Read Full Biography. Its dream ballet sequence, lasting an unprecedented 17 minutes, was the most expensive production number ever filmed at that time. His first Broadway assignment, in November 1938, was as a dancer in Cole Porter's Leave It to Me!—as the American ambassador's secretary who supports Mary Martin while she sings "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". [14] Kelly served as executive producer and co-host of That's Dancing! They both rebelled, as recalled by K… We strive for accuracy and fairness. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks, and the likable characters that he played on screen. Dancing legend (and actor/singer to boot), whose "Singin' in the Rain" is an enduring classic. He choreographed the movie, including its groundbreaking finale—a lengthy ballet sequence. Gene Kelly was never very popular as a singer, even though he did cut records and was seen in movie roles in which he sang -- rather, it was his work onscreen as a dancer, choreographer, and director that allowed him to exert a key influence over the popularity of certain song catalogs in the mid-20th century. He was raised as a Roman Catholic and was a member of the Good Shepherd Parish and the Catholic Motion Picture Guild in Beverly Hills, California. Born August 23, 1912, in Pittsburgh, PA, he initially studied economics, funding his education by working alternately as a soda jerk and a brick layer. 1964). Gene Kelly Is A Member Of . In July 2012, New York City's Film Society of Lincoln Center hosted a month-long program in honor of Kelly, showing nearly two dozen of Kelly's films. Ella Fitzgerald, known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an immensely popular American jazz and song vocalist who interpreted much of the Great American Songbook. Next followed Kelly's last musical film for MGM, Les Girls (1957), in which he partnered a trio of leading ladies, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall, and Taina Elg. This role propelled him to stardom. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won three. – Beverly Hills, 1996. február 2.) Probably best known for his performance in 'Singin' In The Rain', he was a dominant force in Hollywood musical films from the mid 1940s until their demise in the late 1950s. ', Gene Hackman is an Academy Award-winning actor known for his range and versatility in films such as 'The French Connection,' 'Mississippi Burning' and 'Unforgiven.'. [44] Faulty Christmas tree wiring was blamed. That iconic performance was enough for Farber to completely reverse his previous assessment of Kelly's skills. I never let technique get in the way of mood or continuity. [16], His family opened a dance studio in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The film also marked the debut of 19-year-old ballerina Leslie Caron, whom Kelly had spotted in Paris and brought to Hollywood. In 1931, he was approached by the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Pittsburgh to teach dance, and to stage the annual Kermesse. [14] In Kelly's opinion, "The concept was marvelous, but it just didn't come off. Kelly put his lessons to good use in college, teaching at a local studio to help him pay for his education. Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996), better known as Gene Kelly, was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer and choreographer. In 1973, Kelly also guest starred on Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra, performing a medley with Sinatra that included the songs "Can't Do That Anymore,” ”Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” ”For Me and My Gal” and ”New York, New York.”. Some say it was an inherent lack of confidence that caused Kelly to latch onto younger women, which is exactly what he did when he met Betsy Blair. His father was of Irish descent and his mother was of Irish and German ancestry. "[14] Also in 1951, Kelly received an honorary Academy Award for his contribution to film musicals and the art of choreography. Kelly is remembered for his lead role in Singin' in the Rain, regarded by some as the best dance film ever made. First Name Gene #3. Born in Pittsburgh, PA #31. In 1942, Kelly made his film debut opposite Judy Garland in For Me and My Gal. 1962) and Bridget (b. Kelly claimed to be "appalled at the sight of myself blown up 20 times. In 1960, he co-starred with Natalie Wood in the romantic drama Marjorie Morningstar. This item is available to borrow from 1 library branch. [14] He also appeared in three major TV specials: The Julie Andrews Show (1965), New York, New York (1966), and Jack and the Beanstalk (1967)—a show he produced and directed that again combined cartoon animation and live dance, winning him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program. When we came to do On the Town, I knew it was time for Stanley to get screen credit because we weren't boss–assistant anymore but co-creators. It, too, sold few movie tickets. [32] In 1951, he summed up his vision as: "If the camera is to make a contribution at all to dance, this must be the focal point of its contribution; the fluid background, giving each spectator an undistorted and altogether similar view of dancer and background. At the peak of his creative powers, Kelly made what in retrospect some see as a mistake. "[11], Offers from Hollywood began to arrive, but Kelly was in no hurry to leave New York. The chapter on 'Singin' in the Rain' alone is worth reading this biography for… as, in my opinion, it's the greatest musical ever made, and as the book states, still now, not in the least bit dated. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical, and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. His first marriage was with an American actress Betsy Blair. Kelly directed films without a collaborator including, the comedy A Guide for the Married Man (1967) starring Walter Matthau, and the musical Hello, Dolly! MGM had lost faith in Kelly's box-office appeal, and as a result It's Always Fair Weather premiered at 17 drive-in theatres around the Los Angeles metroplex. (1977), with the then high-profile stuntman, Evel Knievel. "[32] He especially acknowledged the influence of George M. Cohan: "I have a lot of Cohan in me. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Then followed in quick succession two musicals that secured Kelly's reputation as a major figure in the American musical film. He starred in two short-lived programs—Going My Way, an adaptation of the 1944 Bing Crosby movie, and a 1971 variety show called The Funny Side. He was due to play the male lead opposite Garland in Easter Parade (1948), but broke his ankle playing volleyball. Although Coppola's ambition was for him to establish a production unit to rival the Freed Unit at MGM, the film's failure put an end to this idea. When Kelly returned to Hollywood in 1953, the film musical was beginning to feel the pressures from television, and MGM cut the budget for his next picture Brigadoon (1954), with Cyd Charisse, forcing him to make the film on studio back lots instead of on location in Scotland. Kelly was admitted to the University of Pittsburgh Law School. But I have tried to develop a style which is indigenous to the environment in which I was reared. In July 1994, he suffered a stroke and stayed in a hospital for seven weeks. Most Popular #12545. He had been hired by Robert Alton, who had staged a show at the Pittsburgh Playhouse where he was impressed by Kelly's teaching skills. During its run, he told reporters: "I don't believe in conformity to any school of dancing. https://www.biography.com/performer/gene-kelly. Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, singer, filmmaker, and choreographer. He negotiated an exit to his contract that involved making three further pictures for MGM. Kelly continued to make some film appearances, such as Hornbeck in the Hollywood production of Inherit the Wind (1960) and as himself in Let's Make Love (also 1960). He appeared as one of many special narrators in the surprise hit That's Entertainment! Gene Kelly was a dancer whose athletic style transformed the movie musical and did much to change the American public's conception of male dancers. Eugene Curran Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the third son of Harriet Catherine (Curran) and James Patrick Joseph Kelly, a phonograph salesman. Kelly served as a teacher at the studio during his undergraduate and law-student years at Pitt. In Kelly's next film, Anchors Aweigh (1945), MGM gave him a free hand to devise a range of dance routines, including his duets with co-star Frank Sinatra and the celebrated animated dance with Jerry Mouse—the animation for which was supervised by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Max was the Music arranger that taught Henry Mancini, Sammy Nestico, Jerry Fielding, Billy Strayhorn to name a few musical stars. The actor married three times in his life. Naval Air Service and was commissioned as lieutenant, junior grade. is military terminology referring to "Governmen… As was the practice at the time, he was rarely formally credited in the film titles. References. He subsequently directed and co-starred with his friend Fred Astaire in the sequel That's Entertainment, Part II (1976). He began dating a cast member, Betsy Blair, and they got married on October 16, 1941. Actor Born in Pennsylvania #33. In a … Kelly married Patricia Ward in 1990 (when he was 77 and she was 30). [46], Kelly appeared as actor and dancer in musical films. [32], According to Delamater, Kelly's work "seems to represent the fulfillment of dance-film integration in the 1940s and 1950s". Eugene Curran Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the third son of Harriet Catherine (Curran) and James Patrick Joseph Kelly, a phonograph salesman. [8] He experimented with lighting, camera techniques, and special effects to achieve true integration of dance with film, and was one of the first to use split screens, double images, and live action with animation, and is credited as the person who made the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. He always choreographed his own dance routines and often the dance routines of others and used assistants. Kelly was a lifelong supporter of the Democratic Party. One of five children, Kelly was born on August 23, 1912, and grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "[11][25] Together, they opened up the musical form, taking the film musical out of the studio and into real locations, with Donen taking responsibility for the staging and Kelly handling the choreography. In 1960, Kelly married his choreographic assistant Jeanne Coyne, who had previously been married to Stanley Donen between 1948 and 1951. You can spot many male dancers who have this tuition by their arm movements—they are soft, limp, and feminine. In 1947, he was part of the Committee for the First Amendment, the Hollywood delegation that flew to Washington to protest at the first official hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. As biographer Clive Hirschhorn explains: "As a child, he used to run for miles through parks and streets and woods—anywhere, just as long as he could feel the wind against his body and through his hair. Clive Hirschhorn (Author) 4.8 out of 5 stars 13 ratings. When he was eight, Kelly's mother enrolled him and his brother James in dance classes. Before Kelly arrived on the scene, musical movies had been dominated by the stately moves of Fred Astaire, but in his T … Fred Rogers was the much-loved host of the public television show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,' which ran on PBS from 1968 to 2001. As co-director, lead star, and choreographer, Kelly was the central driving force in both of these films. He explained that his inspiration for the famous dance scene was the way children like to play in the rain. MGM wanted Kelly to return to safer and more commercial vehicles, but he ceaselessly fought for an opportunity to direct his own musical film. In 1970, he made another television special: Gene Kelly and 50 Girls and was invited to bring the show to Las Vegas, Nevada—which he did for an eight-week stint on the condition he be paid more than any artist had ever been paid there. Gene Kelly, tap dancer, choreographer, and film director who helped to perfect tap dance as an art form, extending its narrative and dramatic expression to the medium of film, was born Eugene Curran Kelly, the third of five children (in descending order, Joan, James, Gene, Louise, and Fred). [45], Kelly's health declined steadily in the late 1980s. On the small screen, Kelly had a few supporting roles and guest spots on such series as The Muppet Show and The Love Boat. Gene Kelly was born in 1910s. It was dedicated to his memory. 5, Kelly played the antagonist. Sammy Davis Jr. was a highly popular actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His first marriage was to actress Betsy Blair in 1941. His first foray into television was a documentary for NBC's Omnibus, Dancing is a Man's Game (1958), where he assembled a group of America's greatest sportsmen—including Mickey Mantle, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Bob Cousy—and reinterpreted their moves choreographically, as part of his lifelong quest to remove the effeminate stereotype of the art of dance, while articulating the philosophy behind his dance style. In 1932, they renamed it the Gene Kelly Studio of the Dance and opened a second location in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1933. His first wife, Betsy Blair, was suspected of being a communist sympathizer, and when United Artists, which had offered Blair a part in Marty (1955), were considering withdrawing her under pressure from the American Legion, Kelly successfully threatened MGM's influence on United Artists with a pullout from It's Always Fair Weather unless his wife was restored to the part. To accomplish this, the camera is made fluid, moving with the dancer, so that the lens becomes the eye of the spectator, your eye". Examples of this abound in Kelly's work and are well illustrated in the "Prehistoric Man" sequence from On the Town and "The Hat My Father Wore on St. Patrick's Day" from Take Me Out to the Ball Game. In the 1980s, Kelly largely retreated from acting. "[11] He railed against what he saw as the widespread effeminacy in male dancing, which, in his opinion, "tragically" stigmatized the genre, alienating boys from entering the field: "Dancing does attract effeminate young men. In 1939, he was selected for a musical revue, One for the Money, produced by the actress Katharine Cornell, who was known for finding and hiring talented young actors. Kelly and Coyne had two children, Timothy (b. [11] Kelly returned to Pittsburgh, to his family home at 7514 Kensington Street, by 1940, and worked as a theatrical actor.[18]. John Wayne is a graceful man and so are some of the great ballplayers ... but, of course, they don't run the risk of being called sissies. For Me and My Gal performed very well, and in the face of much internal resistance, Arthur Freed of MGM picked up the other half of Kelly's contract. The couple has a tragic divorce in 1957. Despite this, critic Manny Farber was moved to praise Kelly's "attitude", "clarity", and "feeling" as an actor while inauspiciously concluding, "The two things he does least well—singing and dancing—are what he is given most consistently to do. It was beset with delays and technical problems, and flopped when finally released in 1956. Behrman's play, The Pirate (1948), with songs by Cole Porter, in which Kelly plays the lead opposite Garland. It was a measure of his powers of persuasion that he managed to coax the 77-year-old Astaire—who had insisted that his contract rule out any dancing, having long since retired—into performing a series of song-and-dance duets, evoking a powerful nostalgia for the glory days of the American musical film. III (1994). When Patricia Ward Kelly and Gene Kelly married quietly in Santa Barbara in 1990, he gave her age to the press as 36, not 31. His perseverance finally paid off, with the major box-office hit A Guide for the Married Man (1967), in which he directed Walter Matthau. During his mid-teens, Kellywent to Peabody High School where he graduated and later joined Pennsylvania State College. His family and pets escaped and he suffered a burnt hand. He choreographed his own movement, along with that of the ensemble, with the assistance of Jeanne Coyne, Stanley Donen, Carol Haney, and Alex Romero. He joined 20th Century Fox in 1965, but had little to do—partly due to his decision to decline assignments away from Los Angeles for family reasons. The first of these, It's Always Fair Weather (1955), co-directed with Donen, was a musical satire on television and advertising, and includes his roller-skate dance routine to I Like Myself, and a dance trio with Michael Kidd and Dan Dailey that Kelly used to experiment with the widescreen possibilities of Cinemascope. Johnny Green, the head of music at MGM at the time, said of him, Gene is easygoing as long as you know exactly what you are doing when you're working with him. Unusually, in Pilot No. [42] From the mid-1940s through the early 1950s, Blair and he organized weekly parties at their Beverly Hills home, and they often played an intensely competitive and physical version of charades, known as "The Game".[38]. He was briefly taught by Frank Harrington, an African-American tap specialist from New York. Gene Kelly had three children. [10] When he was eight, Kelly's mother enrolled him and his brother James in dance classes. His father was of Irish descent and his mother was of Irish and German ancestry. Kelly began taking dance classes at the tender age of eight years. He was stationed in the Photographic Section, Washington D.C., where he was involved in writing and directing a range of documentaries, and this stimulated his interest in the production side of filmmaking.[14][22]. There followed Summer Stock (1950)—Garland's last musical film for MGM—in which Kelly performed the "You, You Wonderful You" solo routine with a newspaper and a squeaky floorboard. They also performed in local nightclubs. In Paris, he directed Jackie Gleason in Gigot (1962), but the film was drastically recut by Seven Arts Productions and flopped. "All of my dancing came out of the idea of the common man," Kelly once explained. 25, 26: "What impressed Gene was the originality of the man's [Dotson's] dancing, as it was quite unlike anything he had seen before. The tricks Dotson was doing were absolutely fresh. starring Mary Martin, and One For the Money. [14] In December 1951, he signed a contract with MGM that sent him to Europe for 19 months to use MGM funds frozen in Europe to make three pictures while personally benefiting from tax exemptions. (1964). For his efforts on the film, Kelly received an honorary Academy Award "in appreciation of his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film.". His papers are housed at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston University. He achieved a significant breakthrough as a dancer on film when MGM lent him to Columbia to work with Rita Hayworth in Cover Girl (1944), a film that foreshadowed the best of his future work. His body was cremated, without a funeral or memorial service. I don't object to that as long as they don't dance effeminately. It was midnight and we had been rehearsing since 8 in the morning. [11], In 1931, Kelly enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh to study economics, joining the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. Kelly also co-hosted the documentary series That's Entertainment! His first opportunity to dance to his own choreography came in his next picture, Thousands Cheer (1943), where he performed a mock-love dance with a mop. This musical film persuaded Arthur Freed to have Kelly make On the Town (also 1949), in which he partnered with Frank Sinatra for the third and final time. Kelly appeared frequently on television shows during the 1960s, including Going My Way (1962–63), which was based on the 1944 film of the same name. Fred Astaire was an American dancer of stage and film who is best known for a number of successful musical comedy films in which he starred with Ginger Rogers. Only one of these pictures was a musical, Invitation to the Dance, a pet project of Kelly's to bring modern ballet to mainstream film audiences. Gene Kelly's experiments with dance and with ways of filming it include combining dance and animation (Anchors Aweigh and Invitation to the Dance), and special effects (The "Alter Ego" number in Cover Girl and the split-screen dance of It's Always Fair Weather). Gene Kelly demonstrates his dancing prowess in 1952. "[11] In 1937, having successfully managed and developed the family's dance-school business, he finally did move to New York City in search of work as a choreographer. The following year, Kelly co-directed with Stanley Donen, choreographed and starred in Singin' in the Rain (1952), one of his most famous films. Alec Guinness. ', Gene Simmons is best known as the frontman for KISS, the rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s, as well as for his TV show 'Gene Simmons Family Jewels. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. He increased his focus on performing and later claimed: "With time I became disenchanted with teaching because the ratio of girls to boys was more than ten to one, and once the girls reached 16, the dropout rate was very high. Debbie Reynolds. He was asked to direct the film version of The Sound of Music, which had already been turned down by Stanley Donen. They had one child, Kerry (b. Unfortunately, and mysteriously for me, Stanley, over the years, had been less than gracious about Gene.". 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