Don Gregory
Don Gregory (December 3, 1934 – November 5, 2015) was an American Broadway producer. Biography. Gregory was born Donald Ginsberg to a Jewish family in the Bronx on December 3, 1934, the son of Dorothy (née Sheffrin) and Morris Ginsberg. When he was four years old, his father died and his mother remarried and moved the family to Norwich, Connecticut. He attended the University of Connecticut but left before graduating and moved to California to become an actor. He changed his name so it sounded less "ethnic." In the 1950s, he joined the U.S. Army and after he completed  his service, he moved back to New York City where he worked as a talent agent. In the 1970s, leveraging his pool of clients and connections, he began to produce solo-performer shows that matched a celebrated actor with a celebrated historical personage. They included: "Clarence Darrow" by David W. Rintels and starring Henry Fonda as Clarence Darrow; and "The Belle of Amherst" by William Luce starring Julie Harris as Emily Dickinson. In 1980, he paired Richard Burton as King Arthur in Camelot. In 1981, he paired Rex Harrison as Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady"; and Richard Harris in  a return engagement in "Camelot." In 1983, he co-produced "Othello" with James Earl Jones in the title role and Christopher Plummer as Iago. He also produced "Paul Robeson" starring James Earl Jones. His other Broadway credits include the 1981 musical "Copperfield"; "Buttons on Broadway" with Red Buttons in 1995; and a 2012 revival of the comedy "Harvey" written by Mary Chase starring Jim Parsons. Off-Broadway credits include Dore Schary's play "FDR" with Robert Vaughn as Franklin Delano Roosevelt; a revival of "The Belle of Amherst" starring Joely Richardson; and "Nobody Don't Like Yogi," by Tom Lysaght  with Ben Gazzara as Yogi Berra. Personal life. Gregory was married twice. His first wife was Carolyn Fitzpatrick, an Irish Catholic. They had two children: television journalist David Gregory and Stephanie Gregory Mitchell; they later divorced and she remarried (now Carolyn Surtees). In 1981, he remarried to Kaye Romine. He died of at stroke at his home in Boca Raton, Florida on November 5, 2015.