John Raitt was a celebrated American actor and singer, renowned for his powerful baritone voice and leading roles on Broadway. He gained widespread fame for originating the role of Billy Bigelow in the original 1945 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. His other signature role was Sid Sorokin in the 1954 hit musical The Pajama Game, a part he later reprised in the 1957 film adaptation. As the patriarch of a musical family, he is also remembered as the father of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt.