Gene Kelly Overview

Gene Kelly's blend of acrobatics, athleticism, and artistry blew a potent blast of machismo under the tight skirt of the postwar Hollywood musical. With his auspicious Broadway debut as the lead cad in "Pal Joey" (1940), classically trained Kelly wowed audiences... [more]

Gene Kelly's blend of acrobatics, athleticism, and artistry blew a potent blast of machismo under the tight skirt of the postwar Hollywood musical. With his auspicious Broadway debut as the lead cad in "Pal Joey" (1940), classically trained Kelly wowed audiences and fellow hoofers with his strength, flawless technique, and movie-star looks. Kelly's screen debut with Judy Garland in "For Me and My Gal" (1942) supplied a hint of the stellar dancing to come. In an ensuing string of charming leads in MGM musicals, Kelly increasingly relied on dance -- specifically his own invigorating choreography -- as his medium of expression. His breezy performances and experiments in film choreography culminated in "Singing in the Rain" (1952), Kelly's iconic high-water mark. Considered by many critics as the greatest musical ever made, its most memorable moment is Kelly's rambunctious romp through a rain-drenched city street, a scene that critic Will Friedwald called "the four most rapturous minutes in the history of cinema" and "a glorious affirmation of everything it means to be alive." For "An American in Paris," winner of the 1951 Best Picture Oscar, Kelly conceived, choreographed, and danced an extraordinary 18-minute ballet colored with Impressionist-inspired light. His later dance, though adventurous and often innovative, never hit these high marks. He did, however, build a successful directing career in his later years with films such as "Hello Dolly!" (1969) and "Cheyenne Social Club" (1970). [show less]