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Gwen Verdon

Gwen Verdon

Actor · Died October 18, 2000, aged 75 · Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Gwyneth Evelyn "Gwen" Verdon was an American actress and dancer. She won four Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and served as an uncredited choreographer's assistant and specialty dance coach for theater and film. With flaming red hair and a quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed performer on Broadway from the 1950s-70s. Having originated many roles in musicals she is also strongly identified with her second husband, director–choreographer Bob Fosse, remembered as the dancer–collaborator–muse for whom he choreographed much of his work and as the guardian of his legacy after his death. By the time she was six, she was already dancing on stage. She went on to study multiple dance forms, ranging from tap, jazz, ballroom and flamenco to Balinese. In 1942, Verdon’s parents asked her to marry family friend and tabloid reporter James Henaghan after he got her pregnant at 17, and she quit her dancing career to raise their child. After her divorce, she entrusted her son Jimmy to the care of her parents. Early on, Verdon found a job as assistant to choreographer Jack Cole. During her five-year employment with Cole, she took small roles in movie musicals as a "specialty dancer" She also taught dance to stars such as Jane Russell, Fernando Lamas, and Lana Turner. Verdon started out on Broadway as a "gypsy," going from one chorus line to another. Her breakthrough role finally came as second female lead in Cole Porter's musical Can-Can. Verdon's biggest success was George Abbott's Damn Yankees. Verdon won another Tony and went to Hollywood to repeat her role in the 1958 movie version Damn Yankees. Verdon won another Tony for her performance in the musical, New Girl in Town, and won her fourth Tony for Redhead. Verdon and Fosse continued to collaborate on projects such as musicals Chicago and Dancin', as well as All That Jazz. After originating the role of Roxie opposite Chita Rivera's Velma Kelly in Chicago, Verdon focused on film acting, playing character roles in movies such as The Cotton Club, Cocoon and its sequel. She continued to teach dance and musical theater and to act. She received three Emmy Award nominations for appearances on Magnum, P.I., Dream On, and Homicide: Life on the Street. Verdon appeared in Alice and Marvin's Room). In 1999, Verdon served as artistic consultant on a Broadway musical designed to showcase examples of classic Fosse choreography, called Fosse. which won a Tony Award for best musical. Verdon appeared in the movie Walking Across Egypt, as well as Bruno. Verdon received a total of four Tonys, for best featured actress for Can-Can and best leading actress for Damn Yankees, New Girl in Town, and Redhead. She also won a Grammy Award for the cast recording of Redhead. Verdon was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1981, and in 1998, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 13, 1925
Died
October 18, 2000 (aged 75)
From
Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 46% in 30 days

What are Gwen Verdon's films like?

Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
19%
Morality
17%
Society
10%
Ideas
10%
Survival
9%
Power
4%
Art2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 6 · Serious 2 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 2 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 7 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
4
Warm
4
Romantic
4
Tense
2
Hopeful
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Bittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gwen Verdon's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 13 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Gwen Verdon's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

45 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Lola (segment "Damn Yankees") (archive footage)

  • Broadway's Lost Treasures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Roxie Hart (segment "Chicago")

  • Fosse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Creative Consultant

  • Bruno(2000)

    as Mrs. Drago

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Walking Across Egypt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Alora

  • Best Friends for Life(1998)

    as Edith Cooper

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Marvin's Room(1996)

    as Ruth Wakefield

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • In Cold Blood(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sadie Truitt

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Touched by an Angel(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Lorraine McCully

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Etta Pell

  • Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Etta Pell

  • Walker, Texas Ranger(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Maisie Whitman

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • Homicide: Life on the Street(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Jessie Doohen

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Alice(1990)

    as Alice's Mother

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Dream On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Kitty Brewer

  • Dear John (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 1 episode · as Yvonne

  • Cocoon: The Return(1988)

    as Bess McCarthy

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Nadine(1987)

    as Vera

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • All Is Forgiven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Bonita Harrell

  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Kelly Sterling

  • Cocoon(1985)

    as Bess McCarthy

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • That's Dancing!(1985)

    as Lola (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Cotton Club(1984)

    as Tish Dwyer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Jerk, Too (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    as Bag Lady (uncredited)

  • Legs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Maureen Comly

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Magnum, P.I.(1980)

    Show 4 episodes · as Katherine Peterson

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(1978)

    as Our Guests at Heartland

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • That's Entertainment, Part II(1976)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Deadly Visitor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    as Mrs. Moffat

  • M*A*S*H(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Brandy Doyle

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Damn Yankees(1958)

    as Lola

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)

  • The Farmer Takes a Wife (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Abigail (uncredited)

  • The Mississippi Gambler(1953)

    Choreographer · as Voodoo Chicken Dancer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The I Don't Care Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Specialty Dancer

  • The Merry Widow(1952)

    as Specialty Can-Can Dancer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Dreamboat(1952)

    as Girl in Commercial (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Meet Me After the Show(1951)

    as Gwen Verdon / Sappho, Dancer in No Talent Joe (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • David and Bathsheba(1951)

    as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • On the Riviera (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)

  • Blonde from Brooklyn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Girl in Nightclub (uncredited)

  • Hoosier Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Cheerleader

  • The King Steps Out (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Specialty Ballerina (uncredited)

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 45 titles from 1936 to 2005; peak year 1984.

Biggest box office

The Cotton Club (1984)

$26M worldwide

Highest rated

Liza with a Z (1972)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Cotton Club (1984)

Film career

19362005

Peak 1984 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting44 of 45: 43 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score64thOther crew2 of 45: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s2 · acting1950s10 · 10 acting · 1 crew1970s4 · acting1980s13 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s4 · 3 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 11th · top billed in 0% of 9 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Gwen Verdon's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 17; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 23 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · actor

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)

86th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)

Midcredits 86th · 75% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Gwen Verdon work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gwen Verdon's MovieCove titles; Tab Hunter shares the most, 2.