Tony Fields

Last updated
Tony Fields
Born
Anthony Dean Campos

(1958-12-28)December 28, 1958
Stafford, Kansas, U.S.
DiedFebruary 27, 1995(1995-02-27) (aged 36)
Dunsmuir, California, U.S.
Burial placeDunsmuir City Cemetery
OccupationDancer, actor
Years active1978-1995

Tony Fields (December 28, 1958 – February 27, 1995 [1] ) was an American dancer, famous for his performances on the television show Solid Gold , several videos for Michael Jackson, and the film version of the American musical A Chorus Line .

Contents

Early life

Fields was born Anthony Dean Campos in Stafford, Kansas. After his parents separated when he was four, his mother remarried, and he took his stepfather's last name: Fields. He was raised in Davis, California, showed an early aptitude for gymnastics, then began dance training. He attended Davis High School, graduating in 1977. [2] Fields went to college at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts on scholarship and Roland Dupree Academy of Dance, but left when paid work began to materialize. [2]

Work on film and television

He moved to Hollywood to pursue his career and started performing as a backup dancer in Debbie Reynolds' nightclub act. [2] He then found a job on the Solid Gold as a dancer in 1979. [2] Fields continued with Solid Gold until 1985. [2] [3] During this time, he performed in the music video for Queen's "Body Language" at Freddie Mercury's request. [4]

In 1983, Fields performed in Michael Jackson's videos "Beat It" and "Thriller", both choreographed by Michael Peters as well as Lionel Richie's video "Running with the Night". [2] [5]

Richard Attenborough was working on a film version of the Broadway musical A Chorus Line in 1984. After a casting call that attracted over 3,000 people, and auditions by anyone who previously performed in the musical, Tony Fields won the role of Al DeLuca. [2] [6] [7] [8]

Fields' film work continued with roles in Trick or Treat (1986), [3] Body Beat (1987), [5] [9] The Doctor (1991) and Across the Moon (1995) and television shows such as Murder, She Wrote (1992), L.A. Law (1991) and Monsters (1990). [2] He also performed in plays and musical theatre in California.

He gradually became ill and was no longer able to sustain the physical demands of dancing; he returned to Davis High School to mentor students in 1994. [2]

Fields died of HIV-related cancer in 1995. [2]

Legacy

Fields is honored each year at Davis Senior High School with the showcase “A Tribute to Tony Fields” , [10] celebrating the arts program of the school. [2] He was inducted into the high school's hall of fame in 2009, and a scholarship is available in his name. [2] [10]

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References

  1. ↑ "Tony Dean Fields". Find A Grave. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "DHS students perform annual Tony Fields tribute this weekend". 2012-04-18. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  3. 1 2 McPadden, Mike (13 September 2015). "10 Hard Rock + Heavy Metal Artists Who Roughed Up TV's Solid Gold". VH1 News. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  4. ↑ Freestone, Peter (2010). Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best. Omnibus Press. ISBN   978-0857121271.
  5. 1 2 Gerace, Adam (2019-01-06). "Dancing Through Life – Part 1". AdamGerace.com. Retrieved 2019-02-27.
  6. ↑ Rowan, Tom (2015). A Chorus Line. Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. p. 59. ISBN   9781480367548.
  7. ↑ Gower, Sonny (22 December 1985). "A Chorus on the Unemployment Line". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  8. ↑ Vay, Allen Lee (17 January 1986). "'A Chorus Line — The Movie': Film brings spirit of Broadway back to the screen". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  9. ↑ "Dance Academy Movie Trivia - The 80s Movies Rewind". www.fast-rewind.com. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
  10. 1 2 Lau, Krystal (2014-04-20). "Tony Fields tribute has new sound, same great style". Davis Enterprise. Retrieved 2016-07-23.
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