Hollywood's Stephen Papich dead at 80

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Hollywood choreographer, producer and author Stephen Papich has died in his Los Angeles home at age 80.

Papich's companion, Robert Wood, told Sunday's New York Times the biographer of Josephine Baker died Dec. 16 of cancer.

Papich was a contract choreographer at 20th Century Fox in the 1950s and worked such films as "Desiree," "The Egyptian," "The Silver Chalice," "Demetrius and the Gladiators" and "The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing."

He also produced nightclub shows for Baker, Judy Garland, Dorothy Dandrige and Mae West, among others, the Times said. He produced the dance revue "Bamboche!" that opened on Broadway in 1962.

Papich's book about Baker, "Remembering Josephine" was published in 1976.

Papich's only known survivor is Wood, his partner of 33 years.