Gene Kelly
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Biography
Perhaps the greatest song and dance man during the âgolden ageâ of Hollywood, Gene Kelly â born Eugene Kelly in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 23, 1912 â is best known for his roles in musicals such as On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951), Invitation to the Dance (1956), and his career-defining role in 1952âs Singinâ in the Rain. He began his career on stage, performing in his hometown of Pittsburgh before landing a job in 1938 as a dancer in Cole Porterâs Leave it to Me on Broadway. By the early 1940s, he was playing lead roles on Broadway in shows like Pal Joey, leading to several offers from Hollywood agents, studios, and producers. Within a few years, he had made his mark in films such as For Me and My Gal (1942) and Thousands Cheer (1943), the first film that gave him the opportunity to choreograph his own dance routines. Working with MGM, he began handling the choreography for his films including 1945âs Anchors Aweigh which featured Frank Sinatra and a legendary dance routine with an animated Jerry, the mouse from the popular Tom & Jerry cartoon series. The film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In Ziegfeld Follies (1946), he worked alongside fellow song and dance man, Fred Astaire. Several more films followed before he made a pair of films that solidified his status in Hollywood: An American in Paris (1951) and Singinâ in the Rain (1952) which featured his iconic performance of the title track. Gene Kelly continued his successful career until the Hollywood musical started its slow decline in the 1950s. By the end of the decade, he had left MGM and expanded his resume directing several films and appearing on television. He continued to act in films such as Viva Knievel! (1977) and Xanadu (1980). Throughout the 1980s, he made cameos in films and appeared on numerous variety shows on TV. Over the course of his career, he won many awards including an Honorary Academy Award in 1952 and lifetime achievement awards from the Kennedy Center Honors and the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute. Gene Kelly died on February 2, 1996, at the age of 83.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Singin' In The Rain featuring Debbie Reynolds
- For Me And My Gal by Gene Kelly
- Singin' in the Rain, Pt. 2
- Brigadoon: Almost Like Being In Love
- Broadway Melody, Pt. 2
- Singin' In The Rain: You Are My Lucky Star
- If You Feel Like Dancing: You Wonderful You
- Singin' In The Rain: All I Do Is Dream Of You
- For Me and My Gal
- Blue Danube, Why Are We Here (From "It´s Always Fair Weather") featuring Gene Kelly
- Pussy Cat
- See Saw Margery Daw
- Singin' in the Rain, Pt. 1 featuring Gene Kelly
- Be a Clown featuring Judy Garland
- The Farmer in the Dell
- Ten Little Indians
- Down by the Old Millstream / I Begged Her by Gene Kelly
- Medley: What Time Is It? / Love Is Here Yo Stay by Gene Kelly
- Mr. & Mrs./ I Love to Go Swimmin' with Wimmen featuring Gene Kelly
- When You Wore a Tulip (And I Wore a Big, Red Rose) featuring Judy Garland
- Why Am I so Gone (About That Gal) (From "Les Girls")
- I've Got A Crush On You
- When Johnny Comes Marching Home / For Me and My Gal Closing Theme featuring Judy Garland
- The Shoemaker and the Elves
