Broadway Dims Its Lights in Memory of Samuel 'Biff' Liff Tonight
By: BWW News Desk Aug. 14, 2015
The Broadway community mourns the loss of producer, talent agent, and stage manager Samuel "Biff" Liff, who passed away on Monday night at age 96. The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York will be dimmed in his memory tonight, August 14th at exactly 7:45pm for one minute.
"The recipient of a 2006 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre, Biff Liff had a long and multifaceted theatre career influencing legendary productions and a galaxy of talented artists," said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League. "He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his colleagues, family and friends."
Before becoming a well-known producer and a talent agent, Mr. Liff began his career in the theatre as a stage manager, working on Along Fifth Avenue in 1949. He was also stage manager or production stage manager on Gentleman Prefer Blondes, My Fair Lady, The Matchmaker, Moby Dick and many more shows. He frequently worked for producer David Merrick.
He changed careers in the late 1960s and became an associate producer on many shows before switching careers again and becoming a talent agent for the William Morris Agency. His many famous clients included Chita Rivera, Angela Lansbury and Ellen Burstyn. As an agent, he also represented the estate of Eugene O'Neill and was reportedly single-handedly responsible for bringing the Kevin Spacey revival of The Iceman Cometh back to Broadway.
His work as an associate producer included productions of Cactus Flower; Promises, Promises; The Roar of the Greasepaint-The Smell of the Crowd; Inadmissible Evidence; Philadelphia, Here I Come!; Don't Drink the Water; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; The Happy Time; Play It Again, Sam; Child's Play; Moonchildren; Sugar and Tricks.
Mr. Liff served as a member of the Tony Awards nominating committee and received a 2006 Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre.
His full Broadway biography can be found on The Internet Broadway Database at ibdb.com.
Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy
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