Queer Places:
The Lido de Paris, 116 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, France
George Reich (December 15, 1926 – May 4, 2013)
was born in Patchogue, Long Island, New York. He danced with The
Ballet Markova Dolin Company and appeared on Broadway in several
Broadway musicals. Reich signed a six-month contract with Don
Arden to dance at The Lido de Paris in France. George danced at The
Lido de Paris for two years and had the glorious honor of being the
first male dancer to wear a mirrored g-string costume on stage for a
number choreographed by the fabulous Gwen Verden.
George joined The Roland Petite Ballet Company and danced in the
film “The Glass Slipper” with Leslie Caron in 1953 at the MGM. He was
then offered a seven year contract to stay with MGM Studios, however
George refused the contract because he wanted to return to Paris,
France. He ended up staying in France for 18 years.
George then form his own ballet company “Le Ballet Ho” in
1955. George danced at the Moulin Rouge, The
Olympia Music Hall and The Ballet De Paris.
In 1957 George Danced and choreographed Josephine Baker’s show
“Paris Mes Amour” at the Olympia De Paris
with his dance company “Les Ballet Ho”. During this
time, he continued touring with his own dance company, “Les Ballet
Ho”, and also choreographed numerous television specials in Spain,
Germany, Italy and England. He has choreographed and directed shows
for such stars as Josephine Baker,
Marlene Dietrich,
Édith Piaf,
Brigitte Bardot, Lillian Montevecci, Line Renaud, Michele Richard and
Muriel Millard, as well as The Follies Bergere in Paris and New York,
and major casinos from Monte Carlo to Las Vegas.
From 1953 until 1959 his companion was French actor
Jean Marais.
George choreographed and directed many highly successful production
shows that ran from coast to coast from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Reno,
and Lake Tahoe to Atlantic City, Valley Forge, New York City to Miami
Beach, also including Montreal, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the
Cruise Lines. His award-winning shows are still garnering much
applause on many of the Carnival Cruise Lines’ vessels.
George Reich’s choreography and direction is still the mainstay for
most of the Carnival cruise ships, and has been since the first
large-scale shipboard production show.
My published books:
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