Paul Phillips, Broadway Actor and Stage Manager, Passes Away at 95

Paul Phillips, famed Broadway Actor and Stage Manager has passed away in Naples, Florida of natural causes at the age of 95. Paul Phillips was born on October 1, 1925 in Pleasantville, NY. At age 17 Paul enlisted in the US Coast Guard and was deployed into the South Pacific to fight in WWII. After the war Paul moved to Hollywood and started a career as an actor in films. He quickly returned to NY where he performed on Broadway, but soon moved into Stage Management.

Paul toured the country and worked summer stock for many years stage-managing such legendary performers as Charlton Heston, Groucho Marx, Ethel Waters, Don Ameche, Tallulah Bankhead, Billie Burke, and more. He began his Broadway Stage Management career in 1959 with Fiorella, Directed by the legendary, George Abbott. Mr. Abbott then brought Paul over to stage Manage his next play, Take Her, She's Mine, starring Art Carney. Paul's next show was The Rehearsal, and a City Center Revival of Guys and Dolls. He was then asked, by Gwen Verdon, to stage manage her next Broadway show, Sweet Charity. After Sweet Charity closed, Sid Luft called Paul to Stage Manage his wife's historic show, Judy Garland at Home at the Palace. Paul was then asked to take over as Stage Manager for Mame, starring Ann Miller on Broadway and then moving to a revival of The Boy Friend, starring Sandy Duncan.

Impressed by Paul's work on Sweet Charity, Bob Fosse asked him to stage manage his next show, Pippin and then two years later, at Ms. Verdon's request, moved him over to Chicago. After Chicago closed, Paul Stage Managed the Broadway production of The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, and the Broadway revival of Mame, starring Angela Lansbury. Paul's final Broadway show was the play Open Admissions in 1984. Paul then went on to Stage Manage many shows and celebrities at the Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City until his retirement in 1986. Paul remained Gwen Verdon's closest friend and companion accompanying her to her many appearances, including the Ed Sullivan Show, Lincoln Center, The Tony Awards, etc., until her death in 2000. Paul then moved to Naples, FL where he was a founding board member of TheatreZone, a professional AEA theater company where he remained on their Artistic Advisory Board until his passing.

Phillips was survived by three nieces and one nephew. No services have been announced at this time and in lieu of flowers, it was requested that donations be sent to go to the 501(c) 3 professional theatre company TheatreZone in Naples at 2430 Vanderbilt Beach Rd. Suite 108-167, Naples, FL 34109 or by visiting https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/theatrezone-florida/1883/donations