Trivia

Was the mentor of Broadway actress/singer Susan Egan. While performing in the revival of "Bye, Bye Birdie", he told her how much he loved the way she sang her first song and would often sing along with her as a vocal warm-up while he was in a costume change. The song was "How Lovely to Be a Woman". Although Egan considered that to be a great compliment, she could not get the image of him singing that song in his underwear backstage out of her mind.

Sister, Gracey Tune, is an award-winning dancer and owner of a popular multi-arts studio in Fort Worth, Texas.

Has won nine Tony Awards: in 1974, as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical), for Seesaw"; in 1980, as Best Choreographer (with collaborator Thommie Walsh) for "A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine"; in 1982, as Best Director (Musical) for "Nine"; in 1983, as Best Actor (Musical) and Best Choreographer (also shared with Walsh) for "My One and Only"; in 1990, as Best Director (Musical) and Best Choreographer, for "Grand Hotel, The Musical"; and in 1991 as Best Director (Musical) and Best Choreographer for "The Will Rogers Follies". He was also nominated five other times, for a total of 14 nominations: in 1979, as Best Director (Musical), shared with Peter Masterson, and Best Choreographer for "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas"; in 1980, as Best Director (Musical) for "A Day in Holywood/A Night in the Ukraine"; in 1982, as Best Choreographer for "Nine"; and in 1983, as Best Director (Musical), again shared with Walsh, for "My One and Only". His additional record of winning four Tony Awards in four different categories has recently been tied by Harvey Fierstein.

In 1991, he was inducted by Gwen Verdon into the Theatre Hall of Fame in Broadway's Gershwin Theatre, and three years later was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In Houston, Texas, the Tommy Tune Award recognizes excellence in high school musical theater.

Recipient of eight Drama Desk Awards, two Obie Awards, Dance Magazine's Award for Lifetime Achievement; the 1990 American Dance Award (presented by the National Academy of Dance); the 1990 Drama League Musical Theatre Award for Direction and Choreography; the Astaire Award in both 1990 and 1991; the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement, the University of Texas' Distinguished Alumnus Award; and the Jean Cocteau International Style Award. He was also named to the Top 10 International Best Dressed List of 1992.

Once worked as assistant choreographer on television's The Dean Martin Show (1965).

His autobiography "Footnotes" (1997) details his personal relationships with stage manager David Wolfe, who passed away from AIDS in 1994, and actor/costumer Michel Stuart (1943-1997), with whom Tune lived for seven years.

Recipient of a (USA) National Medal of Arts. (2003)

He majored in drama at the University of Texas (BFA) and the University of Houston (MFA).

His dream of playing Las Vegas finally came true in 1999 when he debuted as the star of EFX at the MGM Grand Hotel.

Tommy and Sandy Duncan tried to put a musical version of the classic MGM movie Easter Parade (1948) together but it never got off the ground. What they did do is star in "Two for the Show" in 1998. They presented a double bill of their musical touring acts into a single evening. Tommy took the first act and Sandy Duncan most of the second act. They then joined for the big finale which showed some of their numbers from the abandoned "Easter Parade". Tune worked with Duncan before -- in "My One and Only" in 1985 and, before that, as a 19-year-old dance partner to the 12-year-old Duncan in Texas.

Attended and graduated from Lamar High School in Houston, Texas.

Despite the fact that he and Sandy Duncan had worked so well together on stage in "My One and Only", they failed to get a theatre adaptation of the Judy Garland and Fred Astaire movie classic Easter Parade (1948) off the ground in the late 1990s. This was primarily because Irving Berlin's daughters (who control his estate) were unhappy with workshop productions.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre at 1777 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on August 12, 1993.

Before Tommy Tune could walk, he was choreographing his movements! In elementary school, when neighborhood friends would go from one child's house to play cops and robbers and another child's house to play cowboys and Indians, they would come to Tommy's house to put on a show. The family had a corner house with a courtyard, and his folks would put out blankets on the ground and watch. Tommy Tune produced shows on his porch for three or four seasons, and of course, later, many big college productions.

Tommy, Harvey Fierstein, and Trey Parker are listed on the Tony Awards website as Renaissance Men, having each received Tonys in 4 different categories. Tommy has been nominated 14 times and won 9 total. In 1974, he won for "Seesaw"(Featured Actor in a Musical) and in 1983 he won for "My One and Only"(Lead Actor in a Musical). Tommy has won three Tonys as Director(Musical): 1982 for "Nine", 1990 for "Grand Hotel, the Musical", and 1991 for "The Will Rogers Follies". Finally, Tommy has won four Tonys for Outstanding Choreography: In 1980 for "A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine", in 1983 for "My One and Only", in 1990 for "Grand Hotel, the Musical", and in 1991 for "The Will Rogers Follies".