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Bobby Van (December 6, 1928–July 31, 1980)
was probably best known for his Musician|musical
and acting career on Broadway theatre|Broadway in
the 1960s and 1970s.

Van was born Robert Jack Stein to vaudeville
parents in The Bronx, New York City, and grew up
backstage to many memorable depression-era acts. 
Originally, Van took King as his stage name (after
his father's stage name, from the trio "Gordon,
Reed and King").  He finally opted for Van,
supposedly after seeing a Van Johnson poster
hanging in his sister's bedroom.

Van began his career as a musician, playing
trumpet.  When his band played a venue in the
Catskills, Van was asked to fill in as a song and
dance man for another act.  His act drew rave
reviews, and gave Van a thrill out of performing
live as a solo act.

In the early 1950s, while Van was married to
starlet Diane Garrett, he appeared in several
films and television shows, including the title
role in The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953 in
film|1953).  However, most of Van's roles
involving singing and dancing, and the era of the
Hollywood Musical theater|musical was waning.

In the 1960s, Van did comedy work with Mickey
Rooney in films and television.  He also did some
choreography, as his father had years earlier.  In
1968, Van married Broadway actress Elaine Joyce,
and together they appeared on 1970s game shows
like Tattletales and Match Game.  Their only
child, daughter Taylor, was born 1977.

Van's last television appearance was as the host
for the "Mrs. America Pageant" in 1980, which he
had emceed for several years.  In 1979, Van was
diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor; he
survived the initial surgery, but after a
year-long battle with cancer, Van succumbed to the
disease in Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles at
the age of only 51.  Van is interred at Mt. Sinai
Memorial Park in Burbank, California|Burbank.

====External links====
*http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0888399/ IMBD entry
*http://www.bobbyvan.net Bobby Van tribute site