John Raitt, the booming baritone known for Broadway's original productions of Carousel and The Pajama Game as well as having a notable career that spanned more than 60 years, died earlier today. The cause of death was complications from pneumonia, according to a report in the Associated Press. He was 88.
Raitt was born on January 19, 1917 in Santa Ana, California to Archie John Raitt and Stella Eulalie Walton. He graduated from the University of Redlands in California and began performing professionally with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, Shortly thereafter, he signed a contract with MGM, where he appeared in Flight Command, Billy the Kid, Little Nelly Kelly and Ziegfeld Girl. Following concert tours and additional stage productions, he was invited to take over for Alfred Drake in the role of Curly in the national company of Oklahoma! Impressed with his work, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein decided to cast him as the star of the Broadway-bound Carousel, and he was subsequently voted "best performance of the year by an actor in a musical" by the New York Drama Critics, the Theatre World and Donaldson Awards Committee.
His other Broadway credits include starring roles in Magdalena, Three Wishes for Jamie, Carnival in Flanders, The Pajama Game Raitt also memorably starred in the 1957 film version opposite Doris Day, A Joyful Noise and A Musical Jubilee. He helped celebrate the 50th anniversary of Oklahoma! by singing the show's title song on the stage of Broadway's St. James Theatre where Oklahoma! first opened. He toured in productions of Annie Get Your Gun, Destry Rides Again, Man of La Mancha, Kismet and Zorba as well asOklahoma!, Carousel and The Pajama Game. His honors include receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and being inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. He has performed with his daughter, popular musician/singer Bonnie Raitt, many times.
Raitt is survived by his three children, Bonnie, Steven and David, and his wife, Rosemary.
