Gillian Lynne
She turned feline slinks and a falling chandelier into theatrical magic, choreographing two of the longest-running shows in Broadway history.
1926–2018 (age 92)·English dancer, choreographer·Birthday: February 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Gillian Lynne's kinetic energy was undeniable from the start, though it nearly derailed her childhood. A hyperactive student deemed a problem by her teachers, she was taken to a doctor who, instead of prescribing medication, told her mother to send her to dance school. That prescription changed the course of theatrical history. Trained as a ballerina, she became a star of the Sadler's Wells Ballet (later The Royal Ballet) before a knee injury pivoted her career. She brought a dancer's athleticism and a rebel's spirit to the West End and Broadway, revolutionizing musical theatre choreography. Her work was visceral and character-driven, most famously in 'Cats,' where she translated T.S. Eliot's poems into a lexicon of feline movement, and in 'The Phantom of the Opera,' where she crafted the opera's haunting, romantic physicality. Lynne directed and choreographed for stage, film, and television for over six decades, earning the title 'Dame' for services to dance and musical theatre, a fitting tribute for the woman who taught theatre how to move.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Gillian was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gillian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Gillian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2018Died at 92
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Choreographed Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Cats,' creating the iconic feline movement style for the longest-running Broadway show for nearly 18 years.
- Choreographed 'The Phantom of the Opera,' contributing to its status as the longest-running Broadway show in history.
- Was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2014 for her services to dance and musical theatre.
- Had a prolific career spanning over 60 years, choreographing or directing more than 60 productions in theatre, film, and television.
Did You Know?
As a child, she was diagnosed as having 'potential to be a genius' if she could channel her hyperactivity, which led to her dance training.
She performed for the troops during World War II as a member of the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA).
She was the first British woman to choreograph and direct her own ballet, 'The Owl and the Pussycat,' for the Royal Ballet in 1968.
The 'Gillian Lynne Theatre' in London's West End is named in her honor, making it the first West End theatre to be named after a non-royal woman.
“Movement was my language. I spoke with my body long before I found the words.”
