Howard Jeffrey, 53; Choreographer, Dancer and Motion Picture Producer

Howard Jeffrey, a dancer and choreographer who ventured frequently and successfully into film production, has died of the complications of AIDS.

Jeffrey, who will be memorialized in a New York City service Nov. 18, was 53 when he died Nov. 2 in Los Angeles.

The man who would become Jerome Robbins’ chief aide on such Broadway productions as “West Side Story,” was born in Philadelphia but raised in Los Angeles, where he was a child radio actor and then a dancer who joined Ballet Theatre when he was only 18. He later toured with Alicia Alonzo’s companies.

After his New York success with “West Side Story,” he became choreographer and teacher for its touring companies and later performed a similar role for Natalie Wood in the film version of Leonard Bernstein’s acclaimed music-drama.

He then began to devote more time to films, working with Wood on “Inside Daisy Clover” and with Barbra Streisand on “Funny Girl” and “Funny Lady.” He also was an assistant to Gene Kelly on “Hello Dolly” and to Vincente Minnelli on “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever,” again with Streisand.

He became an associate producer for “The Seven Percent Solution,” “The Turning Point” and “Nijinsky.” Jeffrey then produced two of Bette Midler’s films, “Divine Madness” and “Jinxed,” and Mel Brooks’ “To Be or Not to Be.” Other credits include “There Must Be a Pony, “ a film for television starring Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Wagner, and a TV biographical sketch of his old friend, Natalie Wood.

Survivors include his mother and a brother.