Jazz Hands: Bob Fosse Is Subject of New Biopic; Bryan Singer Will Direct

By Kenneth Jones
20 Jan 2011

Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse

A new feature-length film about the life and work of late Tony Award-winning dancer-director-choreographer Bob Fosse is in the works from producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, whose new "Footloose" musical picture is due out in fall 2011.

Zadan and Meron will produce the Fosse project with Bryan Singer ("X-men"), who will direct. The producers are in negotiations with HBO.

Zadan and Meron have a history with showbiz biopics. They produced the TV movies "Martin and Lewis" and the song-filled "Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows."

News of the project first surfaced in the Hollywood Reporter. No screenwriter or casting has been mentioned for the project, which is in the early stages of development.

Bob Fosse began his career as a dancer in burlesque, stage and screen, rising to become a singular choreographer (Damn Yankees, The Pajama Game) and a director-choreographer (Sweet Charity, Pippin, Chicago, Dancin'). He crossed over into film, directing "Cabaret" (which won him an Oscar for Best Director), "Lenny," "Star 80" and the autobiographical "All That Jazz," for which he was Oscar-nominated for Screenplay and Director.

Fosse won Tony Awards for Best Choreography for Big Deal, Dancin', Pippin, Sweet Charity, Little Me, Redhead, Damn Yankees and The Pajama Game. His one Tony for Direction was for Pippin. He died of a heart ailment in 1987 in Washington, DC, where he was overseeing the tour of his Broadway revival of Sweet Charity.

Zadan and Meron were among the producers of the films "Hairspray" and the Oscar-winning "Chicago." They produced Broadway's recent Promises, Promises and are among the lead producers of the new Broadway production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.