Jerome Robbins

Jerome Robbins, born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz, was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director, and producer. He worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television. His many stage productions include On the Town, Peter Pan, High Button Shoes, The King and I, The Pajama Game, Bells Are Ringing, West Side Story, Gypsy, and Fiddler on the Roof.

Robbins won five Tony Awards and received the Kennedy Center Honors. He also earned two Academy Awards, including the 1961 Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for West Side Story, plus a special Academy Honorary Award for his work in film choreography.

A documentary about his life and work, called Something to Dance About, showed clips from his journals, old performances, and interviews. It premiered on PBS in 2009 and won both an Emmy and a Peabody Award that same year.

Early life

Jerome Robbins was born as Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz in Manhattan. His parents were Lena and Harry Rabinowitz, and he had an older sister named Sonia. The family lived in a big apartment in Manhattan and later moved to Weehawken, New Jersey. His father and uncle started a business making special clothing.

Robbins loved dancing and started learning different styles in high school. After finishing school, he tried studying chemistry at New York University but decided to focus on dance instead. He joined a dance group and began performing on stage.

Career

1930s and 40s

In the 1930s, Jerome Robbins learned acting and started dancing in shows on Broadway. He began creating dances for a summer resort and later joined a well-known ballet group. During this time, he made ballet pieces and worked with famous musicians and designers.

Robbins began making musicals for Broadway in the 1940s. His first big success was On the Town, which helped start his career. He worked with talented writers and directors, and his shows often included many different kinds of performers.

1950s

In the 1950s, Robbins kept making popular shows. He worked on famous musicals like The King and I and West Side Story, which told a modern story based on an old play. He also kept working in ballet, creating new dances and shows.

1960s

During the 1960s, Robbins helped improve some shows that were not doing well by changing their direction and dances. He also directed a famous movie version of West Side Story and won awards for his work. His musical Fiddler on the Roof became very popular and was performed for many years.

1970s and 1980s

In later years, Robbins focused more on ballet but still returned to Broadway sometimes. He created special shows that showed his best work and received many awards for his contributions to dance and theater.

1990s

In the 1990s, Robbins had health problems but kept working on ballet performances until shortly before he died in 1998. His influence on dance and theater stayed strong, and many people in entertainment honored him.

Personal life

Jerome Robbins had relationships with several people, including Montgomery Clift, Nora Kaye, Buzz Miller, and Jess Gerstein. He was once a member of the Communist Party. When he spoke before the House Un-American Activities Committee, this caused problems with some of his friends, such as actors Jack Gilford and Zero Mostel. Even so, he kept working with people like Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents on projects such as West Side Story.

Awards

Jerome Robbins shared the Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for the film version of West Side Story in 1961. That same year, he got a special award for his dance work from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Robbins won five Tony Awards, two Academy Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors in 1981, the National Medal of Arts in 1988, and the French Legion of Honor. He also received special honors from universities and arts groups.

In 1995, Robbins asked his foundation to create an award for great people or institutions in the arts, especially dance. The first two awards were given in 2003 to the New York City Ballet and lighting designer Jennifer Tipton.

Broadway productions and notable ballets

Jerome Robbins was very talented and worked on many shows and dances. He helped create famous musicals like On the Town, The King and I, West Side Story, and Fiddler on the Roof. He also choreographed many ballets and won several Tony Awards for his work. His creativity brought many beloved shows to life on stage.