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| Frederic Franklin, Inventive and Charismatic Ballet Star, Is Dead at 98 | Frederic Franklin, Inventive and Charismatic Ballet Star, Is Dead at 98 |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Frederic Franklin, a charismatic British-born dancer and ballet master who was known for his stylistic versatility and his inexhaustible energy — he performed into his 90s — died on Saturday in Manhattan. He was 98. | |
| The death was confirmed by William Haywood Ausman, Mr. Franklin’s partner of 48 years. Mr. Franklin also lived in Manhattan. | |
| Known in the dance world as Freddie, Mr. Franklin had a genial but magnetic stage personality that made him popular everywhere he performed. | |
| His repertory ranged from the Prince in “Swan Lake” to a cowboy in “Rodeo” and Stanley Kowalski in a choreographic version of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” As a principal dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Mr. Franklin was often paired with the Russian ballerina Alexandra Danilova to form one of the great partnerships of 20th-century ballet. | His repertory ranged from the Prince in “Swan Lake” to a cowboy in “Rodeo” and Stanley Kowalski in a choreographic version of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” As a principal dancer with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Mr. Franklin was often paired with the Russian ballerina Alexandra Danilova to form one of the great partnerships of 20th-century ballet. |
| When he first met her, he once recalled, she warned, “Young man, if you are going to dance with me, you must learn where my curves are.” He did. They danced together in many works, including “Swan Lake” and “Coppélia,” and were especially popular for their effervescence in two comedies by Léonide Massine, “Le Beau Danube” and “Gaîté Parisienne.” | When he first met her, he once recalled, she warned, “Young man, if you are going to dance with me, you must learn where my curves are.” He did. They danced together in many works, including “Swan Lake” and “Coppélia,” and were especially popular for their effervescence in two comedies by Léonide Massine, “Le Beau Danube” and “Gaîté Parisienne.” |
| Major choreographers like Massine and George Balanchine recognized Mr. Franklin as a quick learner with a sharp mind and theatrical flair. They created leading roles for him in ballets like Massine’s “Seventh Symphony” and “Rouge et Noir” and Balanchine’s “Danses Concertantes.” | Major choreographers like Massine and George Balanchine recognized Mr. Franklin as a quick learner with a sharp mind and theatrical flair. They created leading roles for him in ballets like Massine’s “Seventh Symphony” and “Rouge et Noir” and Balanchine’s “Danses Concertantes.” |
| The stage was a second home for him, and he never really stopped performing. In his later years he portrayed mime roles like Friar Laurence in “Romeo and Juliet,” the Witch in “La Sylphide,” the Tutor in “Swan Lake” and the Charlatan in “Petrouchka” — all to warm applause. | The stage was a second home for him, and he never really stopped performing. In his later years he portrayed mime roles like Friar Laurence in “Romeo and Juliet,” the Witch in “La Sylphide,” the Tutor in “Swan Lake” and the Charlatan in “Petrouchka” — all to warm applause. |
| Mr. Franklin founded the National Ballet of Washington in 1969 and directed it until it disbanded in 1974. He also served as an adviser to Dance Theater of Harlem, the Oakland Ballet, the Tulsa Ballet and other companies. | Mr. Franklin founded the National Ballet of Washington in 1969 and directed it until it disbanded in 1974. He also served as an adviser to Dance Theater of Harlem, the Oakland Ballet, the Tulsa Ballet and other companies. |
| In his book “Looking at the Dance” (1949), the critic Edwin Denby wrote that Mr. Franklin’s dancing “always makes perfect sense; like a true artist, he is completely at the service of the role he takes, and his straight delight in dancing, his forthright presence and openhearted nature give his version of the great classic roles a lyric grace that is fresh and sweet.” | In his book “Looking at the Dance” (1949), the critic Edwin Denby wrote that Mr. Franklin’s dancing “always makes perfect sense; like a true artist, he is completely at the service of the role he takes, and his straight delight in dancing, his forthright presence and openhearted nature give his version of the great classic roles a lyric grace that is fresh and sweet.” |
| In her book “Dance to the Piper” (1952), Agnes de Mille described him as “strong as a mustang, as sudden, as direct and as inexhaustible.” | In her book “Dance to the Piper” (1952), Agnes de Mille described him as “strong as a mustang, as sudden, as direct and as inexhaustible.” |
| Born in Liverpool, England, on June 13, 1914, Mr. Franklin was the oldest of three children of Fred Franklin, a caterer, and the former Mabel Brown. By his account, his interest in the theater began when his parents took him, at age 4, to see a production of “Peter Pan”; when he came home he stood on his bed and tried to fly. He studied dance and acting with local teachers, becoming proficient in tap as well as classical ballet. | Born in Liverpool, England, on June 13, 1914, Mr. Franklin was the oldest of three children of Fred Franklin, a caterer, and the former Mabel Brown. By his account, his interest in the theater began when his parents took him, at age 4, to see a production of “Peter Pan”; when he came home he stood on his bed and tried to fly. He studied dance and acting with local teachers, becoming proficient in tap as well as classical ballet. |
| At 17, determined to make a life in show business, he set off for London with money raised by his mother and grandmother. In London, he lived in a cold-water flat as he went from one theatrical agency to another. | At 17, determined to make a life in show business, he set off for London with money raised by his mother and grandmother. In London, he lived in a cold-water flat as he went from one theatrical agency to another. |
| “This handsome lad had eyes of sapphire blue, golden hair, and a skin of milk-and-roses,” Leslie Norton wrote, with Mr. Franklin, in “Frederic Franklin: A Biography of the Ballet Star” (2007). “He was altogether the round-cheek English choirboy.” | “This handsome lad had eyes of sapphire blue, golden hair, and a skin of milk-and-roses,” Leslie Norton wrote, with Mr. Franklin, in “Frederic Franklin: A Biography of the Ballet Star” (2007). “He was altogether the round-cheek English choirboy.” |
| Although ballet was his great love, there were few opportunities for British ballet dancers when he was young, so he performed in musical comedies and joined a tap-dance act called the Lancashire Lads. In Paris, the group, under the name the Jackson Boys, performed in a revue with Josephine Baker at the famed Casino de Paris music hall. He was also in a supper club dance team with Wendy Toye, who became a successful musical comedy choreographer and director. All the while, he sought out ballet teachers. | Although ballet was his great love, there were few opportunities for British ballet dancers when he was young, so he performed in musical comedies and joined a tap-dance act called the Lancashire Lads. In Paris, the group, under the name the Jackson Boys, performed in a revue with Josephine Baker at the famed Casino de Paris music hall. He was also in a supper club dance team with Wendy Toye, who became a successful musical comedy choreographer and director. All the while, he sought out ballet teachers. |
| In 1935, Mr. Franklin joined the Markova-Dolin Ballet, a British company, and was soon considered a young dancer worth watching. Among those who saw him was Massine, who hired him for a new company, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He remained with the company until financial troubles forced it to disband temporarily in 1951, but rejoined in 1954 and stayed until 1957. | In 1935, Mr. Franklin joined the Markova-Dolin Ballet, a British company, and was soon considered a young dancer worth watching. Among those who saw him was Massine, who hired him for a new company, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. He remained with the company until financial troubles forced it to disband temporarily in 1951, but rejoined in 1954 and stayed until 1957. |
| When the Ballet Russe was temporarily inoperative, Mr. Franklin and Mia Slavenska, a ballerina with the company, formed a small touring group, the Slavenska-Franklin Ballet, with a varied repertory that ranged from “Nutcracker” excerpts to Valerie Bettis’s sizzling adaptation of the Tennessee Williams’s “Streetcar Named Desire,” with Slavenska as Blanche DuBois to Mr. Franklin’s Stanley. | When the Ballet Russe was temporarily inoperative, Mr. Franklin and Mia Slavenska, a ballerina with the company, formed a small touring group, the Slavenska-Franklin Ballet, with a varied repertory that ranged from “Nutcracker” excerpts to Valerie Bettis’s sizzling adaptation of the Tennessee Williams’s “Streetcar Named Desire,” with Slavenska as Blanche DuBois to Mr. Franklin’s Stanley. |
| Mr. Franklin occasionally choreographed ballets of his own. The most durable was “Tribute,” created for the Ballet Russe in 1961. He won special acclaim for his revivals, which were notable for both their choreographic accuracy and their theatrical vividness. | Mr. Franklin occasionally choreographed ballets of his own. The most durable was “Tribute,” created for the Ballet Russe in 1961. He won special acclaim for his revivals, which were notable for both their choreographic accuracy and their theatrical vividness. |
| For Dance Theater of Harlem, his staging brought fresh life to “Schéhérazade,” Michel Fokine’s 1910 drama about unfaithful harem wives. Mr. Franklin altered none of the traditional steps; instead, he invested them with fresh dramatic motivation. He also preserved the traditional steps for the company’s “Giselle.” Yet by changing the setting of this 1841 classic from the German Rhineland to the Louisiana bayous, he encouraged his cast to dance with unusual emotional intensity. | For Dance Theater of Harlem, his staging brought fresh life to “Schéhérazade,” Michel Fokine’s 1910 drama about unfaithful harem wives. Mr. Franklin altered none of the traditional steps; instead, he invested them with fresh dramatic motivation. He also preserved the traditional steps for the company’s “Giselle.” Yet by changing the setting of this 1841 classic from the German Rhineland to the Louisiana bayous, he encouraged his cast to dance with unusual emotional intensity. |
| The recipient of many awards for lifetime achievement, he was named a Commander of the British Empire in 2004. | The recipient of many awards for lifetime achievement, he was named a Commander of the British Empire in 2004. |
| He had a phenomenal memory, able to recall minute details of works that had not been performed in decades, and it served him well as he became increasingly in demand to stage of revivals. | He had a phenomenal memory, able to recall minute details of works that had not been performed in decades, and it served him well as he became increasingly in demand to stage of revivals. |
| In 2002, the Cincinnati Art Museum presented an exhibition of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo scenery and costume designs, and as part of the festivities the Cincinnati Ballet offered a program supervised by Mr. Franklin. It included long-unseen works from the Ballet Russe repertory, among them excerpts from Frederick Ashton’s witty “Devil’s Holiday” and a movement from Massine’s “Seventh Symphony,” a monumental depiction of the creation of the world. | In 2002, the Cincinnati Art Museum presented an exhibition of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo scenery and costume designs, and as part of the festivities the Cincinnati Ballet offered a program supervised by Mr. Franklin. It included long-unseen works from the Ballet Russe repertory, among them excerpts from Frederick Ashton’s witty “Devil’s Holiday” and a movement from Massine’s “Seventh Symphony,” a monumental depiction of the creation of the world. |
| Two years later, Mr. Franklin and Johanna Bernstein Wilt, the Cincinnati company’s ballet mistress, staged three movements of that ballet aided by bits of notation, archival films and Mr. Franklin’s memory. | Two years later, Mr. Franklin and Johanna Bernstein Wilt, the Cincinnati company’s ballet mistress, staged three movements of that ballet aided by bits of notation, archival films and Mr. Franklin’s memory. |
| In addition to Mr. Ausman, Mr. Franklin is survived by a brother, John; a niece, Pamela Hayes Brookfield; and his nephews, John, Tim and Peter Franklin and Neil Hayes. | In addition to Mr. Ausman, Mr. Franklin is survived by a brother, John; a niece, Pamela Hayes Brookfield; and his nephews, John, Tim and Peter Franklin and Neil Hayes. |
| Although Mr. Franklin enjoyed the bursts of applause for his performances late in life, he also seemed surprised by them. When, at 86, he entered the stage as Friar Laurence in a Ballet Theater production of “Romeo and Juliet” in New York, he received “such a lovely lot of applause that the ballet flew out of my head,” he told The Guardian. | Although Mr. Franklin enjoyed the bursts of applause for his performances late in life, he also seemed surprised by them. When, at 86, he entered the stage as Friar Laurence in a Ballet Theater production of “Romeo and Juliet” in New York, he received “such a lovely lot of applause that the ballet flew out of my head,” he told The Guardian. |
| “I could only remember that I was supposed to kneel down,” he added, “so I just knelt and waited until Romeo came and got me up.” | “I could only remember that I was supposed to kneel down,” he added, “so I just knelt and waited until Romeo came and got me up.” |
Anna Kisselgoff contributed reporting. | Anna Kisselgoff contributed reporting. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: May 5, 2013 | Correction: May 5, 2013 |
Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Mr. Franklin’s partner. He is William Haywood Ausman. | Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Mr. Franklin’s partner. He is William Haywood Ausman. |