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Cris Alexander (born Allen Smith, January 14, 1920 – March 7, 2012) was an American actor, singer, dancer, designer, and photographer.
Alexander also had a career as a photographer, and opened a photo studio in the late 1930s when he first moved to New York City. He was noted for his portraits of celebrities and performers, many of whom were his personal friends. He worked as chief photographer at Andy Warhol's Interview magazine, and as the official photographer for the New York City Ballet.
He contributed hundreds of original and altered photographs to two of Patrick Dennis's best selling books. '' Little Me'', a mock biography documenting the life of fictional actress Belle Poitrine, features more than 150 of Alexander's photographs. It featured photos of his partner Shaun O'Brien, and would become a camp classic. Alexander also wrote the novel's preface. Dennis's ''First Lady: My Thirty Days at the White House'' told the story of Martha Dinwiddie Butterfield, wife of a fictional robber baron president.
Cris Alexander
at the International Center of Photography
Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Cris American male film actors American male stage actors American photographers 1920 births 2012 deaths Musicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma American gay actors American gay musicians American LGBT photographers LGBT people from Oklahoma Artists from Tulsa, Oklahoma Male actors from Tulsa, Oklahoma University of Oklahoma alumni 21st-century LGBT people
Early life and education
Cris Alexander was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1920. He began using the name Christopher, which he thought more distinguished, in his teens. On the advice of a spiritualist, he removed the "h" and went by Cris from then on. Alexander attended the University of Oklahoma while working as a radio announcer in Oklahoma City. He moved to New York City in 1938 to study at the Feagin School of Dramatic Art.Acting
Alexander was cast as Chip, a naive sailor, in the original Broadway cast ofLeonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...
's '' On the Town'' in 1944. He performed the song "Come Up to My Place" in a duet with Nancy Walker in the role of Hildy. He returned to Broadway in 1946 in '' Present Laughter'' opposite Clifton Webb.
In 1953, Alexander was cast in '' Wonderful Town'', another Bernstein musical, with Rosalind Russell. He played drugstore manager Frank Lippencott, performing the comic song "Conversation Piece." Alexander stayed with the musical for its entire run. He moved next into performances for '' Mame'', again with Russell. He played store manager Mr. Loomis, a role he repeated in the 1958 film version titled '' Auntie Mame''.
Alexander's last acting role was in Lanford Wilson's 1966 play ''The Madness of Lady Bright
''The Madness of Lady Bright'' is a short play by Lanford Wilson, among the earliest of the gay theatre movement. The play was first performed at Joe Cino's Caffe Cino in May 1964.
It then toured internationally, and has appeared in revivals to ...
''. He continued to be involved in theatrical productions and created projection slides for the 1970 production of Richard Rodgers
Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...
's '' Two by Two''.
Photography
Alexander also had a career as a photographer, and opened a photo studio in the late 1930s when he first moved to New York City. He was noted for his portraits of celebrities and performers, many of whom were his personal friends. He worked as chief photographer at Andy Warhol's Interview magazine, and as the official photographer for the New York City Ballet.
He contributed hundreds of original and altered photographs to two of Patrick Dennis's best selling books. '' Little Me'', a mock biography documenting the life of fictional actress Belle Poitrine, features more than 150 of Alexander's photographs. It featured photos of his partner Shaun O'Brien, and would become a camp classic. Alexander also wrote the novel's preface. Dennis's ''First Lady: My Thirty Days at the White House'' told the story of Martha Dinwiddie Butterfield, wife of a fictional robber baron president.
Personal life
Alexander became involved with New York City Ballet dancer Shaun O'Brien in the 1940s, beginning a relationship that would last nearly 60 years. The couple retired to upstate New York in 1993, and married in 2011 when same-sex marriage became legal in New York State. Cris Alexander died in Saratoga Springs in 2012.Film roles
*''The Littlest Angel
''The Littlest Angel'' is an American children's book by Charles Tazewell. It was first published in 1946, illustrated by Katherine Evans. It was reissued with different illustrators in 1962 and 1991. All the versions were published by Children's ...
'' (1969) – Raphael
*'' Auntie Mame'' (1958) – Mr. Loomis
*'' Wonderful Town'' (1958) TV – Frank Lippencott
References
External links
* *Cris Alexander
at the International Center of Photography
Obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Cris American male film actors American male stage actors American photographers 1920 births 2012 deaths Musicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma American gay actors American gay musicians American LGBT photographers LGBT people from Oklahoma Artists from Tulsa, Oklahoma Male actors from Tulsa, Oklahoma University of Oklahoma alumni 21st-century LGBT people