Broadway Dancer and Choreographer Donald Saddler Has Died

Donald Saddler, longtime Broadway dancer and choreographer, has died at the age of 96 at his home in New Jersey.

Born in Van Nuys, California, Saddler was an avid dancer from an early age. During his youth, he began spending school vacations at the MGM studios where he went on to dance in the chorus of movie musicals such as The Great Ziegfeld, Babes in Arms, and The Wizard of Oz. Saddler became an original member of the American Ballet Theatre in the 1930s before leaving to serve in World War II.

Upon returning from the war, Saddler began working on Broadway. His first role was as a replacement in High Button Shoes. Saddler danced in many shows, with his first choreography assignment coming in 1950 when he served as assistant to the choreographer in Call Me Madam. In 1953, Saddler had his break staging Tony Award-winning numbers for the original Broadway production of Leonard Bernstein's Wonderful Town. As his career progressed, Saddler served as choreographer for shows including No, No, Nanette, Much Ado About Nothing, and On Your Toes, all of which won him Tony nominations. No, No, Nanette won him his second Tony.

Saddler's work as a choreographer was last seen on Broadway in the 1993 revival of My Fair Lady. In 2001, he made his last Broadway appearance as Theodore Whitman the revival of Follies, performing alongside fellow veteran dancer and longtime friend Marge Champion. The two also starred in the 2010 documentary Keep Dancing.