Jay Norman

Joshua Alden "Jay" Norman (March 20, 1937 – November 14, 2021) was a dancer, actor, and choreographer known for his work in both stage and film productions, particularly in musical theater.

He is best known and most closely associated with West Side Story, in which he performed on stage in the original Broadway production, and on tour nationally and internationally, as well as in the 1961 film adaptation.

[7] After returning from the war, Norman's father lived with the family for a short time[4] before he and Olga separated, later to be officially divorced.

[8] At 15 years old, whilst attending vocational high school intending to become an automotive engineer, Norman's mother met his stepfather, who had a background in dancing and performed in nightclubs.

[12] Norman's maternal grandfather, Alden Garland Kennedy, was African-American and originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and as a young man had been artist[13] eventually becoming a lawyer.

[9] In 1955, after another summer in Pittsburgh, where he danced solos in The King and I and Kismet, Jay joined forces with dancers Lenny Dale and Victor Duntiere for a six-month night club circuit tour.

Director-choreographer Jerome Robbins chose Norman from the hundreds of actors and dancers who attended a “cattle call” audition.

When that tour ended he returned to New York and to West Side Story, and he understudied the role of Bernardo taking over for ten days in 1960.

[14] Norman was then cast in the movie version of West Side Story as Pepe, a member of the Sharks and Bernardo's lieutenant.

After seven months of filming, he immediately flew out to join the European tour of West Side Story, this time in the role of Bernardo.