Best known for his stage roles in the classic musicals ''Carousel'', ''Oklahoma!'' and ''The Pajama Game'', he set the standard for virile, handsome, strong-voiced leading men during the golden age of the Broadway musical. His only leading film role was in the 1957 movie version of ''The Pajama Game'', opposite Doris Day.
On television, he was seen many times on the ''Bell Telephone Hour''.
In 1957, also for television, he and Mary Martin re-created their starring roles in the national touring version of ''Annie Get Your Gun''.
In 1945, John Raitt was one of the recipients of the first Theatre World Award for his debut performance in ''Carousel''. In 1965, he starred in the twentieth-anniversary production of the show, at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
He died on February 20, 2005, at his home in Pacific Palisades, California, from complications due to pneumonia, aged 88.
He was the father of singer Bonnie Raitt, and former father-in-law of Michael O'Keefe.
He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theatre.
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Biography courtesy of the brilliant Wikipedia!
