Bobby Banas was a dancer, actor, and choreographer known for his work in “West Side Story,” “Mary Poppins,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” and other classic movie musicals.
Bobby Banas’ ebroa
Banas got his start as a professional dancer working on stage in the Los Angeles area, including in productions of “Carousel” and “Kiss Me Kate.” He was cast in “Peter Pan” — following the musical to New York when it debuted on Broadway in 1954 featuring Mary Martin (1913–1990) as the title character — and he also appeared in the famed 1955 TV broadcast of the show.
Banas worked on stage and in TV, largely uncredited, before getting his break with the 1961 movie adaptation of “West Side Story.” He was cast as Joyboy, one of the Jets, and, as he reflected on “The Andrew Martin Report” in an interview decades later: “All the doors started to open when you said you’d been in ‘West Side Story.’” He went on to appear in small roles that showcased his skill as a dancer in such movies as “Babes in Toyland,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” “Girl Happy,” “Billie,” and many others. In “Mary Poppins,” he played one of the dancing chimney sweeps; in “Let’s Make Love,” he received an unforgettable kiss from Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962). Banas also danced on TV in such shows as “Get Smart” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
In 2012, a nearly 50-year-old clip of Banas’ dancing went viral. It was from “The Judy Garland Show,” and it featured Banas dancing with five others to Shirley Ellis singing “The Nitty Gritty.” Banas had choreographed the dance, plus was featured front and center as part of a dancing couple. The video was shared widely when it resurfaced, viewed on YouTube by millions. Today, it’s the dance for which many people know him best.
In later years, Banas worked as a rosarian, an expert on roses. He cared for the blossoms of such Hollywood notables as Debbie Reynolds (1932–2016).
Notable quote
“Working with Marilyn Monroe was a dream. But to be choreographed to kiss her, at the end of the dance number … oh, I thought my heart would explode.” — from a 2013 interview for “The Andrew Martin Report”
Tributes to Bobby Banas
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
