At the curtain calls for the "42nd Street" revival, Gower Champion was pronounced dead.
I'm also sure that every house on Broadway was silenced after Hammerstein's death.
This isn't theatre but does everyone remember the actor Dick Shawn? He was Hitler in "Springtime for Hitler" in "The Producers" (196

.
I think it was 1987 or 1988, not sure, but he was in the middle of a stand-up routine and fell back. This story varies from version to version. Some say he hit his head which triggered a fatal stroke. Some say he fell back from the stroke. What's worse is that his son was in the audience.
The audience, of course, thought it was apart of the act until an audience member got up and screamed for an ambulance. Very tragic story.
I know of the one Margo refers to, Leonard Warren. The line he was singing was also pretty significant.
Most recently was the death of a Judas actor in a Greek production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", killed in the hanging stunt in "Judas' Death".
Also, a near-death incident that caused her to walk from the show: Barbara Cook in the London production of "Carrie" was almost decapitated by a falling set-piece.
Who can explain it, who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try
-South Pacific
Updated On: 3/18/07 at 12:03 AM