Larry Billman(1938-2017)
- Actor
- Choreography
- Writer
Began his life as a musical performer on stage (Hollywood, Broadway,
Las Vegas), TV and film, but his writing skills soon led him to Disney
live entertainment. From 1969 to the present, he has written, directed
and/or produced hundreds of live shows at Disneyland, Walt Disney
World, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, as well as creating
touring shows for the Disney Company. As creative director, he opened 7
non-Disney theme parks in Japan but returned as Creative Director for
the creation of Tokyo DisneySea in 2001. He also has directed 6
editions of Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice and
for the legitimate theater in the U.S., Germany and Japan. Author of
Film Choreographers and Dance Directors (McFarland) and two
Bio-Bibliographies for Greenwood Press about Fred Astaire and Betty
Grable. In 1998, he founded the Academy of Dance in Film, a non-profit
foundation dedicated to honor the art of film dance and choreography
and has been an Associate Professor at Cal State Long Beach, USC and
other universities in California on the subject. He recently did the
audio commentary for "Top Hat" in the newly released WB "Astaire and
Rogers" DVD set.
