ACTOR · BORN 1912 · DIED 1996
Gene Kelly
- Born
- 23 August 1912, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Died
- 2 February 1996
- Known for
- Singin' in the Rain (1952), An American in Paris (1951), Inherit the Wind (1960), Xanadu (1980)
39 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Gene Kelly (23 August 1912 – 2 February 1996) was an actor best known for Singin' in the Rain, An American in Paris and Inherit the Wind.
39 Interesting Facts About Gene Kelly
Interesting Facts (4)
- #001
- #002
Martial arts stars Jackie Chan and David Carradine both cite him as an influence.
- #003
- #004
Production Story (8)
- #005
In order to secure the film rights to the hit musical "Best Foot Forward," MGM loaned Kelly's to Columbia for one picture. Although it was assumed the studio would mount an adaptation of Kelly's stage hit "Pal Joey," for which it owned the screen rights, Columbia instead co-starred him with its top star, Rita Hayworth, in Cover Girl (1944). Ironically, when they did finally film the property over a decade later with Frank Sinatra, Hayworth again co-starred.
- #006
- #007
- #008
He and MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer shared a long-standing feud stemming from even before Kelly entered the motion picture business. One evening after seeing Gene perform in "Pal Joey" on Broadway, Mayer met him backstage and offered to sign him to MGM without a screen test. When Kelly later received a call from an MGM representative requesting a screen test, he insisted there was some sort of mistake, saying he had Mayer's word he did not have to make one and told the rep to ask Mayer himself. When the rep did, he called back days later stating that he did talk to Mayer and that he still had to make a test. Kelly was furious and wrote a scathing letter to Mayer for retracting his promise. For the first couple of years he worked for Mayer, Kelly was uncertain that Mayer even read the letter until he brought it up in an argument one evening.
- #009
Producer David O. Selznick signed Kelly to his first Hollywood contract after seeing him star in "Pal Joey" on Broadway. Though Gene had had other offers from studios, he chose to sign with Selznick mostly because his was the only studio that did not insist on a screen test before signing him. Selznick sold Kelly's contract to MGM before he could find a suitable role for him to appear in.
- #010
With the film of 'Hello Dolly' he devoted a year on the script, casting, and working with choreographer Michael Kidd in developing concepts of the musical sequences and integrating them into the overall production. He involved himself in all the minute preparation then taking charge of the crew and putting it into the film.
- #011
Judy Garland was responsible for MGM's Arthur Freed buying out David O. Selznick's personal exclusive contract with Kelly, who arrived in town in 1941. He came direct to Hollywood from his 1940 successful Broadway musical production of "Pal Joey." He planned to return to New York City, to the Broadway stage, after fulfilling his one-picture deal with Selznick. However, Selznick basically kept him off the screen after he arrived in Hollywood, basically putting his career on hold. Garland, who knew about Kelly's reputation on Broadway, told Freed--who was the producer in charge of making MGM's musicals--that she wanted Kelly as her partner in her next musical for the studio. Freed negotiated a deal with Selznick that resulted in MGM buying out Kelly's contract, which enabled him to play opposite Judy in For Me and My Gal (1942). The film was a huge success and jump-started Kelly's (up to that point) faltering film career.
- #012
Behind the Scenes (2)
Characters & Cast (1)
Easter Eggs & References (3)
- #016
Ray Bradbury's novel "Something Wicked This Way Comes" was dedicated to Kelly.
- #017
- #018
Career & Awards (6)
- #019
- #020
- #021
- #022
He and his younger brother Fred Kelly appeared together in a dancing vaudeville act. When Gene got his big break as Harry the hoofer in the dramatic Broadway production of "The Time of Your Life" in 1939, he was eventually replaced by brother Fred, who took it on the road and won a Donaldson award for his efforts.
- #023
- #024
He and MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer shared a long-standing feud stemming from even before Kelly entered the motion picture business. One evening after seeing Gene perform in "Pal Joey" on Broadway, Mayer met him backstage and offered to sign him to MGM without a screen test. When Kelly later received a call from an MGM representative requesting a screen test, he insisted there was some sort of mistake, saying he had Mayer's word he did not have to make one and told the rep to ask Mayer himself. When the rep did, he called back days later stating that he did talk to Mayer and that he still had to make a test. Kelly was furious and wrote a scathing letter to Mayer for retracting his promise. For the first couple of years he worked for Mayer, Kelly was uncertain that Mayer even read the letter until he brought it up in an argument one evening.
Life & Family (15)
- #025
- #026
- #027
- #028
During World War II, he was a sailor stationed at the United States Naval Photographic Center in Anacostia, D.C. (where the documentary Victory at Sea (1952) was later assembled for NBC-TV). He starred in several Navy films while on active duty there and in "civilian" films while on leave.
- #029
- #030
His first two wives were dancers. Betsy Blair met him while she was a performer and he a choreographer in the show "Diamond Horseshoe". Second wife Jeanne Coyne was Gene's dancing assistant for many years before they married in 1960. A major talent in her own right, her dazzling footwork can be seen in the "From This Moment On" number alongside partner Bobby Van, Ann Miller, Tommy Rall, Carol Haney and Bob Fosse in Kiss Me Kate (1953). She died of leukemia in 1973.
- #031
- #032
- #033
- #034
- #035
In a video interview in the late 1990s, Jules Dassin recalled that, after he had been blacklisted in Hollywood and escaped to Europe to continue his film directing and writing career, Kelly was the only American who was willing to be seen in public with him when they ran into each other at a Cannes Film Festival in the 1950s. Dassin recalled (but did not identify) another American celebrity who actually hid under a table to avoid being seen with him.
- #036
- #037
- #038
- #039
Related pages
- Donald O'Connor — Gene Kelly comes up in the facts on that page
- La La Land — Gene Kelly comes up in the facts on that page
- Daniel Truhitte — Gene Kelly comes up in the facts on that page
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work