Bobby Van was an American actor and dancer.
Biography[]
Born Robert Stein in The Bronx, New York, he began his show business career as a trumpeter before a chance performance in the Catskills ultimately led to him becoming a song and dance man, notably starting with the revue Alive and Kicking.
As well as his musical work, Van also appeared in several films such as The Navy v.s. the Night Monster and television programmes including Battlestar Galactica.
Van passed away in 1980.
Singing[]
Van was often seen as a performer on stage, screen and a number of variety shows, beginning with the original cast of Alive and Kicking and later films such as Skirts Ahoy!, The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (in which he played the titular character) and Kiss Me, Kate, where he played Gremio.
Van also appeared in the revival casts of On Your Toes and No, No, Nanette and originated the role of Steve Anderson in Doctor Jazz, as well as making guest appearances on The Kraft Music Hall and Dinah!
Film[]
Skirts Ahoy! (1952)[]
- Oh, By Jingo (duet)
Small Town Girl (1953)[]
- Take Me to Broadway (solo)
The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953)[]
- You Can't Do Wrong Doin' Right
- I'm Thru With Love (solo)
- All I Do is Dream of You (duet)
Kiss Me, Kate (1953)[]
- Tom, Dick or Harry (contains solo lines)
- From This Moment On (contains solo lines)
Lost Flight (1970)[]
- It's Not Unusual (solo)
Burt Bacharach in Shangri-La (1973)[]
- (They Long to Be) Close to You/This Guy's in Love with You (contains solo lines)
Lost Horizon (1973)[]
- The World is a Circle (contains solo lines)
- Question Me an Answer (contains solo lines)
Television[]
Yves Montand on Broadway (1961)[]
- Let's Be Buddies (contains solo lines)
- Friendship (contains solo lines)
- Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better (duet)
- Everything I've Got Belongs to You (duet)
- Once in Love with Amy (duet)
- Take Me Along
- Isn't It a Lovely Day (duet)
- Cuban Love Song (duet)
- Don't Give Up the Ship (duet)
- Old Man Tucker (duet)
The Kraft Music Hall (1967)[]
- Singin' in the Rain (solo)
- The Song and Dance Man (solo)
Dinah! (1976)[]
- I Got Rhythm (duet)
Stage[]
Alive and Kicking (1950)[]
- I'm All Yours (solo)
On Your Toes (1954)[]
- Two-a-Day for Keith (contains solo lines)
- Finale
No, No, Nanette (1971)[]
- The Call of the Sea (contains solo lines)
- You Can Dance with Any Girl at All (duet)
- Telephone Girlie (contains solo lines)
- Take a Little One Step (contains solo lines)
Doctor Jazz (1975)(originated the role)[]
- Doctor Jazz (contains solo lines)
- We've Got Connections (contains solo lines)
- Cleopatra Had a Jazz Band (contains solo lines)
- Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave to Me (Reprise)(solo)
- Anywhere the Wind Blows (solo)
- Swanee Strut (solo)
- Everybody Leaves You (solo)
- I Love It (Reprise)(duet)
Anything Goes (1977)[]
- You're the Top (duet)
- It's De-Lovely (contains solo lines)
- Friendship (contains solo lines)
- I Get a Kick Out of You (duet)
- Anything Goes (contains solo lines)
- All Through the Night (duet)
- You're the Top (Finale)
Gallery[]
