Don Lurio

Donald Benjamin Lurio was born on November 15, 1929, in New York City, into a family of Italian Jewish origin. A dancer, choreographer, actor, singer, and television presenter, he built a career that spanned Broadway, European film and television, and international entertainment. He died on January 26, 2003, in Rome, from respiratory failure.

Lurio's Broadway career ran from 1950 to 1954 and included appearances in Guys and Dolls, Peter Pan, and The Pajama Game. During this period he operated a dance studio on Broadway alongside Bob Fosse and Jack Cole. In 1957 the group toured Europe, and Lurio chose to remain in Italy, where he would spend the majority of his professional life.

His Italian career encompassed both film and television work across the 1960s and 1970s. Among his film appearances were Casinò de Paris (1957), Rocco e le sorelle (1961), Pugni pupe e marinai (1961), Toto's First Night (1962), Canzoni a tempo di twist (1962), Il magnifico Bobo (1967), and several later productions including Arrivano i miei (1982) and Quo vadiz? (1984). He also appeared in a number of British films. Lurio additionally served as a television presenter for RAI, the Italian public broadcasting service.

One of his notable choreographic achievements was creating the interval act for the Eurovision Song Contest 1970, performed by his ensemble, The Don Lurio Dancers. A song called Testa, Spalla, performed as a duet with showgirl Lola Falana on the television program Hai visto mai? in 1973, became one of his most recognized numbers.

Lurio was openly gay and maintained a long-term relationship with Livio Costagli, who died in 1994 at the age of 44 from complications caused by AIDS. Following Lurio's death, the National Dance Academy in Rome established a grant in his name, in accordance with his wishes.