Robert Louis Bob Fosse June 23 1927 September 23 1987 was an American actor dancer musical theater choreographer director screenwriter film editor and film director He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography as well as one for direction He was nominated for an Academy Award four times winning for his direction of Cabaret beating Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather He was closely identified with his third wife Broadway dancing star Gwen Verdon She was both the dancercollaboratormuse upon whom he choreographed much of his work and together with dancerchoreographer Ann Reinking a significant guardian of the Fosse legacy after his death Description above from the Wikipedia article Bob Fosse licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia