Editing Bob Fosse (section)

=== 1954–1958: Work as a choreographer ===
During the late 1940s and early 1950s, Fosse transitioned from film to [[Broadway theatre|theatre]].  Fosse told an interviewer, "Jerry [<nowiki/>[[Jerome Robbins]]] started me doing choreography. He gave me my first job as a choreographer [Pajama Game] and I'm grateful for that."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYSrYjUOCek |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211104/FYSrYjUOCek |archive-date=2021-11-04 |url-status=live |title=Showbiz Today Jerry Lewis Roasted |date=1986 |publisher=givethechanceakid}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 

In 1954, Fosse choreographed his first musical, ''[[The Pajama Game]]'', followed by ''[[My Sister Eileen (1955 film)|My Sister Eileen]]'' and [[George Abbott]]'s ''[[Damn Yankees]]'' in 1955. It was while working on ''[[Damn Yankees]]'' that he first met rising star [[Gwen Verdon]], whom he married in 1960. For her work in ''Damn Yankees,'' Verdon won her first [[Tony Award]] for Best Actress in a Musical in 1956.<ref name="gwen">[https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/gwen-verdon-68959/#awards "Gwen Verdon Awards"], ibdb.com. Retrieved April 27, 2019.</ref> She had previously won a Tony for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for ''[[Can-Can (musical)|Can-Can]]'' (1954). In 1957, Fosse choreographed ''[[New Girl in Town]]'', also directed by Abbott, and Verdon won her second Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1958.<ref name="gwen" />

In 1957, Fosse choreographed the film version of ''[[The Pajama Game (film)|The Pajama Game]]'' starring [[Doris Day]]. The next year, Fosse appeared in and choreographed the film version of ''[[Damn Yankees]],'' in which Verdon reprised her stage triumph as the character Lola. Fosse and Verdon were partners in the mambo number "Who's Got the Pain".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2019/vintage/features/bob-fosse-gwen-verdon-1203185015/|title= Looking Back at the 'Fosse/Verdon' Dancing Legends That Inspired FX Series|website= Variety|date= April 12, 2019|accessdate= May 20, 2024}}</ref> In 1959, Fosse directed and choreographed the musical ''[[Redhead (musical)|Redhead]]''.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/fosse/multimedia/redhead.html 'Redhead'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108143537/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/fosse/multimedia/redhead.html |date=November 8, 2012 }} PBS, accessed January 27, 2010</ref> For his work on ''Redhead,'' Fosse won the Tony Award for Best Choreography while Verdon won her third Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. ''Redhead'' won the Tony Award for best musical.<ref>[http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/3113/Redhead "'Redhead' Broadway"] ''[[Playbill]]'', accessed January 12, 2016</ref> Fosse's next feature was supposed to be the musical ''[[The Conquering Hero]]'' based on a book by [[Larry Gelbart]], but he was replaced as director/choreographer.

In 1961, Fosse choreographed the satirical Broadway musical ''[[How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (musical)|How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying]]'' starring [[Robert Morse]]. The story revolves around an ambitious man, J. Pierrepont Finch (Morse), who, with the help of the book ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,'' rises from window washer to chairman of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company. The musical was an instant hit.<ref name=gottfried /><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/fosse/multimedia/business2.html "That's Dancin: Fosse on Broadway, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524150947/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/shows/fosse/multimedia/business2.html |date=May 24, 2013}} PBS.</ref> In 1963, Fosse was nominated for two Tony Awards for Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical for the musical [[Little Me (musical)|''Little Me'']], winning the former.<ref name=":1" /> He choreographed and directed Verdon in ''[[Sweet Charity]]'' in 1966.<ref>[http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/9184/Sweet-Charity "'Sweet Charity' Broadway"]. ''Playbill'', accessed January 12, 2016</ref>