Gene Kelly

Biography

Gene Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, choreographer and director whose athletic style reshaped the Hollywood musical. Born in Pittsburgh, he worked as a dance teacher and choreographer before breaking through on Broadway in the lead role of Pal Joey. He made his film debut in For Me and My Gal (1942) with Judy Garland, and went on to star in, choreograph and, with Stanley Donen, co-direct some of the most admired musicals of the 1940s and 1950s, among them On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951), which won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and Singin' in the Rain (1952). He was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for Anchors Aweigh (1945) and received an honorary Academy Award in 1952. He later directed Hello, Dolly! (1969), co-hosted the That's Entertainment! compilation films, and was honored with the Kennedy Center Honors. He died in 1996.

83years old at death

Born August 23, 1912Pittsburgh
Died February 2, 1996Beverly Hills
Star sign: VirgoFirst day of the sign, on the Leo cusp
Eugene Curran Kelly (birth name)Also credited as Eugene Kelly

Movie Career

Films: 35
Career span: 77 years1942 to 2019

Genres

Musical49%, 17 films
Comedy43%, 15 films
Romance43%, 15 films
Drama23%, 8 films
Documentary17%, 6 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Big break
Gene Kelly's first major success came in The Time of Your Life, which opened on October 25, 1939, and in it he danced to his own choreography for the first time on Broadway.
A first
In 1960, the Paris Opera and Opera-Comique invited Kelly to pick his own material and make a modern ballet, the first such assignment for an American. His Pas de Dieux, using Greek mythology and Gershwin's Concerto in F, succeeded and brought him the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur.
A first
Kelly's first television work was the 1958 NBC Omnibus documentary Dancing is a Man's Game, where he gathered top American athletes such as Mickey Mantle, Sugar Ray Robinson and Bob Cousy and turned their movements into choreography.

Gene Kelly movies on Netflix

Sid & Judy2019IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5as Self - Host
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story1990IMDb rating 7.8as Himself
That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2as Himself - Host
Xanadu1980IMDb rating 5.4as Danny McGuire
Viva Knievel!1977IMDb rating 3.7as Will Atkins
That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3as Self - Host
That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8as Self - Host / Narrator
40 Carats1973IMDb rating 6.4as Billy Boylan
The Young Girls of Rochefort1967IMDb rating 7.7as Andy Miller
What a Way to Go!1964IMDb rating 6.9as Pinky Benson
Inherit the Wind1960IMDb rating 8.1as E. K. Hornbeck
Let's Make Love1960IMDb rating 6.4as Gene Kelly
Marjorie Morningstar1958IMDb rating 6.2as Noel Airman
Les Girls1957IMDb rating 6.6as Barry Nichols
Invitation to the Dance1956IMDb rating 6.4as Host / Pierrot / The Marine / Sinbad
It's Always Fair Weather1955IMDb rating 7.0as Ted Riley
Brigadoon1954IMDb rating 6.8as Tommy Albright
Deep in My Heart1954IMDb rating 6.4as Performer (segment "Dancing Around")
Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3as Don Lockwood
An American in Paris1951IMDb rating 7.1as Jerry Mulligan
Black Hand1950IMDb rating 6.4as Giovanni E. 'Johnny' Columbo
Summer Stock1950IMDb rating 7.1as Joe D. Ross
On the Town1949IMDb rating 7.3as Gabey
Take Me Out to the Ball Game1949IMDb rating 6.7as Eddie O'Brien
The Pirate1948IMDb rating 6.8as Serafin
The Three Musketeers1948IMDb rating 7.1as D'Artagnan
Words and Music1948IMDb rating 6.4as Gene Kelly
Anchors Aweigh1945IMDb rating 7.0as Joseph Brady
Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4as Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')
Christmas Holiday1944IMDb rating 6.4as Robert Manette
Cover Girl1944IMDb rating 6.7as Danny McGuire
The Cross of Lorraine1943IMDb rating 6.6as Victor
Thousands Cheer1943IMDb rating 6.2as Eddie Marsh
For Me and My Gal1942IMDb rating 7.0as Harry Palmer

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Singin' in the Rain1952 Comedy, Musical, Romanceas Don Lockwood
IMDb rating 8.3286K votes
An American in Paris1951 Drama, Musical, Romanceas Jerry Mulligan
IMDb rating 7.140K votes
Inherit the Wind1960as E. K. Hornbeck
IMDb rating 8.136K votes
On the Town1949as Gabey
IMDb rating 7.320K votes
Xanadu1980as Danny McGuire
IMDb rating 5.417K votes
Brigadoon1954as Tommy Albright
IMDb rating 6.810K votes
The Three Musketeers1948as D'Artagnan
IMDb rating 7.17.8K votes
Anchors Aweigh1945as Joseph Brady
IMDb rating 7.010K votes

Most often with

Stanley Donen directed four of these films, Vincente Minnelli three and George Sidney three. Cyd Charisse appears in nine of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Cyd Charisse

Judy Garland

Mickey Rooney

Fred Astaire

Frank Sinatra

Leslie Caron

Stanley DonenDirector, 4 films

Vincente MinnelliDirector, 3 films

George SidneyDirector, 3 films

Films together

Cyd Charisse9 films together, 1945 to 1994
Cyd Charisse's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Kelly as Self - HostCharisse as Self - Host
- You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story1990IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as HimselfCharisse as Himself
- That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2Kelly as Himself - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as Self - Host / Narrator
- It's Always Fair Weather1955IMDb rating 7.0Kelly as Ted RileyCharisse as Jackie Leighton
- Brigadoon1954IMDb rating 6.8Kelly as Tommy AlbrightCharisse as Fiona Campbell
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3Kelly as Don LockwoodCharisse as Dancer
- Words and Music1948IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Gene KellyCharisse as Margo Grant
- Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')Charisse as Ballerina (segment "Beauty")
Judy Garland8 films together, 1942 to 2019
Judy Garland's page
- Sid & Judy2019IMDb rating 7.4Kelly as HimselfGarland as Himself
- That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as Self - Host
- Summer Stock1950IMDb rating 7.1Kelly as Joe D. RossGarland as Jane Falbury
- The Pirate1948IMDb rating 6.8Kelly as SerafinGarland as Manuela Alva
- Words and Music1948IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Gene KellyGarland as Judy Garland
- Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')Garland as The Star ('A Great Lady Has An Interview')
- Thousands Cheer1943IMDb rating 6.2Kelly as Eddie MarshGarland as Judy Garland
- For Me and My Gal1942IMDb rating 7.0Kelly as Harry PalmerGarland as Jo Hayden
Mickey Rooney6 films together, 1943 to 2019
Mickey Rooney's page
- Sid & Judy2019IMDb rating 7.4Kelly as HimselfRooney as Himself
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Kelly as Self - HostRooney as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as Self - Host / NarratorRooney as Self - Host / Narrator
- Words and Music1948IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Gene KellyRooney as Lorenz Hart
- Thousands Cheer1943IMDb rating 6.2Kelly as Eddie MarshRooney as Mickey Rooney
Fred Astaire6 films together, 1945 to 2019
Fred Astaire's page
- Sid & Judy2019IMDb rating 7.4Kelly as HimselfAstaire as Himself
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Kelly as Self - Host
- That's Dancing!1985IMDb rating 7.2Kelly as Himself - HostAstaire as Himself
- That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as Self - HostAstaire as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as Self - Host / NarratorAstaire as Self - Host / Narrator
- Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')Astaire as Fred Astaire ('Here's to the Ladies') / Raffles ('This Heart of Mine') / Tai Long ('Limehouse Blues') / Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')
Frank Sinatra5 films together, 1945 to 1976
Frank Sinatra's page
- That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as Self - Host / NarratorSinatra as Self - Host / Narrator
- On the Town1949IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as GabeySinatra as Chip
- Take Me Out to the Ball Game1949IMDb rating 6.7Kelly as Eddie O'BrienSinatra as Dennis Ryan
- Anchors Aweigh1945IMDb rating 7.0Kelly as Joseph BradySinatra as Clarence Doolittle
Leslie Caron4 films together, 1951 to 1994
Leslie Caron's page
- That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Kelly as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as Self - Host
- That's Entertainment!1974IMDb rating 7.8Kelly as Self - Host / Narrator
- An American in Paris1951IMDb rating 7.1Kelly as Jerry MulliganCaron as Lise Bouvier
Stanley DonenDirector, 4 films, 1949 to 1955
All films by Stanley Donen
- It's Always Fair Weather1955IMDb rating 7.0Kelly as Ted Riley
- Deep in My Heart1954IMDb rating 6.4Kelly as Performer (segment "Dancing Around")
- Singin' in the Rain1952IMDb rating 8.3Kelly as Don Lockwood
- On the Town1949IMDb rating 7.3Kelly as Gabey
Vincente MinnelliDirector, 3 films, 1948 to 1954
All films by Vincente Minnelli
- Brigadoon1954IMDb rating 6.8Kelly as Tommy Albright
- An American in Paris1951IMDb rating 7.1Kelly as Jerry Mulligan
- The Pirate1948IMDb rating 6.8Kelly as Serafin
George SidneyDirector, 3 films, 1943 to 1948
All films by George Sidney
- The Three Musketeers1948IMDb rating 7.1Kelly as D'Artagnan
- Anchors Aweigh1945IMDb rating 7.0Kelly as Joseph Brady
- Thousands Cheer1943IMDb rating 6.2Kelly as Eddie Marsh
Also four films together3 more actors
- June AllysonThat's Entertainment! III (1994), That's Entertainment! (1974), The Three Musketeers (1948) and Words and Music (1948)
- Kathryn GraysonThat's Entertainment, Part II (1976), Anchors Aweigh (1945), Ziegfeld Follies (1945) and Thousands Cheer (1943)
- Lena HorneSid & Judy (2019), That's Entertainment! III (1994), Words and Music (1948) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Gene Kelly's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$104 million

18 of the 35 films have a worldwide figure.

18Worldwide figure
4US gross only
1Never in cinemas
12Figure not found

Top grosser

Xanadu1980Danny McGuire$22.8 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 74% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Xanadu1980as Danny McGuire
$23M21.9% of the total
2
What a Way to Go!1964as Pinky Benson
$13M12.8% of the total
3
The Three Musketeers1948as D'Artagnan
$8.4M8.1% of the total
4
Anchors Aweigh1945as Joseph Brady
$7.5M7.2% of the total
5
Singin' in the Rain1952as Don Lockwood
$7.2M6.9% of the total
6
An American in Paris1951as Jerry Mulligan
$7.0M6.7% of the total
7
Ziegfeld Follies1945as Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')
$5.3M5.1% of the total
8
That's Entertainment, Part II1976as Self - Host
$5.0M4.8% of the total

Marjorie Morningstar (1958), $3.0 million

It's Always Fair Weather (1955), $2.4 million

Invitation to the Dance (1956), $615,000

That's Entertainment! III (1994), $280,163

$27.4 millionfrom the other 10 films with a worldwide figure, 26% of the total

Awards

Ten awards and honors from 1951 to 1985, five of them major.

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Gene Kelly's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1951	Honorary Award		Honorary
Golden Globes
1981	Cecil B. DeMille Award		Won
Emmy Awards
1967	Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program	Jack and the Beanstalk	Won
SAG Awards
	Life Achievement Award		Won
Berlin Film Festival
1956	Golden Bear	Invitation to the Dance	Won
Other honors
1985	AFI Life Achievement Award		Won
	Kennedy Center Honors		Won
	Knight of the Legion of Honour		Won
	National Medal of Arts		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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