Thomas James Tune[1](born February 28, 1939[2]) is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won tenTony Awards,theNational Medal of Arts,and a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.
Tommy Tune | |
|---|---|
 Tune in 1977 | |
| Born | Thomas James Tune February 28, 1939 Wichita Falls, Texas,U.S. |
| Education | Lon Morris College University of Texas, Austin(BFA) University of Houston(MFA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1965–present |
| Website | http:// tommytune / |
Early life
editTune was born inWichita Falls, Texas,to oil rig worker, horse trainer, and restaurateur Jim Tune and Eva Mae Clark along with his sister, Gracey. He attendedMirabeau B. Lamar High School, Houstonand theMethodist-affiliatedLon Morris CollegeinJacksonville, Texas.He studied dance underPatsy Swayzein Houston.[3]He also studied dance with Kit Andree in Boulder, Colorado. He went on to earn hisBachelor of Fine Artsin Drama from theUniversity of Texas at Austinin 1962 and hisMaster of Fine Artsin Directing from theUniversity of Houston.Tune later moved to New York to start his career.[4]
Career
editTune stands a lanky6 feet6+1⁄2inches (199.4 cm) tall, and at first he found his height to be a disadvantage when auditioning for roles, as he would tower over potential co-stars. He wore horizontally striped shirts to auditions, dipped extra low when he did pliés and learned to dance upstage ( "I'd look shorter that way. It's a law of perspective" ) to try to overcome it.[5]
In 1965, Tune made hisBroadwaydebut as a performer in the musicalBaker Street.He gained national attention in 1969 when TV producerGreg Garrisonhired him as a specialty dancer and assistant choreographer forThe Dean Martin Showand its summer replacement series,Dean Martin PresentsThe Golddiggers.
Tommy Tune became well known behind the scenes as a reliable dance expert. In 1978, when the musical-comedy revueHellzapoppinstarringJerry LewisandLynn Redgravewas having an out-of-town tryout, Tune was called in three weeks before the show's Broadway bow: he arrived in Boston on a Saturday to debut in a dance number on the following Monday.[6]Tune's contribution came too late to save the show, which closed less than a week later when a plan to televiseHellzapoppinsuddenly fell through.
Tune's first Broadway directing and choreography credits were for the original production ofThe Best Little Whorehouse in Texasin 1978. His direction ofMaury Yeston'sNinein 1982, which also won the Tony for Best Musical, garnered him his first Tony for direction of a musical. He has gone on to direct and/or choreograph eight Broadway musicals. He directed a new musical titledTurn of the Century,which premiered at theGoodman Theatrein Chicago on September 19, 2008, and closed on November 2, 2008.[7]
Off-Broadway,Tune has directedThe ClubandCloud Nine.Tune toured the United States in theSherman BrothersmusicalBusker Alleyin 1994–1995, and in the stage adaptation of the filmDr. Dolittlein 2006.[8][9]
Tune is the only person to winTony Awardsin the same categories (Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical) in consecutive years (1990 and 1991), and the first to win in four categories. He has won ten Tony Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015.
Tune appeared in a 1975 TV special titledWelcome to the "World"along withLucie ArnazandLyle Waggonerto promote the opening ofSpace MountainatWalt Disney World.His film credits include Ambrose Kemper inHello, Dolly!(1969), directed byGene Kellyand starringBarbra Streisand,The Boy Friend(1971) withTwiggy,andMimì Bluette... fiore del mio giardino(1976) withShelley WintersandMonica Vitti.He also appeared briefly onMister Rogers' Neighborhoodin 1988.[10][11]
Tune released his first record album,Slow Dancin',in 1997 on theRCAlabel featuring a collection of his favorite romantic ballads. In 1999, he made hisLas Vegasdebut as the star ofEFXat theMGM Grand Las Vegas.[12]
Tune staged an elaborate musical entitledPaparazzifor theHolland America Linecruise ship the Oosterdam in 2003.[13]He works often with The Manhattan Rhythm Kings, for example touring in a Big BandrevueentitledSong and Dance ManandWhite Tie and Tails(2002).[14]
Tune performed in his musical revue,Steps in Time: A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance,in Boston in April 2008 and continuing in various venues from Bethesda, Maryland in January 2009 to California in February 2009.[15][16][17]
The Tommy Tune Awards, presented annually byTheatre Under The Stars(TUTS), honor excellence in high school musical theatre in Houston. The current home of the Tommy Tune Awards is the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas.[18]
Tune appeared asArgyle Austeroin the revived fourth and fifth seasons ofArrested DevelopmentonNetflix.In 2015, he made a return to the New York stage as a featured performer in City Center's staged concertEncores!.He was featured in two numbers inLady, Be Good!;his first act number was the Gershwin standard "Fascinating Rhythm."[19]
In the eighteenth episode of the sixth season ofThe Simpsons,"A Star Is Burns,"the citizens of Springfield are invited to make their own movies for a town film festival.Mr. Burns's film, "A Burns for All Seasons," features Tune's name in the credits, playing the role ofWaylon Smithers.
Personal life
editBefore leaving Texas in the 1960s for a Broadway career in New York, Tune worked with Mary Highsmith (mother of novelistPatricia Highsmith) at the Point Summer Theatre. In a letter to her daughter, Highsmith referred to Tune as her "adopted boy" whom she called "Romano." Tune later praised Highsmith for helping him develop his talents: "She was an opening for me; she opened a little bit of my tight fabric so that I might peer through."[20]When not performing, he used to run an art gallery inTribecathat featured his own work. As of 2014, it is no longer open.[21][22]
In 1997, Tune's memoir,Footnotes,was published. In it, he wrote about what drives him as a performer, choreographer, and director and reminisced about his days withTwiggyinMy One and Only;as well as meeting and working with his many idols. He further wrote about being openly gay in the world of theater; about losing his partner, choreographer David Steiger Wolfe, to AIDS in 1994, and about the unhappy ending of his relationship withA Chorus Lineactor Michel Stuart.[23]He also described a woman whom he did not name but who he said was the "love of [his] life," and some media speculated that the description he gave appeared to fitTwiggy.[24]
In September 2021, Tommy Tune was elected the honorary president of theAmerican Guild of Variety Artists,the labor union for non-actor stage performers.[25]
Broadway productions
edit- Baker Street(1965) (performer)
- A Joyful Noise(1966) (performer)
- How Now, Dow Jones(1967) (performer)
- Seesaw(1973) (performer, associate choreographer)
- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas(1978) (director, choreographer)
- A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine(1980) (director, choreographer)
- Nine(1982) (director)
- My One and Only(1983) (performer, choreographer)
- Stepping Out(1987) (director)
- Grand Hotel(1989) (director, choreographer)
- The Will Rogers Follies(1991) (director, choreographer)
- Tommy Tune Tonite!(1992) (performer)
- Bye Bye Birdie(1992) touring production (performer)
- The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public(1994) (director, choreographer)
- Grease(1994 revival) (production supervisor)
Awards and nominations
editOther recognition
edit- 1994 – Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement[26]
- 2009 –National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame[27]
In other media
edit- Tune is a common reference in the 2022 Netflix originalMurderville.
- Tune is mentioned in theSeinfeldepisode "The Non-Fat Yogurt"by Frank Costanza.[28]
References
edit- ^Matthew Blank (February 3, 2015)."CUE & A: Song and Dance Legend Tommy Tune on Carol Channing, Kissing Twiggy and His Love of Pro Wrestling".Playbill.Archived fromthe originalon February 3, 2015.RetrievedFebruary 3,2015.
- ^Tommy Tune.
- ^Kelly, Devin (September 18, 2013)."Patsy Swayze, mother of Patrick Swayze, dies at 86".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedOctober 6,2013.
- ^Kim Summers (2008)."Tommy Tune Biography".All Music Guide.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^"Tommy Tune".People.RetrievedJune 26,2019.
- ^Dan Lewis, "It's curtains for 'Hellzapoppin'",The Record,Hackensack, NJ, January 20, 1977, p. 28.
- ^Jones, Kenneth (November 2, 2008)."Tune, Elice and Brickman's Turn of the Century Ends in Chicago, Aims for a Future".Playbill.Archived fromthe originalon January 7, 2009.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^Elyse Sommer (December 1, 2007)."Busker Alley: From One Night Benefit to Gala CD Launch...and On to Broadway".Curtain Up.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^"Dr. Dolittle Closes His Practice on the Road".Playbill.August 3, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon September 6, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (TV Series) 1594: Kindness and Unkindness (1988)".IMDb.RetrievedOctober 28,2017.
- ^"Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (TV Series) 1595: Kindness and Unkindness (1988)".IMDb.RetrievedOctober 28,2017.
- ^talkinbroadway review, undated ca. 1999
- ^listing for Holland America[permanent dead link]
- ^Elyse Sommer (December 19, 2002)."A CurtainUp Review Tommy Tune: White Tie and Tails".curtainup.RetrievedJune 7,2008.
- ^Jane Hurwitz (January 21, 2009)."For 'Steps in Time,Tommy Tune Taps into a Long, Tall Career ".The Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^Adam Hetrick (January 6, 2009)."Tommy Tune to Perform Steps in Time in Stamford in February".Playbill.Archived fromthe originalon January 31, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^Jan Nargi (April 14, 2008)."Tommy Tune: Steps in Time".BroadwayWorld.RetrievedJune 7,2008.
- ^"Tommy Tune Awards".Theatre Under The Stars. 2008.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^Isherwood, Charles."Madcap Stratagems of Songful Siblings"The New York Times,February 5, 2015
- ^Schenkar, Joan.The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith.St. Martin's Press (2009);ISBN978-0-312-30375-4,pp. 61-63
- ^Andrew Gans (December 18, 2007)."Tommy Tune Launches On-Line Art Gallery".Playbill.Archived fromthe originalon December 4, 2008.RetrievedJune 7,2008.
- ^Tommy Tune (1997)."A Broadway Tune: A Halloween Visit with Tommy Tune".glbtq Encyclopedia(transcript). Interviewed by Owen Keehnen. Archived fromthe originalon August 14, 2007.RetrievedJanuary 22,2008.
- ^Tune, Tommy (1997).Footnotes: A Memoir.New York: Simon & Schuster.ISBN0-684-84182-7.
- ^"Tommy Tune Gets Back on His Feet With Book, CD and Stage Musical".Playbill.October 22, 1997.RetrievedJuly 9,2019.
- ^"EXTRA, EXTRA...Variety News! - AGVA officer Election results are in!" AGVA website; September 25, 2021
- ^"Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement".achievement.org.American Academy of Achievement.
- ^"Tommy Tune inducted into Hall of Fame".The Post-Star. August 2, 2009.
- ^"Frank Costanza Quote #11".tvquot.Archived fromthe originalon April 15, 2022.
External links
edit- Tommy Tune official website
- Tommy Tuneat theInternet Broadway Database
- Tommy Tuneat theInternet Off-Broadway Database
- Tommy TuneatIMDb
- Tommy TuneatPlaybillVault
- Playbill article, Jan. 15, 1999 "Tommy Tune To Use Tap Skills As Special EFX in Las Vegas; Begins Jan. 15"NOTE: Requires Playbill membership to access.
- Playbill article,Simonson, Robert,April 29, 2008, "Playbill's Brief Encounter with Tommy Tune". Retrieved April 30, 2008
