Kitty Packard's Pictorial

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Gotta Dance: Gene Kelly

Gene Kelly. Really, what else can one say? A tireless taskmaster? Well, yeah. Magician on screen? You betcha. He brought athleticism to choreography and Hollywood musicals were never the same. Fellas may still scoff at spontaneous sing and dance on screen, but Kelly was no manicured dandy: in a scrape you still got the feeling…

Carley Michelle Hildebrand
1–2 minutes

Gene Kelly.

Gotta Dance: Kelly and his signature cuffed-trouser cool.

Really, what else can one say? A tireless taskmaster? Well, yeah. Magician on screen? You betcha. He brought athleticism to choreography and Hollywood musicals were never the same. Fellas may still scoff at spontaneous sing and dance on screen, but Kelly was no manicured dandy: in a scrape you still got the feeling that he was a guy who could, quite unquestionably, kick your arse.

And sexy? Yeah, he had that base covered too.

The immensely talented dancer/actor/singer/director would have been 98 years old today, and its only fitting that the Pictorial recognize his incalculable contributions to the art of the movie musical with my own personal favorite Kelly moment:

2 responses to “Gotta Dance: Gene Kelly”

  1. auntsuzy Avatar
    auntsuzy

    Hi, loved your tribute to Gene, but not sure about the ‘tyrant off screen’ quote! Have you been reading Debbie Reynolds’ old stuff? I have been studying the life and work of Gene Kelly for several years – as you can see if you take a look at my website! – and can honestly say that I have found no record of any tyrant-like behaviour. On the contrary, he seemed to affect the lives of those he had contact with, both professionally and personally, in a positive way, being loving, caring, encouraging and kind. He was very much loved by his contemporaries in the film and entertainment industry. Sure he worked hard – too hard sometimes, expected others to give of their best, and did not suffer fools gladly, but that had to be the way of things if you wanted to do the best possible job. And if he felt he had upset someone, he was quick to apologise and make amends. We are still reaping the benefits of his hard work ethic now, being able to enjoy some of the finest musicals ever made.
    But I agree wholeheartedly with your other comments, and LOVE that picture. Mr. Cool indeed. Thanks. Auntsuzy

    Reply
    1. kittypackard Avatar
      kittypackard

      Hi AuntSuzy, thanks for the comment—they are most welcome and encouraged! Tyrant was much too harsh a word, I can see that now, especially since I was actually referring to Kelly’s work ethic—not Gene Kelly The Man. I will have to make a differentiation there, thank you for so kindly and conclusively bringing it to my attention. Your website is exceptional! I’ve rarely seen such complete dedication to a subject—it must be THE one-stop Gene Kelly spot on the web!

      Reply

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