Edgar Freitag, Broadway producer, dies

Theater producer Edgar "Buddy" Freitag, who helped back some of Broadway's most talked-about shows, including "The Drowsy Chaperone," "Memphis" and "The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia?," has died. He was 80.

Freitag died Wednesday in New York of complications from a brain tumor, according to his wife and producing partner, Barbara Freitag. He died less than two weeks before the Tony Awards, with several of his shows -- including the hit revival of "Porgy and Bess," "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "End of the Rainbow" -- vying for top honors.

Freitag had a 17-year career at Grey Advertising Agency in New York City and then co-founded United Financial of America Inc., a national commercial mortgage banking and brokerage firm. After the sale of his company, he and his wife began investing in Off-Broadway and Broadway shows.

In 2007, he began his Broadway producing career with "The Homecoming" and went on to back shows such as "Passing Strange," "The Miracle Worker," "Catch Me If You Can," "West Side Story," "Legally Blonde," "In the Heights" and "All My Sons." In addition to his wife, he is survived by their four children, Larry, Eve, Harry and Liz, and seven grandchildren.

-- AP