Paddy Stone

Paddy Stone was a Winnipeg-born dancer, choreographer, actor and director whose career spanned ballet, revue, musical theatre, television and film. Beginning with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Stone moved to Broadway and London, where he became a fixture of mid-century stage production. In 1951, he formed the touring dance group Three's Company with Irving Davies and Beryl Kaye, establishing himself as a collaborator and creative force in live performance. Stone performed in and shared choreography credit for the 1955 Broadway revue *Joyce Grenfell Requests the Pleasure*. His British stage work was prolific: he directed and choreographed *Pieces of Eight*, *One Over the Eight* and *Little Mary Sunshine*, and choreographed *Maggie May*. As television and film opened new channels for dance, Stone moved seamlessly between media. He staged the musical numbers and performed in the 1970 film *Scrooge*, choreographed three Julie Andrews television specials featuring the Muppets, and choreographed and appeared in Blake Edwards's *Victor/Victoria* in 1982. By the early 1980s, Stone returned to his roots, working as a choreographer with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. His career traced the arc of how stage dancers of his generation adapted their craft to the demands and possibilities of screen and television production.