Theater News

John Wallowitch Dies at 81

John Wallowitch
John Wallowitch

John Wallowitch, one of cabaret’s most beloved singers and songwriters, died in New York City this morning after a long bout with cancer. He was 81 years old.

Wallowitch, who was born in South Philadelphia, moved to New York City in his teens to study piano at the Juilliard School. He soon became a rehearsal pianist for Broadway shows and later a nightclub singer. Over his 50-year-plus career, he played in many of the city’s top cabaret rooms, as well as London’s Pizza on the Park. During the 1980s and 1990s, he had a popular act with his partner Bertram Ross, who died in 2003. A documentary film about the couple, Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment, was released in 1998.

Wallowitch wrote over 1,000 songs in his career, including “This Moment,” “Bruce,” “I See the World Through Your Eyes,” and “Cosmetic Surgery.” His work has been sung and recorded by such vocalists as Dixie Carter, Blossom Dearie, Shirley Horn, and Tony Bennett. Among his many honors, Wallowitch won both the MAC and Back Stage Bistro Awards.