Gene Kelly
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- August 23, 1912
- Died
- February 2, 1996
- Birthplace
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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.
Filmography
Gene Kelly: An American in Hollywood 2025
as Self - Portrait Subject & Interviewee (archive footage)
The Royal Rascal Talkie 2024
Writer
True Blue 2024
as (Archive Footage)
Starstruck: Gene Kelly's Love Letter to Ballet 2021
Choreographer
Sid & Judy 2019
as Self (archive footage)
La La La 2018
as Various Roles (archive footage)
- JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala
JFK: The Lost Inaugural Gala 2017
as Self
Directing Dolly: Gene Kelly Remembered 2013
as Self (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra: Around the World 2011
as Self - Guest
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing 2009
as (archive footage)
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1950s: The Golden Era of the Musical 2009
as Self (archive)
Summer Stock: Get Happy! 2006
as Joe D. Ross (archive footage) (uncredited)
Happy Again 2006
as Don Lockwood (archive footage)
- Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again
Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again 2005
as Self (archive footage)
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon' 2005
as Self (archive footage)
- Easter Parade: On the Avenue
Easter Parade: On the Avenue 2005
as Self (Archive Footage)
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs: America's Greatest Music in the Movies 2004
as Don Lockwood
Judy Garland: By Myself 2004
as Self - Actor (archive sound)
- Cole Porter in Hollywood: Ça c'est l'amour
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Ça c'est l'amour 2003
as Self (archive footage)
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer 2002
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's 2000
as Self (archive footage)
A Bing Crosby Christmas 1998
as Self / Narrator (archive footage)
Cats Don't Dance 1997
Thanks
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies 1995
as Self
That's Entertainment! III 1994
as Self - Host
The Young Girls Turn 25 1993
as Self (archive footage)
Tom & Jerry's 50th Birthday Bash 1990
as Self
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story 1990
as Self
Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town 1988
as Self – Interviewee
Michael Jackson: The Legend Continues 1988
as Self
The Movie Palaces 1987
as Self
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life 1987
as Self
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years 1986
as Self (archive footage)
That's Dancing! 1985
as Self - Host
- Olympic Gala
Olympic Gala 1984
Actor
James Bond: The First 21 Years 1983
as Self
Showbiz Goes to War 1982
as (archive footage)
- Sylvie Vartan: Live in Las Vegas
Sylvie Vartan: Live in Las Vegas 1982
as Self
Night of 100 Stars 1982
as Self
The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell 1982
as Self - Narrator (voice)
Reporters 1981
as Self
Xanadu 1980
as Danny McGuire
Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights 1980
as Self
Lucy Moves to NBC 1980
as Self
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years 1979
as Self
The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait 1978
as Self
Mickey's 50 1978
as Self
Cinderella at the Palace 1978
as Host
Ersatz 1978
as Don Lockwood (voice) (archive sound)
- Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera
Yabba Dabba Doo! The Happy World of Hanna-Barbera 1977
as Self - Host
Viva Knievel! 1977
as Will Atkins
- An Evening with Gene Kelly
An Evening with Gene Kelly 1977
as Self
NBC: The First Fifty Years 1976
as Self
That's Entertainment, Part II 1976
as Self - Host, Director
It's Showtime 1976
as Self (archive footage)
- The Lion Roars Again
The Lion Roars Again 1975
as Self
The Sandy Duncan Special 1974
as Self
That's Entertainment! 1974
as Self - Host / Narrator
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli 1973
as Self (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back 1973
as Self - Guest Performer
40 Carats 1973
as Billy Boylan
Hollywood: The Dream Factory 1972
as Self (archive footage)
The Cheyenne Social Club 1970
Director, Producer
Hello, Dolly! 1969
Director
A Guide for the Married Man 1967
Director
The Young Girls of Rochefort 1967
as Andy Miller
Jack and the Beanstalk 1967
as Jeremy Keen, the Peddler, Director, Choreographer, Producer
Behind the screens : Les demoiselles de Rochefort 1966
as Self
The Julie Andrews Show 1965
as Self
American in Paris 1964
Director
What a Way to Go! 1964
as Pinky Benson, Choreographer
Gigot 1962
Director
- Hollywood: The Golden Years
Hollywood: The Golden Years 1961
as Self - Host
Let's Make Love 1960
as Gene Kelly (uncredited)
Inherit the Wind 1960
as E.K. Hornbeck
Dancing, a Man's Game - Gene Kelly 1958
as Self, Director
The Tunnel of Love 1958
Director
Badman's Country 1958
Art Direction
Marjorie Morningstar 1958
as Noel Airman
Les Girls 1957
as Barry Nichols
The Happy Road 1957
as Michael J. Andrews, Producer, Director
The Life You Save May Be Your Own 1957
as Tom T. Triplett
Invitation to the Dance 1956
as Host / Pierrot / The Marine / Sinbad, Director, Writer, Choreographer
It's Always Fair Weather 1955
as Ted Riley, Choreographer, Director
Deep in My Heart 1954
as Performer (segment "Dancing Around")
Brigadoon 1954
as Tommy Albright, Choreographer
Seagulls Over Sorrento 1954
as Lieutenant Bradville
The Devil Makes Three 1952
as Jeff Eliot
Singin' in the Rain 1952
as Don Lockwood, Director, Choreographer
Love Is Better Than Ever 1952
as Gene Kelly (uncredited)
It's a Big Country 1951
as Icarus Xenophon
An American in Paris 1951
as Jerry Mulligan, Choreographer
Summer Stock 1950
as Joe D. Ross
The Costume Designer 1950
as Self (archive footage)
Black Hand 1950
as Giovanni E. 'Johnny' Columbo
On the Town 1949
as Gabey, Director
Take Me Out to the Ball Game 1949
as Eddie O'Brien, Choreographer, Story
Words and Music 1948
as Gene Kelly
The Three Musketeers 1948
as D'Artagnan
The Pirate 1948
as Serafin, Choreographer
Living in a Big Way 1947
as Leo Gogarty, Choreographer
The Story of Submarine Warfare in the Pacific 1945
as Narrator (voice)
Ziegfeld Follies 1945
as Gentleman (segment "The Babbit and the Bromide")
Anchors Aweigh 1945
as Joseph Brady, Choreographer
Combat Fatigue Irritability 1945
as Seaman Bob Lucas, Director
Christmas Holiday 1944
as Robert Manette
Cover Girl 1944
as Danny McGuire
Twenty Years After 1944
as (archive footage)
The Cross of Lorraine 1943
as Victor
Thousands Cheer 1943
as Eddie Marsh
Du Barry Was a Lady 1943
as Alec Howe / Black Arrow
Pilot #5 1943
as Vito S. Alessandro
For Me and My Gal 1942
as Harry Palmer
Credits from TMDB.