| 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.
Filmography
- For Me and My Gal
MGM, 1942
- Pilot #5 MGM, 1943
- Du Barry Was a
Lady MGM, 1943
- Thousands Cheer MGM,
1943
- The Cross of
Lorraine MGM, 1943
- Cover Girl Columbia, 1944
- Christmas Holiday
Universal, 1944
- Anchors Aweigh MGM, 1945
- Ziegfeld Follies MGM, 1946
- Living in a Big
Way MGM, 1947
- The Pirate MGM, 1948
- The Three Musketeers MGM, 1948
- Words and Music MGM,
1948
- Take Me Out to the Ball Game MGM,
1949
- On the Town MGM, 1949 (also director)
- Black Hand MGM, 1950
- Summer Stock MGM, 1950
- An American in Paris MGM, 1951
- It's a Big
Country MGM, 1951
- Council of Europe MSA short subject, 1952
- Love is
Better Than Ever MGM, 1952
- Singin' in the Rain MGM, 1952 (also director)
- The Devil Makes
Three MGM, 1952
- Brigadoon MGM, 1954
- Crest of the Wave
MGM, 1954
- 1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration MGM short subject, 1955
- It's
Always Fair Weather MGM, 1955 (also director)
- The Magic Lamp MGM short
subject, 1956
- Invitation
to the Dance MGM, 1956 (also director and writer)
- The Happy Road MGM, 1957
(also director and producer)
- Les Girls MGM, 1957
- Marjorie
Morningstar Warner Bros., 1958
- The Tunnel of Love
MGM, 1958 (director)
- Inherit the Wind United Artists, 1960
- Let's Make Love 20th
Century-Fox, 1960
- Gigot 20th Century-Fox, 1962 (director)
- What a Way to Go!
20th Century-Fox, 1964
- The Young Girls of Rochefort Warner Bros., 1967
- A
Guide for the Married Man 20th Century-Fox, 1967 (director)
- Hello, Dolly! 20th Century-Fox, 1969 (director)
- The
Cheyenne Social Club National General, 1970 (director and producer)
- 40 Carats Columbia, 1973
- Just One More Time
MGM short subject, 1974
- That's Entertainment! MGM, 1974
- The Lion Roars
Again MGM short subject, 1975
- That's Entertainment, Part II MGM, 1976 (also director)
- Viva Knievel! Warner
Bros., 1977
- Xanadu Universal, 1980
- Reporters Pari Films documentary, 1981
- That's Dancing! MGM, 1985
- The Young
Girls Turn 25 Cine Tamaris documentary, 1993
- That's Entertainment! III MGM, 1994
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
External links
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