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Irving Davies in 1962
Irving Davies (1926-2002) was a dancer, choreographer, and actor who choreographed two first season episodes of The Muppet Show. He choreographed the combative "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" dance between Ruth Buzzi and Sweetums in episode 104 and Valerie Harper's dancing in episode 120.
Born in Wales, Davies appeared on the West End stage in Noel Coward's revue Sigh No More (1946) and Annie Get Your Gun (1947) as Tommy Keeler. He was featured in the dialogue-free anthology dance film Invitation to the Dance (1956, directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly), playing the crooner in the "Ring Around the Rosie" segment. He formed a trio with fellow dancers Beryl Kaye and Paddy Stone and they went to Broadway supporting Joyce Grenfell in Joyce Grenfell Requests Your Pleasure. Davies returned to Broadway solo to supply additional staging for Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood (1986). He choreographed The Play What I Wrote (2001) for the West End and died before the Broadway version opened in 2003 (dedicated to his memory).
On television, Davies appeared as early as 1946 on BBC cabaret broadcasts, choreographed a 1950 Cinderella pantomime, and was choreographer and regular featured dancer on The World Our Stage (1957-1958). He danced and acted on TV as Aladdin in a 1960 pantomime and Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me Kate (1964). Davies was guest choreographer for The Benny Hill Show at various times, and his group the Irving Davies Dancers (including himself) performed regularly on Sid Caesar Invites You (1958). He choreographed for (and he and his group danced with) Twiggy on Twiggs (1974-1975) and her eponymous 1975 series. Davies also devised dance sequences for BBC sitcoms such as Are You Being Served? and Fresh Fields.