In his early career Mattox performed under his real name, Harold Mattox, and only later adopted the stage name Matt Mattox in 1948. In 1940 he starred in a production of the ballet
The Sleeping Beauty at the Ocean Park Municipal Auditorium. He performed as Haroldi in Joan Norbury's ballet
The Golden Circlet with the Ernest Belcher Concert Dancers at the
Redlands Bowl in August 1940. In 1941 he performed at the Embassy Theatre in Los Angeles with the Nico Charisse Dancers in a concert sponsored by the
Works Progress Administration. With Charisse's company he danced the role of the prince in
Swan Lake in December 1941. Mattox's dance career was interrupted by two years of service in the
United States Army Air Forces during
World War II from 1942-1944. and earned the rank of
second lieutenant.
Yolanda and the Thief (1945),
Till the Clouds Roll By (1946),
Two Sisters from Boston (1946),
Something in the Wind (1947), and
Good News (1947). He made his Broadway debut in the company of the 1945 musical
Are You with It? which ran at the
Shubert Theatre. In 1947 he starred in the
Los Angeles Civic Light Opera's (LACLO) production of
Louisiana Purchase, and was a soloist in the 1947-1948 national tour of
Song of Norway which was produced by
Edwin Lester. In this tour he was partnered with ballerina
Alexandra Denisova. In 1948 Mattox adopted the stage name Matt Mattox, beginning with the role of Bailador in the Broadway production of
Magdalena: a Musical Adventure which was choreographed by Cole. In 1949 he portrayed the part of Dream Curly in Australia's first production of
Oklahoma!; In 1950 he reprised his principal dancing role in
Song of Norway for its Australian premiere at
Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne. It also toured Australia for an eight month period. also serving as co-choreographer with Aida Broadbent. Mattox continued to work in Hollywood as a specialty dancer in musical films during the 1950s. His best-known film role was Caleb Pontipee in
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). He concurrently maintained a career on Broadway. His New York credits included creating and performing the role of the Jester in the original production of
Once Upon a Mattress (1959), and Harry Beaton in the 1957 revival of
Brigadoon. Mattox also performed concert engagements with his own dance company. His brief career as a Broadway choreographer included
Jennie and
Say, Darling. Mattox used his background in ballet technique to create his own technique for jazz dance. His jazz class was assembled in the progression of a ballet class, and he called his exercises "the barre". Mattox also specifically designed the exercises to relate to the combinations given at the end of his class. The positions, shapes, and qualities developed during the barre are visible within his own detailed and polished style. One of the world's most influential teachers of jazz dance—or, as he called it, "freestyle dancing"— Mattox lived and worked in Perpignan, France. He formed a concert jazz dance company in 1975 in
England and eventually brought it to
France. In 1994 Mattox was knighted as a Chevalier of the
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. ==References==