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This is not a name that will sound especially familiar to most, but I thought his passing worth noting. He worked initially with the Colonel de Basil incarnation of the Ballets Russes under the sham Russian name of 'Marc Platoff', before pursuing a film career in the early 1940s. This did not take him as far as his talents deserved, but proved physically taxing enough to put an end his dancing career. A shame on one hand, but on the other, we at least have some of his work captured on film.

Probably his best known role was as one of the brothers of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1946); he also had some notable roles on Broadway. He deserved more and greater roles, but was refreshingly philosophical about his career in later years, and continued his connection to the world of ballet until his final years. He features highly in the excellent documentary, Ballet Russes (2005), that is well worth watching if you haven't seen it.

He was simply one of the finest male dancers I've ever seen. Like Astaire, he had the ability to take your breath away simply by being so very good at what he did, which was to dance as gracefully and easily as if he were walking down the street. RIP.

There is a full obituary at http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/D ... 363857.php.

An excellent dancer and he reached his century too. RIP.

One of the nicest people I ever met. He has a son about my age who was a ballet dancer with a New York company but I no longer remember what company or when. He is now an actor.

Thank you for posting. I did not know of his passing.