// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Georges Reich? Reich in charge here?
Georges Reich | |
|---|---|
| Born | Georges Frank Reich 15 December 1926 |
| Died | 4 May 2013 (aged 86) |
| Other name | George F. Reich |
| Education | Ballet Markova Dolin Company |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1948–1970 |
| Partner | Jean Marais (1948–1959) |
George Frank Reich (December 15, 1926 – May 4, 2013), known professionally as Georges Reich, was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and director who significantly influenced mid-century French cabaret and introduced American modern jazz dance to Europe during the 1950s and 1960s.[1] He was in a romantic relationship with French actor Jean Marais.[2]
Early life
[edit]He was born in Patchogue, Long Island, New York, Reich trained with the Ballet Markova Dolin Company and appeared on Broadway in Inside U.S.A. (1948) and Touch and Go (1949).[3][4]
Career
[edit]Acting
[edit]Reich transitioned into cinema in the 1950s.[5] He was offered a seven year contract to stay with MGM Studios.[5] Despite receiving an MGM contract offer following The Glass Slipper (1955), he refused and returned to France.[5]
Dance career in France (1950s–1960s)
[edit]He moved to Paris in the early 1950s for an engagement at the Lido de Paris, he began an 18-year career in France.[4] In 1955, he formed his own ensemble, Le Ballet HO de George Reich, blending American jazz and Broadway styles into French music hall acts.[1][4]
He danced at the Moulin Rouge, the Olympia Music Hall, and the Ballet de Paris.[4] He was the first male principal at the Lido to wear a mirrored G-string, a costume designed for a routine choreographed by Gwen Verdon.[5]
He appeared in French film roles such as School for Love (1955) and Black Tights (1961).[5] He staged productions for major stars including Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich, Édith Piaf, Brigitte Bardot, and Line Renaud.[4]
Later career in America
[edit]In the 1970s, he returned to the U.S. and became a key creative director for Carnival Cruise Line's large-scale stage revues.[4][6]
Personal life
[edit]Reich was in a romantic relationship with French actor Jean Marais from 1948 to 1959.[4] The pair were known for their striking physical resemblance—both were athletic and blonde—and lived together on a péniche (houseboat) named L'Apprenti fakir on the Seine.[2][4] Marais, an accomplished artist, used Reich as a frequent subject for his paintings and sculptures.[7][8]
Death
[edit]Filmography
[edit]Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Admiral Broadway Revue | Frank James | Episode: Sing in a New Day |
| 1950 | The Saturday Night Revue with Jack Carter | Dancer | S1. Episode: 7 |
Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Daddy Long Legs | Specialty Dancer | |
| 1955 | The Glass Slipper | Dancer | [4] |
| 1955 | School for Love | Dick Killian | [10] |
| 1956 | Les Lumières Du Soir | Steve Crown | [11] |
| 1956 | Cette Sacrée Gamine | Dancer | Choreographer |
| 1956 | Bonsoir Paris | Le maître de ballets | [12] |
| 1957 | La Garçonne | Peer-Rys | [13] |
| 1959 | Julie La Rousse | Dancer | Choreographer |
| 1961 | Black Tights | Christian de Neuvillette | [14] |
| 1962 | Taras Bulba, the Cossack | Ostapi | [15] |
| 1962 | Indiscrétion | Dancer | Director[16] |
| 1970 | Cover Me Babe | Composer | Lyrics |
References
[edit]- 1 2 Film Choreographers and Dance Directors: An Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedia, with a History and Filmographies, 1893 Through 1995. McFarland & Company, Publishers. 1997. p. 462.
- 1 2 A Ned Rorem Reader. Yale University Press. 2001. p. 16.
- ↑ S. Hurok Presents; A Memoir of the Dance World: Enriched Edition. Dive Into the Heart of Dance: Legends, Triumphs, and Anecdotes. Good Press. 2023. p. 241.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "A Tale as Old as Time". Fire Island & Great South Bay News. July 22, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Georges Reich". www.elisarolle.com. January 2, 2026.
- ↑ Bahamian Review: The National Monthly News Magazine of the Bahamas. Cartwright Publications. 1986. p. 36.
- ↑ The Paris Review. Random House, Incorporated. 1991. p. 253.
- ↑ Trambouze, Claude. Jean Marais : Un Homme aux milles. PORTRAIT (in French). Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ↑ "George F. Reich Obituary". Aria Cremation Service and Funeral Home. February 28, 2026.
- ↑ Jean Marais: biographie. A. Carrière. 1994. p. 152.
- ↑ Cahiers du cinéma - Volumes 11-12. Cahiers du cinéma. 2022. p. 60.
- ↑ Cinéma français: les années 50 : les longs métrages réalisés de 1950 à 1959. Éd. du Centre Pompidou. 1987. p. 1956.
- ↑ Marcel Achard: ou, 50 ans de vie parisienne. Éditions France-Empire. 1977. p. 472.
- ↑ Scheuer, Philip K. (4 March 1962). "'Black Tights' Artistic Yet Not Too Highbrow". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-02-10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Italian Sword and Sandal Films, 1908-1990. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. 2017. p. 168.
- ↑ Encyclopedia of French Film Directors - Volume 1. Scarecrow Press. 2010. p. 855.