“The Hollywood Greats”: Gene Kelly Documentary (2001)
In this episode of “The Hollywood Greats” (30 April 2001), Jonathan Ross presents a profile of Gene Kelly. Much thanks to “Orang Telor Theatre” for uploading...
Read MoreThe Basics: Was Gene Kelly Religious?
This entry is part 14 of 16 in the series Gene Kelly: The Basics.It is only natural to be curious about the beliefs of someone we admire from afar. We want to know what the person was really like and whether or not we would have anything in common with him/her if we were to know him/her personally. As to the question of Gene Kelly and whether or not he was religious, the short answer is no, but the longer answer is much more complicated. Gene was part of a large “lace curtain”1 Irish...
Read MoreThe Basics: Gene and His Love for France
This entry is part 12 of 16 in the series Gene Kelly: The Basics.In the opening voiceover from An American in Paris (1951), Gene Kelly’s character, Jerry Mulligan, neatly parallels Gene’s own thoughts on the subject at hand: “Paris is a mood, a longing you didn’t know you had until it was answered. Paris is like love or art or faith, it can’t be explained, only felt.” (Right: Gene flying high for Air France.) As I rewatched An American in Paris for the umpteenth time...
Read MoreThe Basics: Did Gene Kelly Marry?
This entry is part 10 of 16 in the series Gene Kelly: The Basics.I can’t imagine an adult man not wanting marriage. Freedom is lonely…it’s sheer boredom…’getting to know you’ is the loveliest thing in life….A little variety can’t possibly compensate for the joys of solidity, of having someone close by your side, of having children. For the joy of having a child, I’d eliminate a lot of freedom. And for a wife. A woman clips your wings a bit, but she’s worth it. – Gene...
Read MoreThe Basics: Where Did Gene Live While He Worked in Hollywood?
This entry is part 9 of 16 in the series Gene Kelly: The Basics.Gene Kelly lived in several places while he worked in Hollywood. After arriving in Los Angeles in 1941, Gene’s first residence was at Laurel Canyon in a small house on Lookout Mountain Drive. He acquired this house through his New York agent, Johnny Darrow who, at the time, was beginning to dabble in real estate. The house was in no way a flashy structure. In fact, upon first moving into their home, Kelly and his then wife,...
Read MoreThe Basics: What Was The Game?
This entry is part 8 of 16 in the series Gene Kelly: The Basics.Even fairly casual fans of Gene Kelly learn early on that he was known for being highly competitive and a perfectionist and that, moreover, he expected those he worked with to work as hard as he did. This attitude extended into how he played, and nowhere perhaps is this more evident than with The Game. A variation on charades, The Game was a fixture of Kelly house parties between roughly the mid 1940s through the early ’50s when...
Read MoreMemories of Betsy
This entry is part 3 of 13 in the series Essays / Analyses.Upon hearing of Betsy Blair’s death in 2009, Donna Pointkouski wrote “I Remember Betsy,” in which she recalls her memories of meeting, conversing, and ultimately forming a friendship with Blair, Gene Kelly’s first wife. Here’s an excerpt: I didn’t ask questions as if I was interviewing her; we merely conversed. She understood that I admired the man who had once not only been a Hollywood star, but also...
Read MoreThe Story Behind “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
In November 2010, NPR featured Hugh Martin, co-writer of the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” While the on-air interview primarily concerns Martin’s sentimental song from Vincente Minnelli’s musical Meet Me in St. Louis, listeners (and Gene Kelly fans!) do learn that his new memoir, The Boy Next Door, “details what it was like to work with Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and Gene Kelly.” A quick search of the book reveals about 18 references to...
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