Paul Godkin

Birth : 1914-12-28, Beaumont, Texas, USA

Death : 1985-06-07

History

Paul Godkin's training as a dancer began at the age of seven in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas. He toured Europe and the United States with the "Ballet Russe", as a soloist in Ballet Theater and as a concert performer. During World War Two, he served with the U.S. Navy for three and one-half years. His first professional choreographic effort, in 1948, served also to introduce him to Michael Todd, in "Willie the Weeper" ballet, arranged for ANTA's "Ballet Ballads.", which had been commissioned by Mr. Todd. In 1951, he arranged the dances for in international revue in Paris which starred Colette Marchand and Maurice Chevalier.

Movies

Pufnstuf
Choreographer
Jimmy (Jack Wild) ventures to Living Island with his magical, talking flute, Freddy. Once there, he befriends many of the island's inhabitants, but the evil Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes) is determined to steal Freddy the flute away from the boy to impress the visiting Witches' Council and win the Witch of the Year Award.
Gambit
Choreographer
Harry Dean is a career burglar set on stealing a piece of priceless art from the world's wealthiest man, Mr. Shahbandar. With the help of exotic showgirl Nicole Chang, he concocts the perfect scheme for how the robbery should go and lays it out point by point. However, when the team tries to execute the plan, perfection and reality don't quite match up, and Harry's vision begins to unravel in this twisty tale of a heist gone wrong.
The Jack Benny Hour
Choreographer
The Beach Boys appear in a skit with Benny and Hope as surfers. Jack trys to weasel Disneyland tickets from Walt Disney. Also, a skit with Benny, Hope and Sommer in a takeoff on Italian movies. This was Benny's first special after the demise of his regular series. Benny obviously trys to appeal to the younger viewers by booking the very popular Beach Boys.
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Choreographer
During the Cold War, John Goldfarb crashes his spy plane in the Middle East and is taken prisoner by the local government. His captor, King Fawz, soon discovers that Goldfarb used to be a college football star. So he issues him an ultimatum: coach his country's football team, or Fawz will surrender him to the Russians. Goldfarb teams up with undercover reporter Jenny Ericson, and together they plot to escape their dangerous situation.
Around the World in Eighty Days
Choreographer
Based on the famous book by Jules Verne the movie follows Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world. Which has to be completed within 80 days, a very short period for those days.
How To Be Very, Very Popular
Choreographer
Two strippers on the run hide out in a college fraternity. Director Nunnally Johnson's 1955 musical comedy stars Betty Grable, Sheree North, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn, Tommy Noonan, Orson Bean, Fred Clark, Alice Pearce, Rhys Williams, Willard Waterman, Leslie Parrish and Jesslyn Fax.
Living in a Big Way
Ballet Dancer
A World War II pilot (Gene Kelly) comes home to a bride (Marie McDonald) who, spoiled by her father (Charles Winninger), now wants a divorce.
Kathleen
Solo Dancer (uncredited)
Kathleen is a twelve-year-old who lives in a big house with a nanny, a butler, maids, no mother and a father who is working most of the time. She dreams of a family with a mother, father and her, and tells everyone that she has such a family. Because of this story, she cannot invite any friends over as they will see that it is not true.
The Chocolate Soldier
Performer in Gypsy Cafe Sequence
Maria and Karl Lang are the singing duo of Vienna. Maria is very flirtatious and Karl very jealous. Karl decides to masquerade as a Russian guardsman and attempts to make Maria flirt with him - to test her loyalty to him - as the Russian, Karl makes a vigorous attempt to seduce Maria. For a moment she accepts then rejects. Karl is left in turmoil...