Bobby Banas, Dancer in 'West Side Story' & Viral 'Nitty Gritty' Video, Dies at 90
He was not on the list.
Legendary movie and TV dancer Bobby Banas died July 29 at
90, according to an announcement from his son on Instagram.
"Today was the day that Bobby Banas chose to sore up
into the infinite light of the heavens above. A son, brother, father,
grandfather and a true legend of stage & screen. You played with the best
of them," it read. "You touched and taught so many, gave of your
talents and generosity always with a laugh and funny sense of humor. Thanks for
being the best pop a kid could ask for. I will love you forever and ever... I
know the dance party up above is going to be amazing!!!"
Banas had enjoyed renewed celebrity 11 years ago when a
long-forgotten 1964 clip from "The Judy Garland Show" circulated on
social media, racking up tens of millions of views. In it, Peter Lawford,
Martha Raye and Garland make way for a troupe to interpret the dance called
"the Nitty Gritty," with Banas giving the supecharged performance of
a lifetime. Watch it here.
Born September 22, 1933, in NYC, Banas began dancing as a
child. In 1942, he took ballroom dancing lessons, eventually partnering with
child star Natalie Wood in the Michael Panaieff Children's Ballet Company.
Banas worked steadily as a hoofer, appearing in a
breathtaking array of pop-iconic films and TV shows, including dancing with
live accompaniment from Bill Hailey and His Comets in "Don't Knock the
Rock" (1956); "Carousel" (1956); "The Girl Most
Likely" (1958) with Jane Powell; "L'il Abner" (1959);
"Babes in Toyland" (1961); both "Bye Bye Birdie" (1963) and
"Made in Paris" (1966) with Ann-Margret; "The Unsinkable Bobby
Brown" (1964) with Debbie Reynolds; "Mary Poppins" (1964) as a
chimney sweep in the rooftop scene with Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews;
"Billie" (1965) with Patty Duke; the Elvis flick "Girl Happy"
(1965); and serving beatnik dance moves to "the Leopard" on a 1966
episode of "Get Smart" opposite Geraldine Brooks.
Along with his "Judy Garland Show" number — which
made him a meme at 80 — he is perhaps best remembered as Joyboy in "West
Side Story" (1959) and as a lucky guy who receives a big kiss from Marilyn
Monroe in the 1960 film "Let's Make Love."
Banas proudly displayed a signed head shot from Monroe on
his Instagram that is now likely worth many thousands of dollars.
His later credits were sporadic, including acting in TV
movies and on the series "Cagney & Lacey" (1982). His last credit
was for "Odd Jobs" in 1986, after which he continued to work as a
dance coach and choreographer in L.A.
Banas was divorced since the '60s. He is survived by his
son.
Additional Crew
West Side Memories
7.7
Video
behind the scenes footage (as Bob Banas)
2003
Kirk Cameron in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1995)
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
5.0
TV Movie
dance coach
1995
Richard Dreyfuss, John Goodman, and Holly Hunter in Always
(1989)
Always
6.4
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1989
Robyn Lively in Teen Witch (1989)
Teen Witch
6.0
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1989
Keith Coogan, Steve Monarque, Richard Joseph Paul, Danielle
von Zerneck, and Roxana Zal in Under the Boardwalk (1988)
Under the Boardwalk
5.4
choreographer
1988
Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler, and Nick Nolte in Down and
Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
6.2
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1986
James Spader, Kim Richards, and Paul Mones in Tuff Turf
(1985)
Tuff Turf
6.0
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1985
Susan Clark, Alex Karras, and Emmanuel Lewis in Webster
(1983)
Webster
5.8
TV Series
choreographer
1983
1 episode
Heart Like a Wheel (1983)
Heart Like a Wheel
6.7
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1983
Robin Williams and Pam Dawber in Mork & Mindy (1978)
Mork & Mindy
7.1
TV Series
choreographer
1981–1982
3 episodes
The Day the Bubble Burst (1982)
The Day the Bubble Burst
7.2
TV Movie
choreographer
1982
Greg Bradford and Katherine Kelly Lang in Skatetown U.S.A.
(1979)
Skatetown U.S.A.
4.9
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1979
Corey Feldman, Shane Butterworth, Tricia Cast, Billy Jayne,
Sparky Marcus, Meeno Peluce, and Kristoff St. John in The Bad News Bears (1979)
The Bad News Bears
6.8
TV Series
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1979
1 episode
Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)
Barnaby Jones
6.9
TV Series
choreographer (uncredited)
1978
1 episode
Lindsay Wagner in Lindsay Wagner: Another Side of Me (1977)
Lindsay Wagner: Another Side of Me
8.1
TV Special
choreographer
1977
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years (1977)
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years
7.9
TV Movie
dance sequences staged by (as Bob Banas)
1977
James Drury, Doug McClure, and John McIntire in The
Virginian (1962)
The Virginian
7.6
TV Series
choreographer
1969
1 episode
The Jonathan Winters Show (1967)
The Jonathan Winters Show
8.2
TV Series
choreography
1967–1968
6 episodes
Malibu U. (1967)
Malibu U.
8.1
TV Series
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1967
Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music Part II (1966)
Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music Part II
8.3
TV Special
choreographer
1966
The Kraft Summer Music Hall (1966)
The Kraft Summer Music Hall
TV Series
choreographer
1966
12 episodes
Shivaree (1965)
Shivaree
8.7
TV Series
choreographer
choreography
1965–1966
9 episodes
Judy Garland and Peggy Lee in The Judy Garland Show (1963)
The Judy Garland Show
8.9
TV Series
choreographer
1964
1 episode
The Skydivers (1963)
The Skydivers
1.9
choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1963
Let's Make Love (1960)
Let's Make Love
6.4
dancer (uncredited)
1960
Actor
Paul Reiser, Scott McGinnis, Rick Overton, Paul Provenza,
and Robert Townsend in Odd Jobs (1986)
Odd Jobs
4.5
Choreographer (as Bob Banas)
1986
My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn (1985)
My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn
6.4
TV Movie
Russian Choreographer (uncredited)
1985
Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless in Cagney & Lacey (1981)
Cagney & Lacey
6.8
TV Series
(as Bob Banas)
1982
1 episode
Buddy Hackett and Harvey Korman in Bud and Lou (1978)
Bud and Lou
5.5
TV Movie
Dance Director (as Bob Banas)
1978
Don Adams and Barbara Feldon in Get Smart (1965)
Get Smart
8.2
TV Series
Little Joe (as Bob Banas)
1966
1 episode
Ann-Margret in Made in Paris (1966)
Made in Paris
5.4
Dance Partner (uncredited)
1966
Patty Duke in Billie (1965)
Billie
5.7
Dancer (uncredited)
1965
Elvis Presley and Shelley Fabares in Girl Happy (1965)
Girl Happy
6.3
Dancer (uncredited)
1965
The Nut House!! (1964)
The Nut House!!
7.3
TV Movie
Nureyev (uncredited)
1964
Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins (1964)
Mary Poppins
7.8
Chimney Sweep (uncredited)
1964
The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
The Unsinkable Molly Brown
6.6
Dancer (uncredited)
1964
Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Jesse Pearson, and Bobby
Rydell in Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
Bye Bye Birdie
6.6
Teenager (uncredited)
1963
How the West Was Won (1962)
How the West Was Won
7.1
Dance Hall Dancer (uncredited)
1962
Chubby Checker in Don't Knock the Twist (1962)
Don't Knock the Twist
5.2
Dancer (uncredited)
1962
Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in The Dick Van Dyke Show
(1961)
The Dick Van Dyke Show
8.4
TV Series
Twizzle Dancer (uncredited)
1962
1 episode
Chubby Checker, Clay Cole, Dion DiMucci, Vicki Spencer, and
The Marcels in Twist Around the Clock (1961)
Twist Around the Clock
4.9
Dancer (uncredited)
1961
Ray Bolger, Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands, and Ed Wynn in
Babes in Toyland (1961)
Babes in Toyland
6.1
Russian Dancer (uncredited)
1961
"West Side Story" (Saul Bass Poster) 1961
West Side Story
7.6
Joyboy
1961
Let's Make Love (1960)
Let's Make Love
6.4
Chorus Boy (uncredited)
1960
Angela Cartwright, Rusty Hamer, Sherry Jackson, Marjorie
Lord, and Danny Thomas in The Danny Thomas Show (1953)
The Danny Thomas Show
7.1
TV Series
David (as Bob Banas)
1960
1 episode
Li'l Abner (1959)
Li'l Abner
6.7
Town Sharpie (uncredited)
1959
Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds, and Robert Wagner in Say One
for Me (1959)
Say One for Me
5.5
Altar Boy (uncredited)
1959
Virginia Aldridge, Scott Marlowe, and Dorothy Provine in
Riot in Juvenile Prison (1959)
Riot in Juvenile Prison
4.9
Inmate (uncredited)
1959
Jack Jones and Jo Morrow in Juke Box Rhythm (1959)
Juke Box Rhythm
5.3
Dancer (uncredited)
1959
Paul Newman, Joan Collins, Jack Carson, and Joanne Woodward
in Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! (1958)
Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!
5.9
Delinquent (uncredited)
1958
Tab Hunter and Gwen Verdon in Damn Yankees (1958)
Damn Yankees
7.0
Baseball Player (uncredited)
1958
Shirley Temple in Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958)
Shirley Temple's Storybook
7.4
TV Series
Brother (as Bob Banas)
1958
1 episode
Daddy-O (1958)
Daddy-O
2.8
Sonny DiMarco (as Bob Banas)
1958
Annie Get Your Gun (1957)
Annie Get Your Gun
7.5
TV Movie
Indian dancer
1957
Jane Powell, Keith Andes, Tommy Noonan, and Cliff Robertson
in The Girl Most Likely (1957)
The Girl Most Likely
5.9
Dancer (uncredited)
1957
Calypso Heat Wave (1957)
Calypso Heat Wave
5.7
Calypso Dancer (uncredited)
1957
Mamie Van Doren in Untamed Youth (1957)
Untamed Youth
4.2
Work Farm Inmate (uncredited)
1957
Little Richard, Bill Haley, Dave Appell, Alan Dale, Alan
Freed, Bill Haley and the Comets, The Treniers, and Applejacks in Don't Knock
the Rock (1956)
Don't Knock the Rock
5.7
Dancer (uncredited)
1956
Ernest Borgnine, Dan Dailey, Gordon MacRae, and Sheree North
in The Best Things in Life Are Free (1956)
The Best Things in Life Are Free
6.0
Newsboy (uncredited)
1956
Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner in The King and I (1956)
The King and I
7.4
Keeper of the Dogs - in Play (uncredited)
1956
Rock Around the Clock (1956)
Rock Around the Clock
6.1
Dancer (uncredited)
1956
Carousel (1956)
Carousel
6.6
Ruffian in Louise's Ballet (uncredited)
1956
Producers' Showcase (1954)
Producers' Showcase
7.3
TV Series
Indian
1955–1956
2 episodes
Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie, and Charles Coburn in Has Anybody
Seen My Gal (1952)
Has Anybody Seen My Gal
7.1
Charleston Dancer (uncredited)
1952
Producer
Swingin' Country
TV Series
associate producer (uncredited)
1966
5 episodes