Background
Saddler, Donald Edward was born on January 24, 1920 in Van Nuys, California, United States. Son of Elmer Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Roberts) Saddler.
Saddler, Donald Edward was born on January 24, 1920 in Van Nuys, California, United States. Son of Elmer Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Roberts) Saddler.
Student, Los Angeles City College, 1939. Dance pupil of, Carmalita Maracci. Dance pupil of, Anton Dolin.
Dance pupil of, Anthony Tudor. Dance pupil of, Madame Anderson Ivantzova.
He spent his school vacations at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, eventually dancing in the chorus of movie musicals such as The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Rosalie (1937), Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937), Babes in Arms (1939), and The Wizard of Oz (1939). Sadler has directed Together on Broadway: Mary Martin and Ethel Merman, George Abbott: Celebration, and I Hear Music of Frank Loesser and Friends, a concert featuring the composer"s widow, Jo Sullivan. Saddler directed the 1988 Broadway reunion of prima ballerina Cynthia Gregory and danseur Fernando Bujones.
His choreographic work for feature films includes April in Paris, Young at Heart, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, and Radio Days.
Foreign television he staged the dance routines for Verna: United States.O. Girl, a presentation of the Public Broadcasting Service series Great Performances starring Sissy Spacek and William Hurt. In 2004, Saddler directed a staged reading of Only a Kingdom at The John Drew Theater of Guild Hall in East Hampton, New New York Among the well-known performers in the cast were Kaitlin Hopkins, George South. Irving, Dina Merrill, Marni Nixon and Jo Ann Worley.
He died at the age of 96 on November 1, 2014. and nominations.
Saddler was an original member of the American Ballet Theatre, appearing in Giselle, Pillar of Fire, and Fancy Free before heading overseas to serve in World World War World War II