flamboyant dances advance left film directed dance sequences dozens paramount_pictures movies dance director staged warner musical sequences sixteen years worked films mainly choreographer tea remake sound movie 1940s worked road movie paramount major assignment biographical movie starring title role choreographed ballet sequence service musical featuring broadway dancer played directing sequence brief cameo appearance came hollywood winning acclaim production oklahoma deeply discouraged experiences filming hollywood number like working choreographer effort integrate dances specific story lines specific dance steps resulted deep oklahoma dances choreographed able support advance artistic development gave latitude incorporate ballet dance routine object ideas worked years west point story starring day ceased working films dance sequence film adaptation later life owner production company vice president advertising agency producer benefit programs hollywood counted friends ronald_reagan knew days working choreographed entertainment presidential reagan called white_house hospital shortly died convention came idea playing star banner convention organizers wanted silence delegates notorious self promoter told stories dubious columnist recounted late life profile editors able verify percent told sent telegraph saying great don believe percent los_angeles_times profile late life claimed partial credit charleston popular appearing movies awards nominated long defunct category academy awards film choreographed paramount twice nominated category films king horses big broadcast awarded best film choreography known mainly work dance director big budget musicals directed number mainly short films boy dog won style legacy new_york_times profile said life story reads like script adventure stories told dubious described little man cigarette lips looked like choreographer idea man choreographer creating lavish production numbers simple steps dance routines jazz dance choreographer said didn know bloody thing dancing profile columnist said differed described rough tough guy little giants foot language colorful claimed taken lesson life reference family dancing school victim choreographer different approach choreography early 1930s movies included elaborate production numbers photographed imaginative camera angles berkeley numbers broke boundaries stage took completely opposite approach audience able forget watching stage performance style evident little number featured stationary camera included features stage orchestra pit dance number camera effect member audience study wartime hollywood musicals says camera angles employed effectively berkeley pedestrian quality dance numbers revealed matter picture matter director dances invariably static stage bound treatment dancers choreographer pan recalled interview girls loved tears thing swear girls nasty personal life married times son selected credits big broadcast goes boat big broadcast artists models louis blues rides girls film mission moscow army thank lucky stars blue night day escape west point story
LeRoy Prinz