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Gene Kelly

Acting 83 (deceased) years old Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA ★ 1.1
Born: August 23, 1912
Died: February 2, 1996

Biography

Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, singer, filmmaker, and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks, and the likable characters that he played on screen. He starred in, choreographed, or co-directed some of the most well-regarded musical films of the 1940s and 1950s, until they fell out of fashion in the late 1950s.

Kelly is best known today for his performances in films such as Cover Girl (1944), Anchors Aweigh (1945), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, On the Town (1949), which was his directorial debut, An American in Paris (1951), Singin' in the Rain (1952), Brigadoon (1954), and It's Always Fair Weather (1955). Kelly made his film debut with Judy Garland in For Me and My Gal (1942), and followed by Du Barry Was a Lady (1943), Thousands Cheer (1943), The Pirate (1948), Summer Stock (1950), and Les Girls (1957) among others. After musicals he starred in two films outside the musical genre: Inherit the Wind (1960) and What a Way to Go! (1964). In 1967, he appeared in French director Jacques Demy's musical comedy The Young Girls of Rochefort opposite Catherine Deneuve. Kelly solo directed the comedy A Guide for the Married Man (1967) starring Walter Matthau, and later the extravagant musical Hello, Dolly! (1969) starring Barbra Streisand, recognized with an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Kelly co-hosted and appeared in Ziegfeld Follies (1946), That's Entertainment! (1974), That's Entertainment, Part II (1976), That's Dancing! (1985), and That's Entertainment, Part III (1994).

His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical, and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. Kelly received an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements; the same year, An American in Paris won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He later received lifetime achievement awards in the Kennedy Center Honors (1982) and from the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute. In 1999, the American Film Institute also ranked him as the 15th greatest male screen legend of Classic Hollywood Cinema.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood 1952
An American in Paris
An American in Paris Jerry Mulligan 1951
Inherit the Wind
Inherit the Wind E.K. Hornbeck 1960
Brigadoon
Brigadoon Tommy Albright 1954
Xanadu
Xanadu Danny McGuire 1980

Filmography

Acting Credits (137)

True Blue
True Blue (Archive Footage) 2025
Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood
Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood Self - Portrait Subject & Interviewee (archive footage) 2025
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées
Il était une fois Champs-Élysées Self (archive footage) 2022
Sid & Judy
Sid & Judy Self (archive footage) 2019
La La La
La La La Various Roles (archive footage) 2018
JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala
JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala Self 2017
Talking Pictures
Talking Pictures Self (archive footage) 2013
Directing Dolly: Gene Kelly Remembered
Directing Dolly: Gene Kelly Remembered Self (archive footage) 2013
Frank Sinatra: Around the World
Frank Sinatra: Around the World Self - Guest 2011
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing (archive footage) 2009
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical Self (archive) 2009
Summer Stock: Get Happy!
Summer Stock: Get Happy! Joe D. Ross (archive footage) (uncredited) 2006
Happy Again
Happy Again Don Lockwood (archive footage) 2006
Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again
Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again Self (archive footage) 2005
Easter Parade: On the Avenue
Easter Parade: On the Avenue Self (Archive Footage) 2005
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon' Self (archive footage) 2005
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies Don Lockwood 2004
Judy Garland: By Myself
Judy Garland: By Myself Self - Actor (archive sound) 2004
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Ça c'est l'amour
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Ça c'est l'amour Self (archive footage) 2003
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer Self (archive footage) 2002
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's Self (archive footage) 2000
A Bing Crosby Christmas
A Bing Crosby Christmas Self / Narrator (archive footage) 1998
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies Self 1995
That's Entertainment! III
That's Entertainment! III Self - Co-Host / Narrator 1994
The Young Girls Turn 25
The Young Girls Turn 25 Self (archive footage) 1993
Tom & Jerry's 50th Birthday Bash
Tom & Jerry's 50th Birthday Bash Self 1990
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story Self 1990
Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town
Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town Self (archive footage) 1988
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues Self 1988
The Movie Palaces
The Movie Palaces Self 1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life Self 1987
Sins
Sins Eric Hovland 1986
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years Self (archive footage) 1986
North and South
North and South Sen. Charles Edwards 1985
That's Dancing!
That's Dancing! Self - Host 1985
James Bond: The First 21 Years
James Bond: The First 21 Years Self 1983
Showbiz Goes to War
Showbiz Goes to War (archive footage) 1982
Sylvie Vartan: Live in Las Vegas
Sylvie Vartan: Live in Las Vegas Self 1982
Night of 100 Stars
Night of 100 Stars Self 1982
Champs-Elysées
Champs-Elysées Self 1982
The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell
The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell Self - Narrator (voice) 1982
Reporters
Reporters Self 1981
Xanadu
Xanadu Danny McGuire 1980
Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights
Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights Self 1980
Lucy Moves to NBC
Lucy Moves to NBC Self 1980
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years Self 1979
The Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors Self 1978
The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait
The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait Self 1978
Mickey's 50
Mickey's 50 Self 1978
Cinderella at the Palace
Cinderella at the Palace Host 1978
Ersatz
Ersatz Don Lockwood (voice) (archive sound) 1978
Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera
Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera Self - Host 1977
Viva Knievel!
Viva Knievel! Will Atkins 1977
An Evening with Gene Kelly
An Evening with Gene Kelly Self 1977
NBC: The First Fifty Years
NBC: The First Fifty Years Self 1976
The Muppet Show
The Muppet Show Self - Special Guest Star 1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
That's Entertainment, Part II Self - Co-Host / Narrator 1976
Cérémonie des César
Cérémonie des César Self - President 1976
It's Showtime
It's Showtime Self (archive footage) 1976
Doug Henning's World of Magic
Doug Henning's World of Magic Self 1975
Numéro un
Numéro un Self 1975
The Lion Roars Again
The Lion Roars Again Self 1975
The Sandy Duncan Special
The Sandy Duncan Special Self 1974
That's Entertainment!
That's Entertainment! Self - Host / Narrator 1974
Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back
Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back Self - Guest Performer 1973
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts Self 1973
40 Carats
40 Carats Billy Boylan 1973
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
The American Film Institute Salute to ... Self 1973
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli Self (archive footage) 1973
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Hollywood: The Dream Factory Self (archive footage) 1972
Film '72
Film '72 Self 1971
The Funny Side
The Funny Side Self - Host 1971
Great Performances
Great Performances Self 1971
Omnibus
Omnibus Self 1967
The Young Girls of Rochefort
The Young Girls of Rochefort Andy Miller 1967
Jack and the Beanstalk
Jack and the Beanstalk Jeremy Keen, the Peddler 1967
Behind the screens : Les demoiselles de Rochefort
Behind the screens : Les demoiselles de Rochefort Self 1966
The Julie Andrews Show
The Julie Andrews Show Self 1965
What a Way to Go!
What a Way to Go! Pinky Benson 1964
Hollywood and the Stars
Hollywood and the Stars Self (archive footage) 1963
The Danny Kaye Show
The Danny Kaye Show Self 1963
Going My Way
Going My Way Father Chuck O'Malley 1962
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show Self 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self 1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Self (archive footage) 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show Self - Co-Host 1961
Musikalische Unterhaltung
Musikalische Unterhaltung Self 1961
Hollywood: The Golden Years
Hollywood: The Golden Years Self - Host 1961
Let's Make Love
Let's Make Love Gene Kelly (uncredited) 1960
Inherit the Wind
Inherit the Wind E.K. Hornbeck 1960
Dancing, a Man's Game - Gene Kelly
Dancing, a Man's Game - Gene Kelly Self 1958
Marjorie Morningstar
Marjorie Morningstar Noel Airman 1958
Les Girls
Les Girls Barry Nichols 1957
The Happy Road
The Happy Road Michael J. Andrews 1957
The Life You Save May Be Your Own
The Life You Save May Be Your Own Tom T. Triplett 1957
Invitation to the Dance
Invitation to the Dance Host / Pierrot / The Marine / Sinbad 1956
MGM Parade
MGM Parade Performer in 'Ziegfeld Follies' (archive footage) 1955
MGM Parade
MGM Parade Self - Actor 1955
MGM Parade
MGM Parade 1955
MGM Parade
MGM Parade Self 1955
MGM Parade
MGM Parade self 1955
It's Always Fair Weather
It's Always Fair Weather Ted Riley 1955
Deep in My Heart
Deep in My Heart Performer in Dancing Around 1954
Brigadoon
Brigadoon Tommy Albright 1954
Seagulls Over Sorrento
Seagulls Over Sorrento Lieutenant Bradville 1954
Reflets de Cannes
Reflets de Cannes Self 1954
The Oscars
The Oscars Self 1953
Omnibus
Omnibus Self (segment) 1952
The Devil Makes Three
The Devil Makes Three Jeff Eliot 1952
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain Don Lockwood 1952
Love Is Better Than Ever
Love Is Better Than Ever Gene Kelly (uncredited) 1952
It's a Big Country
It's a Big Country Icarus Xenophon 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Tom T. Triplett 1951
An American in Paris
An American in Paris Jerry Mulligan 1951
Summer Stock
Summer Stock Joe D. Ross 1950
The Costume Designer
The Costume Designer Self (archive footage) 1950
Black Hand
Black Hand Giovanni E. 'Johnny' Columbo 1950
What's My Line?
What's My Line? Self - Mystery Guest 1950
On the Town
On the Town Gabey 1949
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Take Me Out to the Ball Game Eddie O'Brien 1949
Words and Music
Words and Music Gene Kelly 1948
The Three Musketeers
The Three Musketeers D'Artagnan 1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show Self 1948
The Pirate
The Pirate Serafin 1948
Living in a Big Way
Living in a Big Way Leo Gogarty 1947
The Story of Submarine Warfare in the Pacific
The Story of Submarine Warfare in the Pacific Narrator (voice) 1945
Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies Gentleman (segment "The Babbit and the Bromide") 1945
Anchors Aweigh
Anchors Aweigh Joseph Brady 1945
Combat Fatigue Irritability
Combat Fatigue Irritability Seaman Bob Lucas 1945
Christmas Holiday
Christmas Holiday Robert Manette 1944
Cover Girl
Cover Girl Danny McGuire 1944
Twenty Years After
Twenty Years After (archive footage) 1944
The Cross of Lorraine
The Cross of Lorraine Victor 1943
Thousands Cheer
Thousands Cheer Private Eddie Marsh 1943
Du Barry Was a Lady
Du Barry Was a Lady Alec Howe / Black Arrow 1943
Pilot #5
Pilot #5 Vito S. Alessandro 1943
For Me and My Gal
For Me and My Gal Harry Palmer 1942

Directing Credits (16)

Writing Credits (2)

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