Michael Bennett

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American dancer and showman who began dancing at an early age. He was the originator, co-producer, choreographer and director of "A Chorus Line," 1975, which became the longest-running show on Broadway in September 1983. Six years and seven months later, the show that had sold 22 million tickets worldwide in eight years took its final bow. He won Tony awards in 1974, 1979, 1982 and 1984, plus the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1976. He married the star of the show, dancer Donna McKechnie, in 12/1977; the marriage foundered in a few months. Throughout his life, his health was always good, although he was a heavy smoker, drank and did some recreational drugs. Revered as a showman, Bennett's own star was tarnished in revelations about his personal life. In Kevin Kelly's biography," One Singular Sensation," 1990, he is portrayed as a paranoid, manipulative egomaniac. Another new book, "On the Line" points out his mercurial personality and hard-driving work style but also notes his loyalty, humor and magnetism. Bennett died of AIDS on 7/02/1987, 7:45 MST, Tucson, AZ. Link to Wikipedia biography