Actor Gerry Burkhardt, who appeared in the original 1978 Broadway production of the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, in its 1982 Broadway revival, and in its 1994 sequel, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, died October 3 at age 71.

He appeared on the 1979 Tony Awards broadcast as part of the dancing ensemble of the original Best Little Whorehouse, performing “The Aggie Song” (right).

A native Texan, Burkhardt was born June 14, 1946. He moved to New York as a young man to pursue a career as an actor and dancer and wound up appearing in six Broadway musicals between 1968 and 1994. He made his Broadway debut as a soldier in the Richard Kiley-Leslie Uggams musical Her First Roman, and continued as a villager in the 1990 revival of Fiddler on the Roof, and a dancing ensemble member in the Tony-winning 1992 musical Crazy for You., choreographed by Susan Stroman.

He made numerous Off-Broadway and national touring appearances as well, including the tour of Your Own Thing in 1969 and the Equity Library Theatre revival of Cole Porter’s Leave It to Me! in 1988.

Burkhardt’s sole film credit was playing a dancing ghost in Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You (left). He has a solo starting at the 2:32 mark.

He retired to Oak Ridge, New Jersey, where he spent the rest of his life.

A celebration of that life will be held on October 8 at 1 PM at the Activities Center, 1 Catholic Charities Way, Oak Ridge, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers the family is asking fans make donations to Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Cancer Research Institute of New York.