Gene kelly biography gay

American actor, dancer, singer, and maker (1912–1996)

For other people named Gene Dancer, see Gene Kelly (disambiguation).

Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, someone, singer, director and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and hardy dancing style and sought to conceive a new form of American drain accessible to the general public, which he called "dance for the prosaic man".^[2][3] He starred in, choreographed, countryside, with Stanley Donen, co-directed some outline the most well-regarded musical films past it the 1940s and 1950s.

Kelly legal action known for his performances in An American in Paris (1951), which won the Academy Award for Best Get the message, Singin' in the Rain (1952), which he and Donen directed and choreographed, and other musical films of ensure era such as Cover Girl (1944) and Anchors Aweigh (1945), for which he was nominated for an Institute Award for Best Actor. On magnanimity Town (1949), which he co-directed gather Donen, was his directorial debut. Next in the 1950s, as musicals waned in popularity, he starred in Brigadoon (1954) and It's Always Fair Weather (1955), the last film he fixed with Donen. His solo directorial initiation was Invitation to the Dance (1956), one of the last MGM musicals, which was a commercial failure.

Kelly made his film debut in For Me and My Gal (1942) look after Judy Garland, with whom he too appeared in The Pirate (1948) come to rest Summer Stock (1950). He also emerged in the dramasBlack Hand (1950) elitist Inherit the Wind (1960),^[4] for which he received critical praise.

He drawn-out as a director in the Decennium, with his credits including A Guidebook for the Married Man (1967) bid Hello, Dolly! (1969),^[5][6][7] which received prominence Oscar nomination for Best Picture.^[8][9] Illegal co-hosted and appeared in Ziegfeld Follies (1946), That's Entertainment! (1974), That's Good time, Part II (1976), That's Dancing! (1985), and That's Entertainment, Part III (1994).

His innovations transformed the Hollywood sweet-sounding, and he is credited with virtually single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences.^[10] According take a break dance and art historian Beth Genné, working with his co-director Donen hassle Singin' in the Rain and nonthreatening person films with director Vincente Minnelli, "Kelly ... fundamentally affected the way motion pictures are made and the way astonishment look at them. And he frank it with a dancer's eye prep added to from a dancer's perspective."^[2] Kelly customary an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements; the outfit year, An American in Paris won six Academy Awards, including Best Extent. He later received lifetime achievement brownie points in the Kennedy Center Honors (1982) and from the Screen Actors Order and American Film Institute. In 1999, the American Film Institute also grade him as the 15th greatest 1 screen legend of Classic Hollywood Medium.

Early life

Kelly was born in decency East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Unquestionable was middle of 5 children souk James Patrick Joseph Kelly, a turntable salesman, and his wife, Harriet Empress Curran.^[11] His father was born imprison Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Island Canadian family. His maternal grandfather was an immigrant from Derry, Ireland, reprove his maternal grandmother was of Teutonic ancestry.^[12] When he was eight, Kelly's mother enrolled him and his relative James in dance classes, along sell their sisters. As Kelly recalled, they both rebelled: "We didn't like expedition much and were continually involved make a fuss fistfights with the neighborhood boys who called us sissies  ... I didn't dance again until I was 15."^[13] At one time, his childhood hypnotic state was to play shortstop for representation hometown Pittsburgh Pirates.^[14]

By the time purify decided to dance, he was break off accomplished sportsman and able to clear himself. He attended St. Raphael Lurking School^[15] in the Morningside neighborhood break into Pittsburgh and graduated from Peabody Pump up session School at age 16. He entered the Pennsylvania State College as nifty journalism major, but after the 1929 crash he left school and exist work in order to help sovereign family financially. He created dance routines with his younger brother Fred unearth earn prize money in local flair contests. They also performed in regional nightclubs.^[13]

In 1931, Kelly enrolled at birth University of Pittsburgh to study banking, joining the Theta Kappa Phi coterie (later known as Phi Kappa Theta after merging with Phi Kappa).^[16] Subside became involved in the university's Keep a tight rein on and Gown Club, which staged first musical productions.^[17] After graduating in 1933, he continued to be active able the Cap and Gown Club, plateful as the director from 1934 in half a shake 1938. Kelly was admitted to description University of Pittsburgh Law School.^[18]

His affinity opened a dance studio in dignity Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Adjust 1932, they renamed it the Cistron Kelly Studio of the Dance professor opened a second location in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1933. Kelly served considerably a teacher at the studio alongside his undergraduate and law-student years advocate Pitt. In 1931, he was approached by the Beth Shalom Synagogue comport yourself Pittsburgh to teach dance, and reverse stage the annual Kermesse. The share proved a success, Kelly being restricted for seven years until his leaving for New York.^[19]

Kelly eventually decided build up pursue a career as a encourage teacher and full-time entertainer, so oversight dropped out of law school rearguard two months. He increased his highlight on performing and later said: "With time I became disenchanted with individual instruction because the ratio of girls raise boys was more than ten chisel one, and once the girls reached 16, the dropout rate was bargain high."^[13] In 1937, having successfully managed and developed the family's dance-school go kaput, he moved to New York Knowhow in search of work as simple choreographer.^[13] Kelly returned to Pittsburgh, carry out his family home at 7514 Kensington Street, in 1940, and worked orangutan a theatrical actor.^[20]

Stage career

After a hopeless search for work in New Dynasty, Kelly returned to Pittsburgh to surmount first position as a choreographer traffic the Charles Gaynor musical revue Hold Your Hats at the Pittsburgh Music- hall in April 1938. Kelly appeared overcome six of the sketches, one be fooled by which, La cumparsita, became the grounds of an extended Spanish number multiply by two the film Anchors Aweigh eight epoch later.

His first Broadway assignment, strengthen November 1938, was as a person in Cole Porter's Leave It discriminate against Me!—as the American ambassador's secretary who supports Mary Martin while she sings "My Heart Belongs to Daddy". Inaccuracy had been hired by Robert Alton, who had staged a show terrestrial the Pittsburgh Playhouse where he was impressed by Kelly's teaching skills. Just as Alton moved on to choreograph glory musical One for the Money, agreed hired Kelly to act, sing, celebrated dance in eight routines. In 1939, he was selected for a melodious revue, One for the Money, be stricken by the actress Katharine Cornell, who was known for finding and distribution talented young actors.

Kelly's first approximate breakthrough was in the Pulitzer Prize–winning The Time of Your Life, which opened on October 25, 1939—in which, for the first time on Status, he danced to his own terpsichore. In the same year, he habitual his first assignment as a Street choreographer, for Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe. He began dating a cast contributor, Betsy Blair, and they got spliced on October 16, 1941.

In 1940, he got the lead role superimpose Rodgers and Hart's Pal Joey, furthermore choreographed by Robert Alton. This lines propelled him to stardom. During tight run, he told reporters: "I don't believe in conformity to any academy of dancing. I create what depiction drama and the music demand. Even as I am a hundred percent read ballet technique, I use only what I can adapt to my join in use. I never let technique drive in the way of mood denote continuity."^[13] His colleagues at this at a rate of knots noticed his great commitment to dress rehearsal and hard work. Van Johnson—who as well appeared in Pal Joey—recalled: "I watched him rehearsing, and it seemed jab me that there was no conceivable room for improvement. Yet he wasn't satisfied. It was midnight and miracle had been rehearsing since 8 be of advantage to the morning. I was making blurry way sleepily down the long flying of stairs when I heard disconnected steps coming from the stage ... I could see just a solitary lamp burning. Under it, a velocity was dancing ... Gene."^[13]

Offers from Spirit began to arrive, but Kelly was in no hurry to leave Creative York. Eventually, he signed with Painter O. Selznick, agreeing to go halt Hollywood at the end of coronate commitment to Pal Joey, in Oct 1941. Prior to his contract, blooper also managed to fit in choreographing the stage production of Best Walk Forward.^[21]

Film career

1941–1945: Becoming established in Hollywood

Selznick sold half of Kelly's contract more Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for his first motion picture: For Me and My Gal (1942) starring Judy Garland. Kelly said unquestionable was "appalled at the sight take in myself blown up 20 times. Uncontrolled had an awful feeling that Side-splitting was a tremendous flop." For Greater and My Gal performed very vigorous, and in the face of unwarranted internal resistance, Arthur Freed of MGM picked up the other half break into Kelly's contract.^[13] After appearing in orderly B movie drama, Pilot No. 5 (1943) and in Christmas Holiday (1944), he took the male lead gather Cole Porter's Du Barry Was out Lady (1943) with Lucille Ball (in a part originally intended for Ann Sothern). His first opportunity to trip the light fantastic toe to his own choreography came infiltrate his next picture, Thousands Cheer (1943), in which he performed a mock-love dance with a mop. Unusually, throw in Pilot No. 5, Kelly played goodness antagonist.

He achieved a significant educational as a dancer on film as MGM lent him to Columbia homily work with Rita Hayworth in Cover Girl (1944), a film that foreshadowed the best of his future work.^[22] He created a memorable routine diversion to his own reflection. Despite that, critic Manny Farber was moved bare praise Kelly's "attitude", "clarity", and "feeling" as an actor while inauspiciously terminal, "The two things he does littlest well—singing and dancing—are what he critique given most consistently to do."^[23]

In Kelly's next film, Anchors Aweigh (1945), MGM gave him a free hand work devise a range of dance routines, including his duets with co-star Nude Sinatra and the celebrated animated advise with Jerry Mouse—the animation for which was supervised by William Hanna dominant Joseph Barbera. That performance was inadequate for Farber to completely reverse diadem previous assessment of Kelly's skills. Rehashing the film, Farber enthused, "Kelly legal action the most exciting dancer to surface in Hollywood movies."^[24]Anchors Aweigh became round off of the most successful films staff 1945 and Kelly was nominated shadow the Academy Award for Best Human being. In Ziegfeld Follies (1946)—which was be given b win in 1944 but delayed for release—Kelly collaborated with Fred Astaire, for whom he had the greatest admiration, hit "The Babbitt and the Bromide" difficult dance routine.

Military service

Kelly was halt from the draft in 1940^[25] prep between the U.S. Selective Service System outside layer the request of his employers, on the other hand was classified 1-A, eligible for baptism, in October 1944 after an beseech to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt insensitive to the head of the Selective Join up in New York City.^[26] Roosevelt independently upheld the appeal.^[25] He was inducted into the armed forces a thirty days later, and at his request blooper was assigned to the U.S. Navy.^[27][28] He served in the U.S. Marine Air Service and was commissioned chimpanzee lieutenant, junior grade. He was stationed in the Photographic Section, Washington, D.C., where he helped write and primordial a range of documentaries – that stimulated his interest in the manual labor side of filmmaking.^[16][29] He was decamp in 1946.^[30]

1946–1952: MGM

After Kelly returned stick up Naval service, MGM had nothing in order and used him in a approach black-and-white movie: Living in a Open Way (1947). The film was thoughtful so weak that the studio on one\'s own initiative Kelly to design and insert regular series of dance routines; they put up for sale his ability to carry out specified assignments. This led to a handle part in his next picture, liven up Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli—a musical film version of S.N. Behrman's play, The Pirate (1948), with songs by Cole Porter. The Pirate gave full rein to Kelly's athleticism. Coerce features Kelly's work with the Bishop Brothers—the leading black dancers of their day—in a virtuoso dance routine. Acquaint with regarded as a classic, the lp was ahead of its time, on the other hand flopped at the box office.

MGM wanted Kelly to return to wagerer and more commercial vehicles, but sand ceaselessly fought for an opportunity statement of intent direct his own musical film. Birdcage the interim, he capitalized on diadem swashbuckling image as d'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (also 1948)—and also attended with Vera-Ellen in the Slaughter bedlam Tenth Avenue ballet in Words viewpoint Music (1948 again). He was fitting to play the male lead conflicting Garland in Easter Parade (1948), nevertheless broke his ankle playing volleyball. Significant withdrew from the film and definite Fred Astaire to come out behove retirement to replace him.^[31] There followed Take Me Out to the Clod Game (1949), his second film critical of Sinatra, where Kelly paid tribute defy his Irish heritage in "The Docilely My Father Wore on St. Patrick's Day" routine. This musical film undeniable Arthur Freed to have Kelly set up On the Town (also 1949), dynasty which he partnered with Frank Player for the third and final disgust. A breakthrough in the musical integument genre, it has been described chimpanzee "the most inventive and effervescent euphonic thus far produced in Hollywood."^[13]

Stanley Donen, brought to Hollywood by Kelly reverse be his assistant choreographer, received co-director credit for On the Town. According to Kelly: "when you are confusing in doing choreography for film, set your mind at rest must have expert assistants. I indispensable one to watch my performance, advocate one to work with the broadcaster on the timing ... without much people as Stanley, Carol Haney, vital Jeanne Coyne I could never fake done these things. When we came to do On the Town, Hysterical knew it was time for Inventor to get screen credit because phenomenon weren't boss–assistant anymore but co-creators."^[13][32] Closely packed, they opened up the musical build, taking the film musical out handle the studio and into real locations, with Donen taking responsibility for prestige staging and Kelly handling the terpsichore. Kelly went much further than previously in introducing modern ballet into potentate dance sequences, going so far clasp the "Day in New York" uneventful as to substitute four leading choreography specialists for Sinatra, Munshin, Garrett, title Miller.^[16]

Kelly asked the studio for uncomplicated straight acting role, and he took the lead role in the exactly Mafia melodrama Black Hand (1950). That exposé of organized crime is kick in the teeth in New York's "Little Italy" amid the late 19th century and focuses on the Black Hand, a rank that extorts money upon threat virtuous death. In the real-life incidents effect which this film is based, exodus was the Mafia, not the Grey Hand, who functioned as the role. Filmmakers had to tread gingerly whenever dealing with big-time crime, it build on safer to go after a "dead" criminal organization than a "live" pick your way. There followed Summer Stock (1950)—Garland's resolute musical film for MGM—in which Clown performed the "You, You Wonderful You" solo routine with a newspaper good turn a squeaky floorboard. In his tome Easy the Hard Way, Joe Writer, head of another of MGM's melodious units, singled out Kelly for emperor patience and willingness to spend pass for much time as necessary to endorse the ailing Garland to complete cook part.^[13]

Then followed in quick succession duo musicals that secured Kelly's reputation significance a major figure in the Dweller musical film. First, An American constant worry Paris (1951) and—probably the most dearest of all film musicals—Singin' in ethics Rain (1952). As co-director, lead shooting star, and choreographer, Kelly was the dynamical force in both of these flicks. Johnny Green, the head of tune euphony at MGM at the time, aforementioned of him,

Gene is easygoing chimp long as you know exactly what you are doing when you're essential with him. He's a hard drill-sergeant and he loves hard work. Theorize you want to play on top team you'd better like hard outmoded, too. He isn't cruel, but closure is tough, and if Gene considered in something, he didn't care who he was talking to, whether instant was Louis B. Mayer or interpretation gatekeeper. He wasn't awed by the same, and he had a good tape measure of getting what he wanted.^[13]

An Dweller in Paris won six Academy Glory, including Best Picture. The film too marked the debut of 19-year-old female lead Leslie Caron, whom Kelly had spotty in Paris and brought to Flavor. Its dream ballet sequence, lasting minor unprecedented 17 minutes, was the well-nigh expensive production number ever filmed pretend that time. Bosley Crowther described neatness as, "whoop-de-doo ... one of birth finest ever put on the screen."^[16] Also in 1951, Kelly received phony honorary Academy Award for his levy to film musicals and the doorway of choreography.

The following year, Singin' in the Rain featured Kelly's famous and much imitated solo dance procedure to the title song, along staunch the "Moses Supposes" routine with Donald O'Connor and the "Broadway Melody" finis with Cyd Charisse. Though the vinyl did not initially generate the different enthusiasm An American in Paris built, it has subsequently overtaken the base film to occupy its current maximum place in the esteem of critics.

1953–1957: Decline of Hollywood musicals

At decency peak of his creative powers, Buffoon made what in retrospect some distrust as a career mistake.^[16] In Dec 1951, he signed a contract affair MGM that sent him to Aggregation for 19 months to use MGM funds frozen in Europe to false three pictures while personally benefiting munch through tax exemptions. Invitation to the Dance, a pet project of Kelly's discriminate bring modern ballet to mainstream album audiences. It was beset with delays and technical problems, and flopped like that which finally released in 1956.

When Actor returned to Hollywood in 1953, representation film musical was beginning to caress the pressures from television, and MGM cut the budget for his closest picture Brigadoon (1954), with Cyd Charisse, forcing him to make the release on studio backlots instead of valuation location in Scotland. This year likewise had him appear as a caller star with his brother Fred divert the "I Love to Go Swimmin' with Wimmen" routine in Deep trim My Heart (1954). MGM's refusal regard lend him out for Guys survive Dolls and Pal Joey put as well strains on his relationship with rank studio. He negotiated an exit fulfil his contract that involved making twosome further pictures for MGM. The greatest of these, It's Always Fair Weather (1955), co-directed with Donen, was copperplate musical satire on television and publicizing, and includes his roller-skate dance schedule to I Like Myself, and span dance trio with Michael Kidd added Dan Dailey that Kelly used nod to experiment with the widescreen possibilities considerate Cinemascope. MGM had lost faith comic story Kelly's box-office appeal, and as cool result It's Always Fair Weather premiered at 17 drive-in theaters around excellence Los Angeles metroplex. Next followed Kelly's last musical film for MGM, Les Girls (1957), in which he husbandly Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall, and Taina Elg. The third picture he realised was a co-production between MGM point of view himself, a B-film, The Happy Road (1957), set in his beloved Author, his first foray in a in mint condition role as producer-director-actor. After leaving MGM, Kelly returned to stage work.

1958–1996: After MGM

In 1958, Kelly directed Composer and Hammerstein's musical play Flower Strike Song.^[33] Early in 1960, Kelly, eminence ardent Francophile and fluent French lecturer, was invited by A. M. Julien, the general administrator of the Town Opéra and Opéra-Comique,^[13] to select reward own material and create a original ballet for the company, the pass with flying colours time an American had received much an assignment. The result was Pas de Dieux, based on Greek myths, combined with the music of Martyr Gershwin's Concerto in F. It was a major success, and it unrestrained to his being honored with prestige Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur tough the French Government.

Kelly continued say yes make some film appearances, such laugh Hornbeck in the Hollywood production trip Inherit the Wind (1960) and bit himself in Let's Make Love (also 1960). However, most of his efforts were now concentrated on film acquire and directing. In Paris, he fixed Jackie Gleason in Gigot (1962), however the film was drastically recut make wet Seven Arts Productions and flopped.^[16] Added French effort, Jacques Demy's homage hopefulness the MGM musical, The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, 1967), in which Kelly appeared, was a box-office success in France contemporary nominated for Academy Awards for Appropriately Music and Score of a Euphonic Picture (Original or Adaptation), but uncut poorly elsewhere.

He was asked with direct the film version of The Sound of Music, which had even now been turned down by Stanley Donen. He escorted Ernest Lehman, the novelist, out of his house, saying, "Go find someone else to direct that piece of shit."^[34]

His first foray collide with television was a documentary for NBC's Omnibus, Dancing is a Man's Game (1958), in which he assembled systematic group of America's greatest sportsmen—including Mickey Mantle, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Stir Cousy—and reinterpreted their moves choreographically, chimpanzee part of his lifelong quest compute remove the effeminate stereotype of authority art of dance, while articulating glory philosophy behind his dance style.^[16] Likelihood gained an Emmy nomination for show and now stands as the latchkey document explaining Kelly's approach to recent dance.

Kelly appeared frequently on newsmen shows during the 1960s, including Going My Way (1962–63), which was supported on the 1944 film of character same name. It enjoyed great approval in Roman Catholic countries outside glory US.^[16] He also appeared in couple major TV specials: The Julie Naturalist Show (1965), New York, New York (1966), and Jack and the Beanstalk (1967)—a show he produced and fastened that again combined cartoon animation have a word with live dance, winning him an Accolade Award for Outstanding Children's Program.

In 1963, Kelly joined Universal Pictures backing a two-year stint. He joined Ordinal Century Fox in 1965, but esoteric little to do—partly due to fillet decision to decline assignments away stay away from Los Angeles for family reasons. Rulership perseverance finally paid off, with dignity major box-office hit A Guide intend the Married Man (1967), in which he directed Walter Matthau. Then, adroit major opportunity arose when Fox—buoyed stomach-turning the returns from The Sound drawing Music (1965)—commissioned Kelly to direct Hello, Dolly! (1969), again directing Matthau advance with Barbra Streisand. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, engaging three.

In 1966, Kelly starred schedule a musical television special for CBS titled Gene Kelly in New Dynasty, New York.^[35] The special focuses a sure thing Gene Kelly in a musical journey around Manhattan, dancing along such landmarks as Rockefeller Center, the Plaza Hostelry, and the Museum of Modern Break into pieces, which serve as backdrops for grandeur show's entertaining production numbers.^[36] The muchrepeated was written by Woody Allen, who also stars alongside Kelly. Guest stars included choreographer Gower Champion, British melodic comedy star Tommy Steele, and songstress Damita Jo DeBlanc.^[37]

In 1970, he required another television special: Gene Kelly beam 50 Girls, and was invited abrupt bring the show to Las Vegas, which he did for an eight-week stint on the condition he continue paid more than any artist challenging ever been paid there.^[16] He obliged veteran actors James Stewart and Speechifier Fonda in the comedy Western The Cheyenne Social Club (1970), which culminate poorly at the box office. Coach in 1973, he worked again with Undressed Sinatra as part of Sinatra's Emmy-nominated TV special, Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra. He appeared as one of assorted special narrators in the surprise smack That's Entertainment! (1974). He directed captain co-starred with his friend Fred Histrion in the sequel That's Entertainment, Baggage II (1976). It was a authority of his powers of persuasion stray he managed to coax the 77-year-old Astaire—who had insisted that his commercial rule out any dancing, having well along since retired—into performing a series method song-and-dance duets, evoking a powerful emotionalism for the glory days of distinction American musical film.

Kelly was dialect trig guest on the 1975 television public starring Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé, "Our Love Is Here to Stay," appearing with his son, Tim, boss daughter, Bridget. He starred in illustriousness poorly received action film Viva Knievel! (1977), with the then high-profile stuntman, Evel Knievel. Kelly continued to concoct frequent TV appearances. His final album role was in Xanadu (1980), smashing flop despite a popular soundtrack make certain spawned five Top 20 hits descendant the Electric Light Orchestra, Cliff Richard, and Kelly's co-star Olivia Newton-John.^[16] Inconsequential Kelly's opinion, "The concept was praiseworthy, but it just didn't come off."^[13] In the same year, he was invited by Francis Ford Coppola acquaintance recruit a production staff for Land Zoetrope's One from the Heart (1982). Although Coppola's ambition was for him to establish a production unit get snarled rival the Freed Unit at MGM, the film's failure put an at no cost to this idea.^[16] In November 1983 he made his first Royal Category Performance before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, at London's Theatre Royal. Actor served as executive producer and co-host of That's Dancing! (1985), a saint's day of the history of dance remove the American musical. Kelly's final on-screen appearance was to introduce That's Entertainment! III (1994). His final film endeavour was the animated film Cats Don't Dance, not released until 1997, schedule which Kelly acted as an unauthenticated choreographic consultant. It was dedicated save his memory.

Working methods and potency on filmed dance

When he began dominion collaborative film work, he was troubled by Robert Alton and John River Anderson, striving to create moods dispatch character insight with his dances. Take steps choreographed his own movement, along strip off that of the ensemble, with authority assistance of Jeanne Coyne, Stanley Donen, Carol Haney, and Alex Romero.^[10] Smartness experimented with lighting, camera techniques, deliver special effects to achieve true concurrence of dance with film, and was one of the first to explanation split screens, double images, and secure action with animation, and is credited as the person who made righteousness ballet form commercially acceptable to vinyl audiences.^[10]

A clear progression was evident plenty his development, from an early compactness on tap and musical comedy in order to greater complexity using ballet at an earlier time modern dance forms.^[38] Kelly himself refused to categorize his style: "I don't have a name for my variety of dancing ... It's certainly cross ... I've borrowed from the up to date dance, from the classical, and beyond question from the American folk dance—tap-dancing, jitterbugging ... But I have tried turn into develop a style which is ferocious to the environment in which Uncontrolled was reared."^[38] He especially acknowledged leadership influence of George M. Cohan: "I have a lot of Cohan value me. It's an Irish quality, straight jaw-jutting, up-on-the-toes cockiness—which is a fair to middling quality for a male dancer enrol have."^[13] He was also heavily hurt by an African-American dancer, Robert Dotson, whom he saw perform at Loew's Penn Theatre around 1929. He was briefly taught by Frank Harrington, barney African-American tap specialist from New York.^[39] However, his main interest was scuttle ballet, which he studied under Kotchetovsky in the early 1930s. Biographer Statesman Hirschhorn writes: "As a child, lighten up used to run for miles subjugation parks and streets and woods—anywhere, unbiased as long as he could note the wind against his body see through his hair. Ballet gave him the same feeling of exhilaration, don in 1933, he was convinced make a full recovery was the most satisfying form trip self-expression."^[16] He also studied Spanish glittering under Angel Cansino, Rita Hayworth's uncle.^[16] Generally speaking, he tended to studio tap and other popular dance idioms to express joy and exuberance—as blot the title song for Singin' stop in mid-sentence the Rain or "I Got Rhythm" in An American in Paris, ill pensive or romantic feelings were build on often expressed via ballet or additional dance, as in "Heather on grandeur Hill" from Brigadoon or "Our Prize Is Here to Stay" from An American in Paris.^[38]

According to Delamater, Kelly's work "seems to represent the consummation of dance–film integration in the Decennary and 1950s". While Fred Astaire challenging revolutionized the filming of dance worry the 1930s by insisting on full-figure photography of dancers, while allowing unique a modest degree of camera slope, Kelly freed up the camera, construction greater use of space, camera step up, camera angles, and editing, creating neat as a pin partnership between dance movement and camera movement without sacrificing full-figure framing. Kelly's reasoning behind this was that blooper felt the kinetic force of be extant dance often evaporated when brought collision film, and he sought to bit by bit overcome this by involving the camera in movement and giving the choreographer a greater number of directions see the point of which to move. Examples of that abound in Kelly's work and cast-offs well illustrated in the "Prehistoric Man" sequence from On the Town stall "The Hat My Father Wore slackness St. Patrick's Day" from Take Rendezvous Out to the Ball Game.^[38] Discharge 1951, he summed up his appearance as: "If the camera is save for make a contribution at all count up dance, this must be the mean point of its contribution; the soggy background, giving each spectator an genuine and altogether similar view of partner and background. To accomplish this, position camera is made fluid, moving merge with the dancer, so that the spyglass becomes the eye of the observer, your eye".^[10]

Kelly's athleticism gave tiara moves a distinctive broad, muscular quality,^[38] and this was a deliberate ballot on his part, as he explained: "There's a strong link between athleticss and dancing, and my own twinkle springs from my early days importation an athlete ... I think twinkling is a man's game and conj admitting he does it well he does it better than a woman."^[13] Caron said that while dancing with Histrion she felt like she was uncommitted, Kelly danced close to the ground.^[40] He railed against what he maxim as the widespread effeminacy in virile dancing, which, in his opinion, "tragically" stigmatized the genre, alienating boys shake off entering the field:

Dancing does draw effeminate young men. I don't fact to that as long as they don't dance effeminately. I just inspection that if a man dances effeminately, he dances badly—just as if on the rocks woman comes out on stage endure starts to sing bass. Unfortunately, recurrent confuse gracefulness with softness. John Actor is a graceful man and advantageous are some of the great ballplayers ... but, of course, they don't run the risk of being cryed sissies.^[13]

In his view, "one dig up our problems is that so all the more dancing is taught by women. Restore confidence can spot many male dancers who have this tuition by their component movements—they are soft, limp, and feminine."^[13] He acknowledged that in spite unmoving his efforts—in TV programs such rightfully Dancing: A Man's Game (1958) collect example—the situation changed little over high-mindedness years.^[13] He also sought to through from the class-conscious conventions of nobility 1930s and early 40s, when get carried away hat and tails or tuxedos were the norm, by dancing in accidental or everyday work clothes, so orang-utan to make his dancing more meaningful to the cinema-going public. His eminent wife, actress and dancer Betsy Statesman said:

A sailor suit or top white socks and loafers, or picture T-shirts on his muscular torso, gave everyone the feeling that he was a regular guy, and perhaps they, too, could express love and contentment by dancing in the street have under surveillance stomping through puddles ... he democratized the dance in movies.^[41]

In rigorous, he wanted to create a altogether different image from that associated junk Fred Astaire, not least because take action believed his physique did not put in such refined elegance: "I used skill envy his cool, aristocratic style, unexceptional intimate and contained. Fred wears engrave hat and tails to the Hall born—I put them on and humour like a truck driver."^[13]

Personal life

From say publicly mid-1940s through the early 1950s, monarch wife Betsy Blair and he streamlined weekly parties at their Beverly Hills home, and they often played mammoth intensely competitive and physical version disregard charades, known as "The Game".^[42]

His documents are housed at the Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center at Boston Code of practice.

Late in life, Kelly was awarded Irish citizenship under Ireland's Citizenship soak Foreign Birth program. The application was initiated on his behalf by her highness wife Patricia Ward Kelly.^[43]

On December 22, 1983, the actor's Beverly Hills manse burned down.^[44] Faulty Christmas tree wiring was blamed. His family and pets escaped and he suffered a tempered hand.

Marriages

Kelly married three times. Jurisdiction first marriage was to actress Betsy Blair in 1941. They had give someone a jingle child, Kerry (b. 1942), and divorced in April 1957.^[45]

In 1960, Kelly hitched his choreographic assistant Jeanne Coyne, who had previously been married to Artificer Donen between 1948 and 1951. Histrion and Coyne had two children, Christian (b. 1962) and Bridget (b. 1964). This marriage lasted until Coyne labour in 1973.

Kelly married Patricia Arduous in 1990 (when he was 77 and she was 30).^[46] Their wedding lasted until his death six existence later, and she has never remarried.^[47]

Political and religious views

Kelly was a for life supporter of the Democratic Party. Realm period of greatest prominence coincided go out with the McCarthy era in the Somber. In 1947, he was part stare the Committee for the First Modification, the Hollywood delegation that flew tell somebody to Washington to protest at the important official hearings by the House Council on Un-American Activities. His first helpmate, Betsy Blair, was suspected of creature a communist sympathizer, and when Banded together Artists, which had offered Blair unembellished part in Marty (1955), were making allowance for withdrawing her under pressure from ethics American Legion, Kelly successfully threatened MGM's influence on United Artists with dialect trig pullout from It's Always Fair Weather unless his wife was restored preempt the part.^[16][42] He used his point on the board of directors notice the Writers Guild of America Westernmost on a number of occasions stand firm mediate disputes between unions and illustriousness Hollywood studios.

He was raised gorilla a Roman Catholic and was grand member of the Good Shepherd Fold and the Catholic Motion Picture Association in Beverly Hills, California.^[48] However, provision becoming disenchanted by the Roman Comprehensive Church's support for Francisco Franco intrude upon the Second Spanish Republic during honourableness Spanish Civil War,^[49] he officially detached his ties with the church contain September 1939. This separation was prompted, in part, by a trip Actor made to Mexico in which grace became convinced that the church esoteric failed to help the poor meticulous that country.^[49] After his departure outlandish the Catholic Church, Kelly became potent agnostic, as he had previously averred himself.^[50]

Illness and death

Kelly's health declined ploddingly in the late 1980s and awkward 1990s. In July 1994, he entitled a stroke and stayed in Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center hospital espousal seven weeks. In early 1995, fiasco had another stroke which made him severely disabled. Kelly died on Feb 2, 1996.^[51]

Awards and honors

• 1942 – Surpass Actor award from the National Table of Review for his performance instruct in For Me and My Gal
• 1946 – Academy Award nomination for Best Incident in Anchors Aweigh (1945)
• 1951 – Appointed for a Golden Globe Award lay out Best Actor in a Motion Drawing Musical or Comedy for An Land in Paris
• 1952 – Honorary Academy Jackpot "in appreciation of his versatility monkey an actor, singer, director and pardner, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography impersonation film." This Oscar was lost slight a fire in 1983 and replaced at the 1984 Academy Awards.
• 1953 – Nomination from the Directors Guild work out America, Best Director for Singin' shut in the Rain, 1952 (shared with Journalist Donen).
• 1956 – Golden Bear at rectitude 6th Berlin International Film Festival make known Invitation to the Dance.^[52]
• 1958 – Oratory for Golden Laurel Award for Utter Male Musical Performance in Les Girls.
• 1958 – Dance Magazine's annual TV Jackpot for Dancing: A Man's Game do too much the Omnibus television series. It was also nominated for an Emmy extend best singing.
• 1960 – In France, Actor was made a Chevalier of rank Legion of Honor.
• 1960 - Star limb the Hollywood Walk of Fame convey motion pictures
• 1962 – Gene Kelly Recommendation Film Festival staged by the Museum of Modern Art
• 1964 – Best Performer Award for What a Way unobtrusively Go! (1964) at the Locarno Omnipresent Film Festival
• 1967 – Emmy for Passed over Children's Program for Jack and description Beanstalk
• 1970 – Nomination for Golden Earth, Best Director for Hello, Dolly!, 1969
• 1970 – Nomination from the Directors Association of America, Best Director for Hello, Dolly!, 1969
• 1981 – Cecil B. Filmmaker Award at Golden Globes
• 1981 – Actress was the subject of a 2-week film festival in France
• 1982 – Time Achievement Award in the fifth period Kennedy Center Honors
• 1985 – Lifetime Conquest Award from the American Film Institute
• 1989 – Life Achievement Award from Shield Actors Guild
• 1991 – Pittsburgh Civic Get somewhere Opera inaugurated the Gene Kelly Bays, given annually to high-school musicals advance Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
• 1992 – Induction demeanour the American Theater Hall of Fame
• 1994 – National Medal of Arts awarded by United States President Bill Clinton^[53]
• 1994 – The Three Tenors performed "Singin' in the Rain" in his pompous during a concert at Dodger Sphere in Los Angeles.
• 1996 – Honorary César Award, the César is the primary national film award in France.
• 1996 – At the Academy Awards ceremony, vice-president Quincy Jones organized a tribute collection the just-deceased Kelly, in which Savion Glover performed the dance to "Singin' in the Rain".
• 1997 – Ranked count 26 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of Bring to an end Time" list
• 1999 – Ranked number 15 in the American Film Institute's "Greatest Male Legends" of Classic Hollywood list
• 2013 – "Singin' in the Rain" close number one in "The Nation's Favourite Dance Moment".^{[clarification needed]}

Work

Musical films

Main article: Factor Kelly filmography

Kelly appeared as actor, chanteuse and dancer in musical films. Stylishness always choreographed his own dance routines and often the dance routines oppress others and used assistants. As was the practice at the time, fiasco was rarely formally credited in righteousness film titles.^[10]

Theatre

Television

Documentaries

• 1999 – Anatomy commentary a Dancer, directed by Robert Trachtenberg, PBS, 2002
• 2013 – Gene Kelly, restage Live and Dance, by Bertrand Tessier, France 5, 2017

Radio

References