Tony Fields
{{Short description|American dancer (1958–1995)}}
{{distinguish|Tony Fields II}}
{{similar names|Tony Field (disambiguation){{!}}Tony Field}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Tony Fields
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Anthony Dean Campos
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1958|12|28}}
| birth_place = Stafford, Kansas, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1995|02|27|1958|12|28}}
| death_place = Dunsmuir, California, U.S.
| other_names =
| occupation = {{hlist|Dancer|actor}}
| years_active = 1978-1995
| known_for =
| notable_works =
}}
Tony Fields (December 28, 1958 – February 27, 1995{{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15403534/tony-dean-fields|title=Tony Dean Fields|website=Find A Grave|access-date=25 February 2019}}) was an American dancer and actor, famous for his performances on the television show Solid Gold, several videos for Michael Jackson, and the film version of the American musical A Chorus Line.
Early life
Fields was born Anthony Dean Campos in Stafford, Kansas. After his parents separated when he was four, his mother remarried, and he took his stepfather's last name: Fields. He was raised in Davis, California, showed an early aptitude for gymnastics, then began dance training. He attended Davis High School, graduating in 1977.{{Cite web|url=http://www.davisenterprise.com/arts/music/dhs-students-perform-annual-tony-fields-tribute-this-weekend/|title=DHS students perform annual Tony Fields tribute this weekend|date=2012-04-18|access-date=2016-07-23}} Fields went to college at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts on scholarship and Roland Dupree Academy of Dance, but left when paid work began to materialize.
Work on film and television
He moved to Hollywood to pursue his career and started performing as a backup dancer in Debbie Reynolds' nightclub act. He then found a job on the Solid Gold as a dancer in 1979. Fields continued with Solid Gold until 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vh1.com/news/sb2gdb/hard-rock-heavy-metal-artists-on-solid-gold|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809114954/https://www.vh1.com/news/sb2gdb/hard-rock-heavy-metal-artists-on-solid-gold|url-status=live|archive-date=August 9, 2022|title=10 Hard Rock + Heavy Metal Artists Who Roughed Up TV's Solid Gold|last=McPadden|first=Mike|date=13 September 2015|website=VH1 News|access-date=2019-02-27}} During this time, he performed in the music video for Queen's "Body Language" at Freddie Mercury's request.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E2y6f_ReQOsC&q=%22tony+fields%22+dancer&pg=PT9|title=Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best|last=Freestone|first=Peter|publisher=Omnibus Press|year=2010|isbn=978-0857121271}}
In 1983, Fields performed in Michael Jackson's videos "Beat It" and "Thriller", both choreographed by Michael Peters as well as Lionel Richie's video "Running with the Night".{{Cite web|url=http://www.adamgerace.com/2019/01/06/dancing-through-life-part-1/|title=Dancing Through Life – Part 1|last=Gerace|first=Adam|date=2019-01-06|website=AdamGerace.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-27}}
Richard Attenborough was working on a film version of the Broadway musical A Chorus Line in 1984. After a casting call that attracted over 3,000 people, and auditions by anyone who previously performed in the musical, Fields won the role of Al DeLuca.{{Cite book|title=A Chorus Line|last=Rowan|first=Tom|publisher=Applause Theatre and Cinema Books|year=2015|isbn=9781480367548|pages=59}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-12-22-ca-20523-story.html|title=A Chorus on the Unemployment Line|last=Gower|first=Sonny|date=22 December 1985|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=26 February 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.collegian.psu.edu/arts_and_entertainment/article_fd24caf6-cd9e-573a-8529-a1ebc59694e7.html|title='A Chorus Line — The Movie': Film brings spirit of Broadway back to the screen|last=Vay|first=Allen Lee|date=17 January 1986|website=The Daily Collegian|access-date=26 February 2019}}
Fields' film work continued with roles in Trick or Treat (1986), Body Beat (1987),{{Cite web|url=http://www.fast-rewind.com/trivia_danceacademy.htm|title=Dance Academy Movie Trivia - The 80s Movies Rewind|website=www.fast-rewind.com|access-date=2016-07-23}} The Doctor (1991) and Across the Moon (1995) and television shows such as Murder, She Wrote (1992), L.A. Law (1991) and Monsters (1990). He appeared in 11 episodes of the soap opera Santa Barbara. He also performed in plays and musical theatre in California.
He gradually became ill and was no longer able to sustain the physical demands of dancing; he returned to Davis High School to mentor students in 1994.
Fields died of HIV-related cancer in 1995.
Legacy
Fields is honored each year at Davis Senior High School with the showcase "A Tribute to Tony Fields" ,{{Cite web|url=http://www.davisenterprise.com/arts/tony-fields-tribute-has-new-sound-same-great-style/|title=Tony Fields tribute has new sound, same great style|last=Lau|first=Krystal|date=2014-04-20|website=Davis Enterprise|access-date=2016-07-23}} celebrating the arts program of the school. He was inducted into the high school's hall of fame in 2009, and a scholarship is available in his name.
References
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Category:American male dancers
Category:People from Stafford, Kansas
Category:Davis Senior High School (California) alumni