Legendary British costume and set designer Tony Walton, one of the most honoured and celebrated designers on Broadway and in Hollywood, has died aged 87.
Walton, who was Oscar nominated for his costume work on 1964’s Mary Poppins, picked up an Academy Award for his work on All That Jazz and three Tony Awards for Pippin, The House of Blue Leaves and a revival of Guys and Dolls.
He died following complications from a stroke in his apartment in New York on Wednesday (March 2nd), his daughter Emma Walton Hamilton – from his marriage to Julie Andrews – confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Born in Walton-on-Thames, on October 24, 1934, Walton made his Broadway debut in 1961 as a costume and scenic designer on Once There Was a Russian. He was married to childhood sweetheart Mary Poppins star Andrews from 1959 until their divorce in 1968.
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During his illustrious and multi-award winning career, he also earned Oscar noms for costume design on Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and for his costume and design contributions to 1978’s The Wiz, starring Diana Ross. His accolades include an Emmy for his art direction on the 1985 telefilm Death of a Salesman, starring Dustin Hoffman.
Walton’s numerous film credits include Fahrenheit 451, The Boy Friend, The Glass Menagerie, Regarding Henry, and Deathtrap.
Broadway credits feature Chicago, Grand Hotel, The Real Thing, The Will Rogers Follies, The House of Blue Leaves, Our Town, I’m Not Rappaport, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Uncle Vanya, Annie Get Your Gun, 1776, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum, She Loves Me, Guys and Dolls, Anything Goes, Harold Pinter’s Moonlight and Ashes to Ashes. Over his career, he has worked with iconic directors Bob Fosse, Sidney Lumet, Paul Newman, Mike Nichols, and Ken Russell.
In 1991, he was elected to the Theatre Hall of Fame, and in 2012, Walton received a lifetime achievement award from the Art Directors Guild.
Walton is survived by daughter Emma, Genevieve LeRoy Walton, stepdaughter Bridget LeRoy and five grandchildren.
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