Biography

Robert Wise and Marc Breaux, on their initial "The Sound of Music" Salzburg location survey of the city's streets and squares, walking, discussing, planning the cutting of shots for each tracking dance sequence involving Maria and the Von Trapp children. Marc, busy with creating the motivation for the dance sequences were followed on the sidewalk by Robert Wise, while Marc planned each choreographed sequence out in the city street traffic lanes. The congested city traffic didn't stop Marc from sailing out into the traffic patterns planning each dance routine. After the film's principle photography in Salzburg had finished, the weather was overcast, the country side shrouded in fog and mist, and heavy daily rain, prevented the opening hill top shot-set-up. The company remained in their hotels waiting for the final sequence filming. Fox management gave the company departure travel orders. The very last day, as Robert Wise tells, the sky opened with a bright glorious sunny morning. The entire company raced to the hill top, with the helicopter loaded with camera and crew, setting up the film's opening sequence of aerial shots, finally coming upon Julie Andrews spinning around on a hill top before breaking into the title song. To get the timing right, Breaux was hidden in nearby bushes. He watched the helicopter coming over the mountains and at the right moment he had a bullhorn, yelled to Julie Andrews, "OK, Julie! Turn!".

When Dick Van Dyke got the role of Bert in the 1964 movie musical "Mary Poppins," Walt Disney asked him if had a recommendation for a choreographer. Van Dyke recalled working with the team Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood, who had created a number for NBC's "The Jack Benny Show." "I'm not really a dancer," Van Dyke said. "I could move a little and I was what you call an eccentric dancer - loose limbed and light on my feet. But they took what I could do and made the most of it. I was just thrilled." Disney took Van Dyke's recommendation and the married duo created one of the best know live-action dances in the history of the Disney Studio - the chimney sweep number to the song "Step In Time." Van Dyke remarked, "We had so much fun. Then I took them to 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' with me. 'Mary Poppins' also led them to work on the 1965 film version of 'The Sound of Music.' Robert Wise saw a screening of the chimney sweep number and hired them. Van Dyke said one of his fondest memories of Breaux concerns a step the choreographer put in the "Jolly Holiday" number of "Mary Poppins." It was based on a bit Breaux used to do for fun. "Hard to describe, but it's like you try to step on your own foot, and then jump out of the way. Marc stuck it in there as our little signature. It was our own little joke".

He, New York Yankees World Series winning pitcher Ron Guidry, and New England Patriots Super Bowl winning running back Kevin Faulk are all from Carencro, Louisiana.

Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood, as a husband and wife (duo) team, choreographed television production numbers on "The Hollywood Palace" television musical variety series from 1964 through 1970. Nick Vanoff admired their creativity and originality in dancing styles, and repeatedly brought the team in for specialty numbers.

Marc Breaux, an American choreographer and occasional television-film director, is best known for his work on musical television and films of the 1960s and 1970s. Most of his well known work was in collaboration with Dee Dee Wood to whom he was married for many years. Much of Breaux's best recognized work was also a collaboration with the songwriting Sherman Brothers and with Disney Films. In 1949 Marc appeared on Broadway in "Kiss Me, Kate" at the New Century Theatre in New York City. In 1958 he appeared in "Li'l Abner" at the Saint James Theatre, also in New York City. Mark Breaux with Dee Dee Wood choreographed the Broadway musical "Do-Re-Mi" (1960-1962).