JR

It's the birthday of Jerome Robbins, probably the greatest director-choreographer Broadway has ever known.  Stephen Sondheim called him the only genius he ever met.  He must have been, considering Robbins was, by most accounts, a nasty character, so why else would anyone work with him?  A famous story has him berating his cast, who say nothing as he slowly backs up and falls into the pit.

Broadway shows of his day weren't taped or filmed, but he revived many of his greatest numbers in the Tony-winning Jerome Robbins' Broadway:



Broadway was only half his career.  He spent just as much time at the ballet.



Some of his work survives in Hollywood versions.  For instance, he came out to Hollywood to stage the numbers he'd originally choreographed in The King And I.  He was asked to direct West Side Story, but took so long rehearsing the dancers he was fired halfway through the production. Luckily, the completed film still carries much of his work. (Enough that he shared an Oscar for direction.)