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Gene Kelly

Eugene Curran Kelly (born August 23, 1912 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and died February 2, 1996 in Beverly Hills, California after suffering two strokes at the age of 83), was best known as an American dancer in films, but was also an actor, singer, director and choreographer. An energetic and athletic performer, he was known for doing his own stunts.

Kelly was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1960.

Partial filmography

  • For Me and My Gal (1942)
  • DuBarry Was a Lady (1943)
  • Cover Girl (1944) - Kelly danced with himself through trick photography.
  • Anchors Aweigh (1945) - Included number combining live-action and animation, performed by Kelly and Jerry the mouse of Tom and Jerry.
  • Ziegfeld Follies - First of two films in which Kelly and Fred Astaire danced together.
  • The Pirate (1948)
  • On the Town (1949) - First musical film to be shot on location. In addition, directorial debut.
  • Summer Stock (1950) - Judy Garland's final film at MGM Studio.
  • An American in Paris (1951) - (Academy Award, special achievement, choreography)
  • Singin' in the Rain (1952)
  • Brigadoon (1954)
  • Invitation to the Dance (1956)
  • Les Girls (1957) - Kelly's final film at MGM Studio.
  • Inherit the Wind (1960)
  • What a Way to Go! (1964)
  • The Young Girls Of Rochefort, (1967)
  • Hello, Dolly (1969) - Directorial and choreography credits.
  • That's Entertainment! (1974)
  • That's Entertainment Part II (1976) - also directed. This was the second and last time Kelly and Astaire danced together on film.
  • Xanadu (1980) - final film in which Kelly danced.

Kelly was awarded a special 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” in 1951 and reawarded in 1984's Academy Awards due to a fire which burned down his home in the previous year. He also received the Life Achievement Award from American Film Institute in 1985.

Kelly married three times:

  • Betsy Blair (1940–1957) (one child, Kerry)
  • Jeanne Coyne (1960–1973) (two children, Bridget and Tim)
  • Patricia Ward (1990–1996)

He was the first American to choreograph and stage a ballet in the Paris Opera.

His most notable moments on film include:

  • Singing and dancing in the rain in a much-parodied scene from the film Singin' in the Rain.
  • Dancing with a mop, a squeaky floorboard and a newspaper in Summer Stock.
  • Dancing on roller skates in An American in Paris.

Quotation

  • "If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando." -- Gene Kelly

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His most notable moments on film include:. He had a role in the 1949 Ealing comedy Whisky Galore, based on the book by Sir Compton Mackenzie, and in the first TV series of Neil Munro's masterpiece of west coast "high jinks" - Para Handy - master mariner - played the eponymous Captain. He was the first American to choreograph and stage a ballet in the Paris Opera. MacRae was a Scottish actor and comedian with a glaikit (Scots word for naïve or clueless) mannerism. Kelly married three times:. Duncan MacRae (August 20, 1905-March 23, 1967) was born in Glasgow. He also received the Life Achievement Award from American Film Institute in 1985.

Kelly was awarded a special 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” in 1951 and reawarded in 1984's Academy Awards due to a fire which burned down his home in the previous year. Kelly was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government in 1960. An energetic and athletic performer, he was known for doing his own stunts. Eugene Curran Kelly (born August 23, 1912 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and died February 2, 1996 in Beverly Hills, California after suffering two strokes at the age of 83), was best known as an American dancer in films, but was also an actor, singer, director and choreographer.

"If Fred Astaire is the Cary Grant of dance, I'm the Marlon Brando." -- Gene Kelly. Dancing on roller skates in An American in Paris. Dancing with a mop, a squeaky floorboard and a newspaper in Summer Stock. Singing and dancing in the rain in a much-parodied scene from the film Singin' in the Rain.

Patricia Ward (1990–1996). Jeanne Coyne (1960–1973) (two children, Bridget and Tim). Betsy Blair (1940–1957) (one child, Kerry). Xanadu (1980) - final film in which Kelly danced.

This was the second and last time Kelly and Astaire danced together on film. That's Entertainment Part II (1976) - also directed. That's Entertainment! (1974). Hello, Dolly (1969) - Directorial and choreography credits.

The Young Girls Of Rochefort, (1967). What a Way to Go! (1964). Inherit the Wind (1960). Les Girls (1957) - Kelly's final film at MGM Studio.

Invitation to the Dance (1956). Brigadoon (1954). Singin' in the Rain (1952). An American in Paris (1951) - (Academy Award, special achievement, choreography).

Summer Stock (1950) - Judy Garland's final film at MGM Studio. In addition, directorial debut. On the Town (1949) - First musical film to be shot on location. The Pirate (1948).

Ziegfeld Follies - First of two films in which Kelly and Fred Astaire danced together. Anchors Aweigh (1945) - Included number combining live-action and animation, performed by Kelly and Jerry the mouse of Tom and Jerry. Cover Girl (1944) - Kelly danced with himself through trick photography. DuBarry Was a Lady (1943).

For Me and My Gal (1942).