Gene Kelly: A Tribute

By Mallory Bolduc

Made August 23, 1996


Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly. Well, it worked with Beetlejuice. It's depressing when it hits you that a perfectly good great is gone, especially if it is the greatest great that possibly ever lived, and nothing can bring the actual person back. Here is a condensed filmography of this particular great, Gene Kelly, just the ones of his I've seen:

For Me and My Gal (1942) - Gene's film debut, and a very good one, might I add, also starring Judy Garland and George Murphy
DuBarry Was a Lady (1943) - Gene Kelly (ever-so-obviously), Lucille Ball, Red Skelton
Thousands Cheer (1943) - Gene Kelly, Kathryn Grayson, a lot of guest stars
Cover Girl (1944) - Gene Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Phil Silvers
Anchors Aweigh (1945) - Gene's first of three movies he did with Frank Sinatra, also starring Kathryn Grayson
Zeigfeld Follies (1946) - Excuse my spelling. Gene's first of two dances he did with Fred Astaire, though they never did do a whole film. Watch "The Babbitt and the Bromide".
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) - Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Jules Munshin, Esther Williams
On the Town (1949) - Gene Kelly, Vera-Ellen, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin, Ann Miller, Alice Pearce
Summer Stock (1950) - Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Phil Silvers, Gloria De Haven
An American in Paris (1951) - Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, George Guetary
Brigadoon (1951?) - Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse
Singin' in the Rain (1952) - Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor
It's Always Fair Weather (1955) - Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Dan Dailey, Michael Kidd, Dolores Gray

I just realized how very condensed this filmography is! I lost some of the years for others, so I'll be adding to this list. Now for a condensed biography:

On August 23, 1912, Eugene Curran Kelly was born into a vaudeville family. He started taking dance lessons as soon as he could walk, and he and his siblings formed a vaudeville act, The 5 Kellys. Later, they broke up and paired off, Gene with his older brother Fred. They soon moved on to Broadway. Gene was discovered while in Pal Joey, and signed a contract with MGM. The rest is history. Then, on the morning of February 2, 1996, Gene Kelly passed away. We'll never forget him and his wonderful films he made.

Links:

The Gene Kelly Home Page

Comments?

Note (added: 9-12-96) : At the Emmys Sunday, they showed people that have died within the last year, and they showed, like, Gene Kelly :(, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, et cetera, and I was depressed until Helen Hunt won best actress in a comedy series. Also, on the 1996 Blockbuster Video calendar, they don't show the birthday of Gene Kelly! That's like no August!

And some of his movie quotes (added 9-12-96):

"Why didn't you tell me I loved you?!"
-Gene Kelly's character in For Me and My Gal, to Judy Garland

"No, I'm not... Ginger."
-Gene Kelly in Zeigfeld Follies in response to Fred Astaire calling him Rita Hayworth

"Enchanting. What?"
-Gene Kelly's character in Singin' in the Rain, in response to Donald O'Connor mouthing Debbie Reynolds's singing


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