Eldergays tell me about Gene Kelly

He was certainly better looking than Fred, but I'll call it a draw on their talents. Both are legends.

He was reduced to working with career killer Olivia Newton-John, who killed John Denver's career, Andy Gibb's career and a host of others.

Hell of a dancer, but limited by his screen persona - that of an arrogant, obnoxious guy who needed to be humbled by the last act. Sometimes it worked brilliantly, as in "Singin' in the Rain", but it doesn't make you want to watch a lot of his films.

I have many wonderful memories of Gene. I just can't remember them.

Oh well, have to go now.

Fred could still kick-it-up a little into his 70s, whereas Gene could hardly walk at the end.

Fred was a far better dancer. So was Wilma.

BITCH!

Astair was a truly elegant and musical dancer...Kelly was a great dancer but it was very athletic as opposed to artistic...and by all accounts an asshole of the first degree...but his dancing was wonderful to watch...albeit very formulaic.

Well, R3, your take on Kelly is anachronistic - you make it clear you're speaking in and for the present, but during his career, Kelly (who I never liked) was very popular exactly because of the persona you don't like.

Part of the issue was his overriding need to show a dance man as "straight" - which was his issue, not anyone else's. The other was his origins on stage in PAL JOEY - the Kelly character drew a lot from that start.

In terms of dance, and show-business importance, and cultural importance and relevance, Fred Astaire was tops over anyone else. He introduced many of the standards we still sing, initiated serious dance and suave partnering in film, placed dance centrally in the context of film stories, set men's fashion trends - no one touched him until the days of Bing and Frank.

The funny thing was everyone thought of Adele as being the better of the two when he danced with his sister, and when she retired to marry the son and brother of the Duke of Devonshire - her sister-in-law married Harold MacMillan. Adele knew better and couldn't face rejoining Fred in Hollywood after he made it big. She was offered the role of (the first) Peter Pan and was offered Annie in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN before it went to Merman. She turned both down.

Might be taken seriously, R9, if you spelled Fred Astaire's name correctly.

Excuse me, R8.

Didn't he suffer from dementia at the end?

he suffered from regrets - for doing XanadU!

Gene was from Pittsburgh and was a huge Pirates baseball fan. He may have been a part owner of the team at some point.

Astaire was beautiful to watch but he never gave me a budding chubby like Kelly did.

Everybody else panned his last dancing one, "Les Demoiselles de Rochefort," but I loved it. So frilly!!!

Like all the great dancers, he pushed his co-stars to work as hard as he did. Dancers tend to have a streak of both sadomasochism and masochism in them.

Unlike another poster up-thread, I thought his characters tended to be likable, even if roguish. Matthew Broderick has that same sort of screen presence.

Once again; Gene Kelly's Butt!

R18 The dancer's reward.

Always had a huge crush on him - great build, face and voice. Heard he was a little bit of a dick - but hey, guys who danced then probably had to have a chip on their shoulder.

If you really want to know all about him, warts and all, check out the PBS American Masters episode on Gene Kelly. Truly, a wonderful bio of a very complex and talented man.

So sad that such a legendary, talented dancer from Hollywood's Golden Age lowered himself to be part of that incredbily shitty movie Xanadu. Why did he do it? I don't think he needed the money. I guess he just wanted to be in the movies again. But it was such an embarrassment. A sad ending to such a great career.

He let gays suck him off, right?

[Quote]He let gays suck him off, right?

Well, he certainly let me suck him off.

[quote] she retired to marry the son and brother of the Duke of Devonshire

Eh?

[quote] So sad that such a legendary, talented dancer from Hollywood's Golden Age lowered himself to be part of that incredbily shitty movie Xanadu.

He claimed it was because of the proximity of the studio to his house.

Re:23

Ask Stanley Donen....

One of the hallmarks of a great dancer, for me, is the ability and grace to make it look effortless, and Kelly always seemed to be trying a liiiiittle too hard. Contrast him to Donald O'Connor in their dual outing in Singing in the Rain, and I think he is outshined.

Who?

To R14-I believe it was Bing Crosby who was at one time "part owner" of the Pittsburg Pirates Baseball Team. Gene Kelly on film cums across as a "smug asshole" which is why I never liked his films-Fred&Ginger Forever. Of course I also hated Donald O'Connor and Danny Kaye, I rather eat dirty Pussy than watch them on film, and Gene Kelly sucked cock-ate tons of cum.

Fred Astaire may or may not have been a better dancer but it was like watching a dancing twig of a Stan Laurel. Gene Kelly has sex appeal; you felt you could smell the sweat off him. Fred was entertaining and great to watch. Gene, he danced like he could fuck you. I'd rather watch him anyday.

But of course as everybody knew Ginger Rogers was the best because she did everything Fred did except backwards and in high heels.

Gene and Leslie Caron looked hot together. Gene and Debbie Reynolds, not so much.

Was he a closet gay like Astaire?

Astaire worked hard to make his dancing look effortless. Kelly worked just as hard to let you know his dancing was very difficult.

Astaire would also step back and let his partner shine. Kelly always tried to dominate whoever he was dancing with.

I liked his face, body and masculine dance routines.

Ronald Reagan asked his advice about Ron Jr. after Jr. became a ballet dancer. He wanted to know if Kelly thought all male ballet dancers were gay, and whether he and Nancy had anything to worry about.

His wife Betsy Blair said he had little interest in sex (see her book).

R37 At least not with her.

Or anybody else, R38. NO ONE has been rumored or come forward to claim a sexual relationship with Kelly.

So what was his sexual preference? For male, female, both, neither?

I thought it was well-known Judy walked in on Gene fucking Vincent Minelli during the filming of The Pirate?

r39, I read a sweet story here on DL years ago about a man who claimed his father ( or uncle) had had a love affair with Gene Kelly.

Hermes Pan probably had him.

Or maybe not. I just couldn't resist typing Hermes Pan.

Can you imagine: it's your first day at school and the teacher asks everyone to say their name out loud and you have to say: "Hermes Pan"

R31 gets it. Astaire was art, Kelly was sex. Both were wonderful to watch.

Gene loved Olivia and Olivia loved Gene. Though Xanadu was a flop, they enjoyed each others company immensely.

Our milkman was named Fred Kelly. My mom said he was always milking Mrs. Buonoconti.

Astair was great of course but he always seemed like a cartoon. Kelly was flesh and blood.

One thing though....Astaire kept himself in much better shape, that's for sure.

Watch him here with Barrie Chase. 1968. Astaire is 69 years old.

I tried to be like Grace Kelly, not like Gene Kelly.

The it MUST be true, R42. Everything on the DL is fact.

Fred Astaire was elegant but bloodless. Gene was sexy as fuck. And I prefer his dancing style too. That cocky character was staple of movies in those days, the only difference was that Gene's characters danced instead of carrying a gun.

Loved him since I was a kid and I still wanna fuck him.

Gene Kelly was pretty good in Inherit The Wind.

The rumor is that Judy came home and heard a noise in the bedroom and walked in to find Kelly fucking Vincente. She supposedly confided in her "friend" of the moment, Katharine Hepburn" that Vincente had never gotten that worked up during their sexual encounters...

Betsy Blair's book is pretty covert and somewhat dishonest but she makes sure to emphasize that when courting and in her early marriage to Gene she was "naive" and uninterested in sex, and Gene oddly always included a blond male friend and fellow dancer on their dates and extended vacations. The friend got drafted and was killed in WWII and Gene was devastated about it. She certainly provides a lot of double-spacing to read between the lines very clearly.

51 Showbiz is a pathetic job.

r51

[quote] Gene loved Olivia and Olivia loved Gene. Though Xanadu was a flop, they enjoyed each others company immensely.

The scene between them with their big number is so lovely. It makes me tear up a little.

Fred's looking pretty good for being nearly 70 in "Finian's Rainbow."

I think it's pretty telling that the OP started a thread about Gene Kelly, just Gene Kelly, and half the talk is about Fred Astaire.

Behind-the-scenes of Hello Dolly as told by his widow.

His wife is very elegant, but I'm getting lesbian vibes from her.

I like him better without the hammy smile.

R60. He looks like he was just beaten up by Oscar Levant.

Or that he stepped in front of Ann Miller's twirl.

He was my LOVAHhh!

Is that you Betty Bacall from the beyond?

His horrible, horrible widow, Patricia Ward Kelly has made a cottage industry trying to keep his memory alive. She'd attend the opening of a garage door if she could tell someone that she was married to Kelly. She does a terrible one woman show devoted to Kelly. I saw it in Pasadena and wondered if Kelly had any children because she didn't mention them. I read up on her and realized why.

"The rumor is that Judy came home and heard a noise in the bedroom and walked in to find Kelly fucking Vincente. She supposedly confided in her "friend" of the moment, Katharine Hepburn" that Vincente had never gotten that worked up during their sexual encounters..."

That sounds like something Darwin Porter dreamed up. Anyway, I never heard any gay rumors about him. He was very sexy onscreen, but offscreen apparently not so much. He was very driven, a perfectionist. I think the great love of his life was his work.

Kelly had three children -- Kerry, Tim and Bridget -- one by his first wife, Blair, and two by his second, Jeanne.

He ran a dance studio in Pittsburgh before going to New York

I wouldn't be surprised that he used the casting couch to get ahead.

Patricia Kelly comes to Pittsburgh every year to remind everyone that her husband was a native son.

Kelly is a part of the Unholy Trinity of overrated Pittsburghers (Fred Rogers and August Wilson are the other two)

He fucked poor Larry Hart to win the lead in PAL JOEY.

He was disparaging about the gays.

R67, Gene Kelly overrated. Good lord.

At the height of his success he wore a very nice toupee, but in his later years he allowed it to become rather detectable.

I remember reading somewhere that when Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra danced together, it was Sinatra that yours eyes followed.

I've found it to be true.

Here is a clip from "Anchors Aweigh". The dancing starts around 1:40.

Gene was such a ham. That interminable close up at the end of the Broadway number in SITR. Can't imagine not being embarrassed by that unless I was in love with myself.

Butt perfection.

Gene tap dancing on roller skates

I think Ethan Mordden noted that "Astaire danced to express his inner life, Kelly danced to show what a great guy he is."

If you watch any of the ensemble numbers or duets Gene appeared in in On the Town or Singin' in the Rain, just to mention 2 films, Gene clearly allows his costars to shine. He was a team player when the art mattered.

Gene was originally slated to costar with Judy Garland in Easter Parade, which would have been his long-awaited reunion with her after The Pirate fiasco, but he broke his ankle playing volley ball and was replaced by Fred Astaire.

I love Easter Parade but I can't help but think it would have had even better chemistry with Gene. Though I wonder if maybe Ann Miller wouldn't have been cast as she was too tall to duet with Gene. She had to wear flats dancing with Fred.

Fred was about 5'8" and Gene was about 5'7".

R59 has hair issues and defines women with short hair as lesbian. Very adolescent.

Patricia Ward was the last 40 years younger gold digger wife who isolated him from his family. Sad, but these things frequently happen. Kelly should have known better but must have been very needy.

r78: I think Cyd was originally cast and Ann replaced her. Don't know if it had to do with the Kelly/Astaire switch.

[quote]Astaire would also step back and let his partner shine. Kelly always tried to dominate whoever he was dancing with.quote

This is so not true.

Watch him with Donald O'Conner and complete new comer Debbie Reynolds in "Singing' in the Rain".

And O'Conner was allowed to practically steal the film with "Moses Supposes"

Ooops I meant to write: "Make 'em Laugh" not "Moses Supposes"...but even in that number O'Conner is allowed to be Kelly's equal.

Irving Berlin was apparently on set when they were recording "Make 'em Laugh" and he asked them who wrote the number. I think they just made some excuse and rushed him along. It was so obviously a rip-off of "Be A Clown".

R72 wow, Sinatra's movements were much more "clean. Very good!

"Be a Clown" was written by Cole Porter.

[quote]But of course as everybody knew Ginger Rogers was the best because she did everything Fred did except backwards and in high heels.

As delightful as she was, Ginger was not a better dancer than Fred. "Dancing backwards" in ballroom dance is following, which is considerably easier than leading. Tapping in heels is easier than tapping in flats. The only female dancer who could hold her own against Fred Astaire was Eleanor Powell.

I would have never guessed in million years that Gene wore a toupe in the early years.

In the later years, of course.

[quote]"Be a Clown" was written by Cole Porter.

Yes, but it was Irving Berlin who visited the set when they were filming "Make 'Em Laugh." Berlin instantly recognized it as a rip-off of Porter's song "Be a Clown" and indignantly demanded to know who had stolen it. The answer was Arthur Freed, the songwriter turned film producer, whose own songs were featured in Singin' in the Rain. The embarrassed Freed sputtered something to Berlin about how "me and the kids got together and came up with it." He was referring to script-writers Comden and Green, trying to pin the theft of Porter's song on them.

But Cole Porter made a lot of easy money from MGM over the years. He felt it was in his own best interest to overlook this one astonishing act of plagiarism. Personally, I think "Make 'Em Laugh" has a better lyric than "Be a Clown." The central idea of "Be a Clown" is that if you are funny, you'll become a social success. The message of "Make 'Em Laugh" is that if you are funny the world will love you, which is a more truthful sentiment.

There's a number in LES GIRLS (57) with Gene spoofing Brando in THE WILD ONE (54) in full motorcycle leather that's pretty damn gay.

O'Connor wasn't "allowed" to steal that routine, he did it by out dancing Kelly. His ease and sense of fun in that number was what I was referring to in post 28. Kelly (perhaps because he feared being labelled gay) seemed to try to look butch when dancing that translated, to me, as forced...I doubt Kelly "allowed" anyone to be his equal if he had a say.

'He was disparaging about the gays.'

What did he ever do to "disparage the gays?"

Gene always talked about getting into dancing as a way of meeting girls.

Homo diversion

[quote]O'Connor wasn't "allowed" to steal that routine, he did it by out dancing Kelly.

What are you talking about?

Kelly choreographed O'Conner's show stopping number. Kelly had artistic control of that film. He directed it (together with Donen).

He certainly did "let his partner's shine". He absolutely showcased their talent.

[quoteGene always talked about getting into dancing as a way of meeting girls. Homo diversion

I love the young gaylings ...expecting the cultural norms of 70 years ago to be exactly like 2016.

He had an "I Smell Fresh Cookies" face!

[quote] Tapping in heels is easier than tapping in flats. The only female dancer who could hold her own against Fred Astaire was Eleanor Powell.

I would agree with "The only female TAP dancer who could hold her own against Fred Astaire was Eleanor Powell."

Cyd Charisse could hold her own against anyone, stiff arms notwithstanding. Boy, could she move that body and sensational legs.

They were both different, both great.

Ginger Rogers wasn't that good a dancer, at least at first. She had started out as a Charleston dancer in the 20s, and spent the 1930s learning other styles when she wasn't in front of a camera. In their early films Fred always has solo tap numbers and they do ballroom numbers together, then they did some duo tap numbers, she didn't get a solo tap number until one of their last films (I forget what it's called).

The ballroom stuff she did "backwards and in high heels" wasn't that technically difficult, but it was absolutely magical on film. Those two danced with a perfect grace, which goes to show that dancing on screen doesn't have to be about stunts and trying hard. Kelly was never able to carry that sort of thing off.

I'd like to add Rita Hayworth to the "as good as" Astaire or Kelly. And when she danced with them you only looked at her.

Rita's arms/hands were odd when she danced. I found her awkward.

He had a drunk hat.

I have this exact same self-satisfied look after I've let one rip.

[quote] Gene was originally slated to costar with Judy Garland in Easter Parade, which would have been his long-awaited reunion with her after The Pirate fiasco, but he broke his ankle playing volley ball

Not true.

Kelly and his wife frequently had a group of people over on the weekends to play volleyball. Gene was insanely competitive and would get pissed off with people who were playing for fun and not taking the games seriously.

The team that Kelly was playing on had completed their match, but the teams playing the other match were having fun and still playing.

Kelly got so angry with them, that as he was storming into the house, he kicked the doorstep. He broke his ankle.

Hence, no "Easter Parade".

R93, regardless of Kelly choreographing that number, they did the dance together, doing the same things, and I think O'Conner was better. That's what I'm talking about...

For years and years the official story was that Kelly broke his ankle during rehearsals for Easter Parade. It wasn't until much later the real story came it. MGM's insurance wouldn't have paid the costs for the film's delay if it had been known the film's extra cost was due to Kelly's personal negligence.

Gene Kelly made his Broadway debut in Leave It to Me! This was the same show that made a star of Mary Martin. Her big number was set in Siberia, where she sang "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and did a partial strip tease from a short fur coat to an even shorter "teddy" nightgown. Gene Kelly was one of the parka-clad chorus boys who backed her up. Mary and a Kelly-free chorus re-create the number in the Cole Porter biopic Night and Day.

MGM signed Gene in 1940 when a talent scout saw him Pal Joey on Broadway but it mystifies me why a studio like that took so long to find the proper vehicle to introduce him, which was For Me and My Gal in 1942.. What were they waiting for?

It's O'CONNOR, not O'Conner.

I love Gene Kelly. I wanted to be Gene Kelly when I was a boy. Kelly- once he learned how film worked- thought that it could open up more dance styles, especially ballet. He was a short, Irish prick with gay tendencies. But he was an excellent dancer and choreographer. As a film director he sucked. " Tunnel of Love" " Hello, Dolly" " It's Always Fair Weather"- dreadful crap. But " Singin' In The Rain" and " An American in Paris" are masterpieces of dance and music. Was he better than Fred. No. He was sexier and far more manly. But it was Fred who taught film how to direct the dance, and Fred who gave it class on film. Kelly was never classy. But I still love him!

P.S.- Whenever I see Judy Garland dancing with Gene or Fred- I watch her. Not a better dancer but the talent and effort just pours out her. And they both loved her.

His filmography is interesting. A handful of major, classic movies and a surprising number of strange, forgotten and flop films: LIVING IN A BIG WAY (with Marie 'The Body' McDonald on loan from Universal), CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (on loan to Universal with Deanna Durbin. Very odd film) SEAGULLS OVER SORRENTO, (huh?) THE HAPPY ROAD (?!?) THE DEVIL MAKES THREE (???) IT'S A BIG COUNTRY, THE BLACK HAND, THE CROSS OF LORRAINE.....

Would it be fair to say that the best films Gene directed are those he co-directed with Stanley Donen?

Doesn't that include Singin' in the Rain, On the Town and.....what else? Take Me Out to the Ball Game is no great shakes.

This thread prompted me to hit Wikipedia and read about Kelly. I love him as a dancer (he looks like he loves what he's doing - even if that's an 'act' he conveys the joy of dance quite well), but like a poster upthread, am surprised at how few of the films he made are truly memorable. Don't get me wrong, Kelly's incredible and if he only helped create An American in Paris, Singing in the Rain, Anchors Aweigh (he taught Sinatra to dance for that film) and Summer Stock he deserves to be in any number of halls of fame, but man, who really knows many of his other works?

I have no idea if he was homophobic (maybe he was straight and got tired of men leering or hitting on him), but he was an interesting man politically (liberal) and religiously (he gave up on the Catholic Church).

I wonder what his children are like... have any of them gone into the movie biz?

I prefer him to Astaire these days and really wish he had been in Easter Parade with Garland. I can't accept her relationship with Astaire and wish Esther had chosen Peter Lawford. One thing in EP's favor, it's a treat to see Astaire in "We're a Couple of Swells". That number shows how natural comedy was for Judy and Fred is rarely so loose.

Kelly was actually signed by Columbia. For Me and My Gal was a loanout after a first film that didn't do so well. MGM snapped him up during the filming when they saw what he had.

Let's compare Fred and Gene dancing with the same partner. Rita Hayworth. The Shorty George (Astaire and Hayworth)

Put Me to the Test: Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth

Fred Astaire is more my type, his dancing is more gracious and his body movements are more free. He exudes elegance.

I'd never pick one over the other. We were just lucky to have two such great dancers, whatever their similarities or differences.

In both clips, Rita is the one I look at.

Kelly made lots of flops but he also made films that are far more enjoyable, from start to finish, than anything Astaire ever did.

Nothing smaller than 9 fat inches was ever granted admissia to that culo!

R118 I agree - Rita is too good to be true.

I love Rita with Fred in "You Were Never Lovelier", especially the dance to "I'm Old Fashioned".

But above all is the Fred, Cyd Charisse dance to "Dancing in the Dark" from "The Band Wagon".

Well of course we suspected - back then everything was hushed whispers!

Cyd Charisse was the man. She routinely out danced her partners.

r121: You said it. Rita had a lusciousness no other great female dancer possessed.

The great missed opportunity for Kelly was PAL JOEY. After the success of COVER GIRL, Harry Cohn bought the property expressly for Kelly and Rita with Vivian Segal reprising her Broadway role as 'older woman' Vera who keeps Joey (Kelly). But Mayer would only lend Kelly again if Cohn would lend Rita to MGM (supposedly Rita was Arthur Freed's first choice for YOLANDA AND THE THIEF) . Cohn refused - he had lent Rita to Fox for a three-picture deal in 1942 and did not want to lend her ever again. So no deal - and no chance for Kelly to re-create the role that shot him to stardom.

When legends meet (and one gets her lipstick on the other's cheek...)

Well of course there were signs!

Phyllis Newman could moderate this page.

That was lovely R122. Love the clips at R114 & R115 as well. I don't know if they're actually having fun when they're dancing (or if it's strictly "work") but they sure look like they do. And they bring joy to your heart.

Cyd Charisse said that her husband told her that he could always tell who she had been dancing with when she came home from work.

If she came home all bruised, it was Gene Kelly.

If she had not a mark on her, it was Fred Astaire.

[quote]Gene was originally slated to costar with Judy Garland in Easter Parade, which would have been his long-awaited reunion with her after The Pirate fiasco...

"Long-awaited"?? "The Pirate" and "Easter Parade" were shot consecutively, and both were released the same year, 1948.

Well you could see the easy way - some would call it a natural sense of dance! We lived in an era where things were mostly left unsaid ....

I watched "For Me and My Gal" last night... Kelly's quite good in this, playing what would have once been called a real "heel" (of course he's redeemed by the end).

He and Garland have a lovely and loose dance sequence early in the picture, when her character is still a vaudeville partner with George Murphy. Honestly, they were so well-matched. It makes me wish he had been available for "Easter Parade".

He was so angry at Olivia Newton John and ELO for fucking up his career.;) How did they get him to do that shitstorm? Did Joel Silver have pictures on him?

Are there any recordings, bootleg or otherwise, of Kelly doing PAL JOEY? The revival with Harold Lang was recorded, but I can't find anything from the original Broadway cast.

He was certainly "light in his loafers"

Loved Cyd's cameo in Janet Jackson's "Alright" video

[R100] - I think Hayworth had the most graceful arms of the female dancers.

Are there nude photos of young Gene?

Gene was more handsome than Sinatra and Astaire (and had a better body and ass). As for the nude photos, I WISH.

What were some of his best scenes/numbers in the films?

Well, of course there were questions?

I seem to remember reading that it wasn't volleyball they were playing that day, but badminton. Apparently, Kelly had badminton tournaments every Sunday, and took it very seriously. He was known to anger easily.

However, badminton is still not regarded as a particularly masculine game, more a diversion than a sport.

Arthur Laurents wrote in his memoir that Harold Lang had an ass that was perfect for fucking.

While Gene lay on his deathbed, his young wife would visit him with her boyfriend in tow.

Always found the pitch of Gene Kelly's voice annoying, when speaking and singing.

I can never entirely enjoy EASTER PARADE because Astaire is just too old for the role and I can't help wondering how much better it would have been with Kelly instead.

I adore AN AMERICAN IN PARIS ans SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - both of which I've re-watched twice in the last couple of weeks (once with the commentary on) - but I've never seen the two films Kelly made either side of those. I'm finally going to see SUMMER STOCK tonight and then BRIGADOON tomorrow...

He was never up to my class as a dancer

I find "Summer Stock" incredibly entertaining, and very well produced. Apparently, Judy made everyone's life a living hell, but not a trace of discord shows on film. Judy is photographed beautifully, and the whole movie has a lot of dancing. At one time it was to be a big reuniting of Garland and Rooney. I wonder what stopped that? Probably Mickey.

Other than the iconic "Get Happy" which really is brilliant, the best number in the film is a big dance off with Judy and Gene called "The Portland Fancy". It makes me wonder how "ill" Judy could possibly have been to still be this good.

I saw The Pirate on TCM recently. It's a real treat for Garland and Kelly fans, and ridiculously underrated. Kelly is sexy as hell, particularly in the "Mack the Black" ballet. "Nina" is another Kelly tour de force. Judy has some very funny scenes, and the Nicholas Brothers are terrific in the famous "Be a Clown" number.

The hypnosis scene originally included a Garland/Kelly song called "Voodoo," which, legend has it, was so smokin' hot that Louis B. Mayer personally ordered it struck from the film and the footage burned.

I don't recall Gene ever appearing on Judy's CBS variety series, yet so many pals from her MGM days did.

Hydraulic ass.

He was gorgeous back in the day.

I have no idea why he did that horrid disco movie with Olivia Newton John. Did he think it would rejuvenate his career? Did he think it would bring him a whole new fan base? Or maybe he just wanted to work, even though the movie was a piece of crap. Anyway, it was a sad way to cap a brilliant career.

[quote] Other than the iconic "Get Happy" which really is brilliant

It truly is....just watched and OMFG the goosebumps.

Kelly was a liberal who insisted on dancing with The Nicholas Brothers in one of his films. He respected their talent. Astaire was a bit of a bigot from what I've been told

Gene without hair can be seen with a Googling of "Gene Kelly toupee."

Actually r157, Fred Astaire said this scene with the Nicholas Brothers was the best dance number ever filmed:

Gene was straight. But he wasn't "straight straight," mon cher.

(draws languorously on cigarette, exhales)

cis-het -- what else is there to say?

R157 A saint! His noble work against heterophobia is legendary!

One of my fave dance numbers: "The Babbitt and the Bromide" with Fred & Gene:

R152 - I think Gene was going to be on her show but something happened - maybe it was the Kennedy assassination.

Actually r164, I think Nat King Cole was the guest who got bumped after the Kennedy assassination forced them off their schedule that month. I read Judy was looking forward to it and the feathers it was already ruffling.

[quote]The hypnosis scene originally included a Garland/Kelly song called "Voodoo," which, legend has it, was so smokin' hot that Louis B. Mayer personally ordered it struck from the film and the footage burned.

Well, I've heard the "Voodoo" number and it's awful. It's this long dirge-like, talk-sung song. You don't want to even listen to it all really. I can't imagine what the visuals were, but I lost all excitement after just hearing it. Outtakes from "The Pirate" and lots of other MGM film was lost in a vault fire in the early 50s. I don't think LB Mayer burned anything personally. Lots of "Wizard of Oz" edits are all lost, a lot of unused material from "The Pirate", and I have never seen the original "Paging Mr. Greenbacks" finale from "Presenting Lily Mars", which was replaced by an amazing "Broadway Rhythm" production number where Judy dances with future director Chuck Walters.

R145 I was at a reading where the wife's boyfriend talked about that.

Wow that clip of the Nicholas Brothers was unbelievable!! Yep, Even Gene couldn't touch their athletics.

r152: He did a 'talk' thing with Judy, but never performed. Kelly basically cut Garland out of his life when MGM canned her.

Hollywood screen relationships were often complex. Like Gene and Judy, Fred and Ginger knew they brought out the best in each other but that didn't mean they were warm and friendly after "Cut!" was called. It also didn't mean they hated each other.

Gene and Judy did not hate each other at all. He did make a caustic comment about her later on when he described her as "a good dancer, but not a fine one."

Um, OTOH, many Gene bios state that Kelly enduring SUMMER STOCK (originally intended as a Garland/Rooney reunion) was a "payback" to Judy for being so kind to him and helping him during FOR ME AND MY GAL, his film debut. He wanted to just get one good solo number in the film, and the newspaper dance was it.

Here's an an opposing view on Patricia Ward Kelly. There was a researched article more articulately outlining this point of view a while back, but it couldn't be found in a search.

Gene Kelly ate my snatch!

R173 He found a bottle of wine and a bottle of Seconals in mine!

Debbie Reynolds claims he treated her like shit during the filming of "Singin' in the Rain".

He reached into Debbie's snatch and found Eddie Fisher hiding there.

I don't doubt that Kelly was hard taskmaster, but part of the joy of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is that he's so generous to his two co-stars. Apart from the title song, he doesn't hog the limelight.

[quote] I have no idea why he did that horrid disco movie with Olivia Newton John. Did he think it would rejuvenate his career? Did he think it would bring him a whole new fan base? Or maybe he just wanted to work, even though the movie was a piece of crap. Anyway, it was a sad way to cap a brilliant career.

It did bring him a whole new fan base, you idiot. Like it or not, Xanadu is one of Gene Kelly's more popular and enduring films. For something that was a flop when it was first released, it has developed an enormous cult and has more than made its money back over 35 years of ancillary sales. The blu-ray that was just released has done amazing numbers for a catalog title that's been so denigrated critically. More people today know Gene Kelly from Xanadu than anything else, including Singin' in the Rain, and they likely discovered him because of Xanadu. It was the first film I ever saw him in and it made me want to see more.

Sorry, but I find it very depressing that Xanadu was anybody's first exposure to Gene Kelly. But I'm glad for you if it encouraged you to seek out more of his work.

When I was a little kid growing up in England in the 80s, for some reason, 'Anchors Aweigh' aired on TV all the time. The sight of a sleepy Gene Kelly waking up and stretching in a tight white t-shirt and short, clingy white boxers gave me an instant boner. I don't think anyone in the house figured out why I liked watching this old fashioned musical so much. My parents probably thought it was the Jerry the Mouse dance that drew me in. If only they knew...

I mean...

Damn, the biceps in R180's photo.

Good thread but shouldn't be addressed because OP is afflicted with a bad case of ageism. Do not enable him by responding to insulting and offensive labeling.

Oh, please. Eldergays, Tell Me About.... is a known thread label around here, and most of the time started by eldergays who just want to reminisce. Relax your sphincter, Mare.

Debbie also tells the story of running into Fred Astaire while filming SITR and he basically said, "That's what you have to do" and she was the raw-est of talents. So while he was a taskmaster she also praises Kelly.

In all fairness, Debbie Reynolds back then seems like she just begged to be treated like shit.

WTH is a Jules Munshin and how did it get into the movies?

Miss Kelly was an obvious and annoying homosexual who turned on her sister Judy Garland, when it was Judy who got the nasty queen to Hollywood in the first place.

She owed her film career to Judy.

Kelly taught dance at his family's studio in Pittsburgh in the early 1930's and ultimately dropped out of law school to pursue a career as a dance teacher and performer. I think he carried that mentoring approach throughout his career and it never appears to me that he's upstaging his partners in his duets. Leslie Caron praises Kelly along with Astaire and her other famous partners...

[quote]With Gene, I learnt to dance Jazz – a very different kind of dancing. Not ballet where your knees and back have to be very straight. And dancing his sort of dancing, which was inspired by Jack Cole, was something very new and different and I took to it. I thought it was very exciting. Gene was very demanding and very professional. He didn't think dancing was fun. He really thought it was hard work and he would let go during the weekend. Saturday night was the big night at his house. He and Betsy, his wife, would have an open door and anybody from Europe or New York or Los Angeles could drop in and talk or do a number or get to the piano and sing: it was free for all. That really was "the night" in Hollywood and Gene enjoyed receiving all those people. On a Saturday night, Gene wasn't dancing. He'd do the Irish thing: drink whiskey and talk."

R178, it may have worked for you, but for anyone over the age of 21, the movie was a pathetic. I had no interest in seeing it after it got lambasted by all the critics.......not that I'd be interested in a disco movie with old Kelly and ONJ anyway.

R190's spirit animal

R186=Eddie Fisher

How did they go about dubbing the tap sounds after a scene was shot? Would Kelly have been in a recording studio with the film playing on a screen in front of him as they recorded the audio of him doing the tap again?

Was Gene corn-holed by Vicente Minnelli?

"It did bring him a whole new fan base, you idiot. Like it or not, Xanadu is one of Gene Kelly's more popular and enduring films. "

Like hell it did, you dumbass. "Xanadu" is rightly considered one of the worst film of all time. It did nothing to rejuvenate Kelly's career. Just because it makes YOUR weiner hard doesn't mean it's a beloved, admired film. And just about any really rotten movie eventually derives some kind of cult following, you ninny.

Bump

Anchors Aweigh used to air on UK tv all the time when I was a young kid in the 80s. Seeing Gene Kelly in his boxer shorts was a nice... awakening of sorts. My parents thought I always wanted to catch the movie because of the Jerry the Mouse dance routine. Not quite..

Gene witnessing Drew Barrymore's descent into alcoholism.

I liked when Arlene Francis's husband asked him on "What's My Line", "Do you have a girl's name?" "

He wouldn't let Debbie Reynolds dance the 'ballet' section in Singing in the Rain because he said she wasn't good enough. He brought Cyd Charisse in instead. I've never particularly like the ballet sequence. I always thought it went on too long and ruined the pace of the film. But I'm probably wrong about that.

If you want to know about Gene, find PBS's American Masters on him. Incredibly well-done documentary, warts and all.

There's a Judy Garland/Gene Kelly song on Youtube called 'Ballin' the Jack'.

I don't think they'd get away with that today.

I always thought Judy and Gene look like they're costumed for two different numbers.

I always thought "Balling the Jack" number to be one of Judy's best. She's painfully thin, but a real hoofer. The look she has just as she and Gene are going to center stage is amazing: fierce determination.

The original song "Ballin' the Jack" is from 1913, R202! It was apparently railroad slang that later became slang for "going all out," though was used as a double entendre, of course.

I expect the worst

When I was a kid, I loved watching Gene Kelly's dance numbers, but as fantastic a dancer as he was, his shticky persona grew tiresome. The low center of gravity, legs akimbo, arms behind the back, smug grin, chin tilted up and hat tilted back... it was enough after the second or third time he did it.

About the "Broadway Melody" sequence in "Singin' in the Rain," it sure is a showstopper, in the sense that it brings the show to a grinding halt. I've seen the movie countless times and still can't see what it's really doing there. Who is that character, and is the sequence even part of the narrative? Most of all, the zooming crane shot at the end is just surreal and bizarre. Cyd Charisse in that number, though, is in my pantheon of great film dance scenes.

Is that really true about Debbie originally being the girl in the dream sequence? Or was it always planned with Cyd in mind?

Gene (hairpiece and all) was one of the hottest men to ever appear on screen. Drop dead sexy as fuck. The face, the ass, the legs, the torso - his pure athleticism was astounding. I am in my thirties, so even Xanadu was early for my time. That said, I too saw the famous Gene Kelly for the first time in this tacky cult film. The movie is obviously terrible, but the music lives on and Gene did a pretty good job with what little he had to work with. I knew that he was famous when I first saw it, but I had no idea why; I had only heard the name and was not even sure whether it was a male of female star to begin with. Years later when I saw him at his prime during those MGM musicals he took my breath away (and watching his round ass dancing about did other things to me physically..). He was a great performer and left a lasting legacy. Who cares if he was in Xanadu? It was not as if he was getting better roles at that stage of life anyway. I would like to think that he was bisexual and a lot of gossip supports that. I suppose that we will never know.

R207, you mean the entire 15-ish minute sequence or just parts of it?

The sequence is Don's visualization of a movie idea he's pitching to the studio boss. It's mean to be reminiscent of early 1930s musicals like Broadway Melody, which were frequently about a young entertainer's rise to fame. (It's implied that this story is a romanticized version of Don's own rise to fame.) There are a lot of callbacks to various silent entertainers and characters in the sequence, plus some visuals that are pretty much taken straight from early musicals, cleaned up, and shot in color.

The whole point is to make Don basically the "inventor" of the early talkie musical, a genre that was somewhat short lived but which changed the movie industry forever. The movie pretty much just says, "Silents were stupid and talkies were great; oh, and by the way, totally unrelated, but widescreen Technicolor extravaganzas are pretty great while old Academy ratio black and white dramas are totally passe."

That of course meant a lot of the sequence was really about nothing more than showing off the hot new modern technology and big new modern stars.

The final ballet is strangely more reminiscent of silents and not talkies, though -- the idea of seeing a beautiful woman across the room and then daydreaming about a scarf-covered, breezy ballet of love is 100% late 1910s/early 1920s silent movie craziness. It reminds me of the fantasy sequence in Male and Female (1919).

Hermes Pan

I wanna be one of Freed's Fairies. Is there an application form I need to fill out?

Better than Fred....yes and no. Fred Astaire was more of an elegant ballroom/tap and jazz type dancer where Gene Kelly was very much an athletic dancer. Fred had grace and style....the man look likes he glides on air, Gene had spirit and energy...acrobatic in way. Both are great but something about Gene Kelly's grinning face...I like watching him dance but I could only tolerate a minute or two. Fred however...sigh....I love watching him dance with Ginger Rogers.. AND ONLY Ginger Rogers lol. I can watch them in a loop lol.

213 replies and barely a mention of one of Gene's greatest films: On The Town. The film is a classic with a great cast: Kelly, Sinatra, Vera Ellen, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, Alice Pearce (the only holdover from the Broadway show) and ....oh yes, Jules Munshin (did he ever do anything else?). Mostly though the show is famous for being the first musical to be filmed on location, not a sound stage, which really made the film.

It is hard to believe that the studly, handsome Kelly was married to the fairly homely Betsy Blair (Ernest Borgnine's girlfriend in "Marty")...and that she left him, not the other way around!

It's ironic that "An American In Paris" was the film that swept the Oscars and was a critical favorite, while now it's "Singin' In The Rain" that is widely considered Kelly's best and most entertaining film. If I remember right, SITR only was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, Jean Hagen (richly deserved!)

I liked him as Pinky in "What a way to go."

In Fred's last decade of life he was still quite limber and could dance around a little and walked just fine. During Gene's last decade he was very creaky and slow, even before the stroke.

Gene's art was all about being strong and acrobatic so once he was too old and too ill to show that sort of stamina, he likely just gave it up entirely. His dancing was that of a young athlete and he never did have the grace that Fred displayed from his early days until well into his later years. Kelly sure was a stud back in the day though. I wonder if he had much "interaction" with other closeted stars like Rock Hudson, Cary Grant, James Dean, Guy Madison, etc.

posing with Janet Jackson

To be clear r210, SITR was not shot in a wide-screen format. It's the same ratio as typical black and white films of that era. I heard SITR was the very last film printed on nitrate stock, which although highly combustable has a superior detail. A theater in Los Angeles has a nitrate print and I hear the clarity for three-strip Technicolor is fantastic.

Gene and Donald O'Connor.

He isn't remembered. Nice ass though. I've never seen any movie of his. Singing in the Rain put me to sleep and that terrible ballet from American in Paris? Nice ass when it wasn't clenched.

Fred Astaire a man can watch all day. He's not handsome, he's so much more than that.

To be clear, r119 is correct, SITR was one of the last major Technicolor films not shot nor intended for any form of widescreen release Some films of the same time, such as Kiss Me Kate, even in 3D, were shot with the intention that the top and bottom of the image would be cropped out for widescreen display. SITR was not.

^ Sorry, I meant r219, not r119.

Debbie Reynolds tells the story that during rehearsals she stuck her chewed chewing gum on a pillar, which Gene then leant againt and it pulled off his toupee in front of the whole rehearsal studio. Apparently he was livid, and it took him months to forgive her.

Kelly may have been generous to certain colleagues at certain times, but he was adamant about cutting Michael Kidd's big solo out of It's Always Fair Weather. It was Kidd's one chance to shine, and had already been filmed--something like Kidd recounting a fairy tale. Kelly saw that it would build Kidd up and he insisted the number be dropped. The two had quite a fight over it.

On another note, Kelly agreed to direct the Hello, Dolly! film only because he had turned down The Sound of Music. He thought SoM was junk and Dolly! was junk, but he wanted a hit in his already badly faded resume, so he took Dolly! thinking it would restore his position in Hollywood.

By all accounts, he was a crumbun, though I believe he did stand by his wife at the time (BB) when she got into political trouble. I may be wrong about that.

Kelly post MGM and Donen is shit. Invitation to the Dance, anyone?

I didn't know Gene was offered The Sound of Music (film) to direct.

I thought Carol Haney was supposed to be the Dream Ballet girl but studio execs said she was ugly so Cyd was brought in.

A lot of directors were offered The Sound of Music, R227. William Wyler was another who turned it down, which may be why he decided to do Funny Girl, for which he was spectacularly unsuitable.

William Wyler did two years of preproduction on TSOM then begged out so he could do The Collector. His heart was never in it. Robert Wise agreed to come in at the last minute and did a fantastic job.

This is an informative article with details not yet covered in this thread.

^ Let me revise my previous comment's last sentence to read "Robert Wise, WHO HAD DIRECTED THE BEST PICTURE MUSICAL 'WEST SIDE STORY' JUST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS BEFORE, AGREED TO COME IN AT THE LAST MINUTE TO DIRECT TSOM and that was the only reason Fox and the TSOM producers agreed to let William Wyler out of his contract so he could direct The Collector, which he had wanted to film since the novel was released, Wise did a fantastic job."

I prefer Fred Astaire, and I don't care that he wasn't sexy. I also prefer fred's movies to Gen'es, Easter parade, the Barklays of Broadway, and Funny Face.

Kelly, although very good never had the effortless charm and gracefulness of Fred. I think Singin' in the Rain is the most overrated musical of all time YES I KNOW HATE ME!! It doesn't have any original songs to it, and it seems like a routine musical that accidentally attained legendary status.

I suppose SITR did give the minimally talented debbie Reynolds the only hit film she had, which she milked for the next 60 years!

I think that story about gee and Vincente is a myth. In a biography I read it said that Judy found him in bed with a sailor, not Gene.

You could stuff him with cloves.

It's worth sitting halfway through the awful THE PIRATE just to see Gene in that hot pair of shorts to see those tree trunk thighs of his. Definitely more photogenic than the cricket like Astaire, who was quite ugly.

Oh god yes, those thighs were hot....and sweaty. Wasn't there another story that Judy suspected Gene of sleeping with Vincente as they were filming The Pirate, and that she had a meltdown on set and started a fire?

r72, I agree, there was more of a natural charisma that Sinatra had. Although I liked Gene Kelly he always had the putting on a show vibe. Nothing seemed natural.

Alas, there is nothing to support the belief that Gene was gay. He was just hot.

R229. You're not saying that Wyler ruined Funny Girl, are you?

R230. How did Wise ever manage to pull off The Sound of Music and The Sand Pebbles in consecutive years. That looked like a killer workload.

Esther Williams, who starred with Kelly & Sinatra in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (story by Kelly and Stanley Donen) detested both Kelly and Donen. She claimed in her autobiography that the pair went out of their way to mock her and make jokes at her expense.

Williams claims Kelly was ticked off because she was taller than he - 5'10" to his 5'7".

Apparently Garland was supposed to do the female lead, but was replaced.

Director was Busby Berkeley who had planned a big swimming sequence for Esther which was nixed, of course, by Kelly.

r241, Wise was on location with The Sand Pebbles in an isolated area of Taiwan or Hong Kong, where the location shooting was done, when he and the crew heard over shortwave radio that TSOM had won best picture and he had won his second Oscar as best director.

"The Pirate" was Gene's mASSterpiece!

I actually know, or knew, someone who had an affair with Gene Kelly. It lasted about a year, but when it was over, Kelly let her know it was over in no uncertain terms. It was centered around a show they did together. Kelly wasn't interested in it being anything more than a showmance. He was quite cold about the way he ended it.

Kinda strange that both Gene and Fred got fucked over by both their last, much-younger, wives.

Robin Astaire is a total cunt, but I think she's been okay with his children, unlike Patricia Ward and Kelly's children.

I read RJ Wagner's autobiography a few years back and he was heartbroken by what Robin Astaire was doing to Fred at the end. He didn't go into details but she isolated him from a lot of his friends.

As gorgeous as he was, by all accounts Gene Kelly was not a pleasant man to spend time with. His "lack of interest in sex" seems to be a recurring theme repeated by his x wives and others; I find that to be a red flag when it comes to those who still claim him to be a Kinsey 0.

Can you tell us what show, R245, or do we have to guess?

Kelly was on Broadway in a little handful of titles before Hollywood, and he directed Flower Drum Song later on. But he also choreographed--Best Foot Forward, and, at Westport, a revival of Green Grow the Lilacs (which gave Theresa Helburn the idea for a Rodgers and Hart musical version, and when Hart said no, Rodgers turned to Hammerstein, and that become Oklahoma!).

I'm guessing Best Foot Forward, because there were so many attractive young women in it. Hmm, but who? One of the girls who went to Hollywood with the film?

The story is so believable. Kelly really was a study in meanness that doesn't come through on screen. Okay, that's acting-- but it's funny that there are no tales of flare-ups on the set of Hello, Dolly! between Kelly and Streisand. They didn't like each other, and the relationship was cold. But all the anecdotes relate to that hideously vulgar Walter Matthau or Kelly's threatening Ernest Lehman when he says something or other to one of the actors.

No, r250, it was a tour of Take Me Along that Kelly did in 1974. Played St. Louis Muny and several other stops. The producers wanted to take it to NY and Kelly refused. He did agree to play the LA and SF CLO, but I think that fell through. Kelly played Uncle Sid, Jackie Gleason's role. Russ Thacker was the Robert Morse part.

If you don't know "ca c'est L'amour" from Les Girls, it's lovely. Sung by Taina Elg to Gene as they are slowly drifting in a little boat.

Who wears short shorts?

Gene with DL fave Julie Andrews singing and dancing. Feeling good television from time when stars had to had talents.

Gene is able to sing well enough and Julie dance enough to make television magic.

His portrayal of Toulouse -Lautrec's Chocolat in "Paris" was his mmmm•ass•terpiece.

He ruined my film

He was delicious. Period.

Wonderful muscular ads. That's the main thing I remember.

And great abs too.

God, I love this thread!

I love it more!

What was the name of the Broadway 1950s dancer with the legendary arse that everyone wanted, and a few got? He died young. He might have been in Guys and Dolls. I forget the name, but the photos were inspiring!

I think you might mean Harold Lang who was in "Kiss Me, Kate" and also did a revival of "Pal Joey". He had a very good singing voice, too and was a terrific dancer.

Weren't Gore Vidal and Leonard Bernstein among his conquests? I think he was 60ish when he died, and had been teaching somewhere. Maybe Jerome Robbins was a lover too.?

Harold Lang! That's the one. Thanks R264.

What a wet dream.

As I posted elsewhere, tomorrow is Gene Kelly day on TCM.

They were just different. Both at the absolute top of their fields! Fred Astaire was thin and wiry, perfectionistic and elegant. Relentless in rehearsing and working out the every detail of a choreography.

Gene Kelly was the athlete dancer. He exuded testosterone and masculine power. His choreography was as perfectionistic as Fred Astaire, but he was more physically challenging than Astaire.

Interestingly, both claimed their absolute favorite dance partner was Cyd Charisse.

Just enjoy it. Kelly, Caron, American in Paris.

I took everything Esther Williams said in her book with a grain of salt. She seemed mean-spirited, and her choosing her sex life with that manipulative Fernando Lamas over her children was not a good look.

I loved Anchors Aweigh. Funny but in every dancing scene with Frank and Gene I can't take my eyes off Frank. He looks so ernest, watching his feet, to keep up with Gene. He was very appealing back then.

“Summer Stock” is not on Netflix?

It's on some russky channel on youtube :

Summer stock, 1950, ok

R263 There's a video of Harold Lang singing and dancing available on YouTube. When he takes his jacket off and starts dancing it's mesmerizing for the reason you stated.