Gary Cockrell

Born in St Louis, Missouri in 1932 Gary was a gymnast and athlete at school, who developed his interest in dance as a teenager after seeing the film 'The Red Shoes'. Moving to New York to learn dance he was in the 1957 Broadway production of 'West Side Story', coming to Britain with the show the following year. He left 'West Side Story' for a straight acting role in in 'Orpheus Descending' and throughout the 1960s was a familiar face on British TV as one of its 'go-to' Americans in the likes of 'The Saint' and 'The Persuaders' as well as appearing in American films. In 1964 he opened a dance studio in London which ran for thirteen years until 1977 when it became a health spa. Gary retired from acting and choreography around this time to move with his wife Marie to St Lucia, where he opened a hotel.