Legendary Costume Designer Bob Mackie, a Tony Winner for The Cher Show, Dies at 87

Legendary costume designer Bob Mackie has died. Mackie, whose career spanned Broadway, television and film, won a Tony Award in 2019 for his costume design on The Cher Show. He was 87.

The Cher Show featured recreations of looks Mackie designed for his longtime collaborator and friend Cher, as well as Mackie himself as a character, portrayed by Michael Berresse. Elsewhere on Broadway, Mackie designed costumes for the 1971 revival of On the Town, Platinum, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public and Moon Over Buffalo. He also designed costumes for Carol Channing in Lorelei and Carol Burnett in the Stephen Sondheim revue Putting It Together.

Mackie was born in 1939 in Los Angeles. He began his career sketching designs for Paramount Studios, working with Frank Thompson and Edith Head. While working for French courtier Jean Louis, Mackie drew the original sketch for Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, which she wore to President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 birthday celebration.

In 1966, Mitzi Gaynor hired Mackie to design the costumes for her Vegas revue. The bedazzled, showgirl-inspired ensembles that Mackie designed for Gaynor would become his signature. A year later, Mackie took up residence as the costume designer for The Carol Burnett Show. Speaking to Broadway.com Managing Editor Beth Stevens about The Cher Show, he relayed the story of how he met Cher during the first season of The Carol Burnett Show. “I thought she would be kind of sullen,” said Mackie. “She wasn’t at all. She was delightful and cute and a little Audrey Hepburn-esque kind of girl.” Mackie would go on to be the costume designer for The Sonny and Cher Show and Cher’s subsequent solo variety series. Over the course of his career, Mackie won nine Emmy Awards.

On the big screen, Mackie designed for Diana Ross in Lady Sings The Blues, Barbra Streisand in Funny Lady and Bernadette Peters in Pennies From Heaven, all three of which earned him Oscar nominations. Mackie also designed for Tina Turner, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Dolly Parton and Ann-Margret.

Mackie’s work extended beyond stage and screen. He collaborated with Mattel on a line of Barbie dolls and designed mass market clothing that was sold internationally.

In 1960, Mackie married the performer LuLu Porter and the couple had a son, Robert “Robin” Gordon Mackie Jr. Mackie and Porter divorced in 1963 and their son died of AIDS-related complications in 1993. Mackie was in a long-term relationship with designer Ray Aghayan, and the pair remained together until Aghayan’s death in 2011.

Mackie is survived by a granddaughter and two great grandchildren.

Watch our interview with Mackie below.