Broadway producer of Hairspray and The Producers Rick Steiner dies age 69 in Connecticut

Published: 22:46 GMT, 5 November 2016 | Updated: 00:22 GMT, 6 November 2016

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Broadway producer Rick Steiner has died.

Steiner passed away at his home in Connecticut on Thursday, Deadline.com reported. He was 69.

Among his hits were The Producers, Hairspray, Jersey Boys and Big River.

R.I.P.: Broadway producer Rick Steiner passed away Thursday at his home in Connecticut. He was 69

Showman: Steiner was a prolific producer of Broadway shows starting with Big River in 1985. Among his hits was The Producers starring Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, pictured

Born in Cincinnati, Steiner earned degrees at the University of Wisconsin and University of Chicago Booth School of Business before heading to Boston where he opened an experimental comedy video club with the then-unknown Chvey Chase.

He moved on to New York where he found himself co-producing a musical based on The Tales Of Hucklberry Finn.

Initially a disastrous money loser, he managed to turn around the fortunes of the show called Big River thanks to an innovative marketing campaign. It went on to win seven Tony awards in 1985.

Steiner was also an accomplished poker playing winning several major tournaments including, according to Cincinnati.com, the 1992 World Series of Poker 7-Stud High-Low event and the 1995 Legends of Poker Seven Card Stud tournament.

His brother Corky Steiner said his brother's 'last love other than family is baseball' and he had had a seat on the board of the Cincinnati Reds.

Steiner’s funeral will be held Sunday in Cincinnati.

Multi-talented: He was an avid baseball fan and wa son the board of the Cincinnati reds. He was also an accomplished poker player and won several major tournaments during his life