Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kellywas an American dancer, actor, singer, film director, producer and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks, and the likeable characters that he played on screen...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth23 August 1912
CityPittsburgh, PA
CountryUnited States of America
mgm
MGM didn't know what they had with Cyd, did they?
couple athlete everyday
Like an athlete, [dance] is an everyday job. You have to stay in shape - unless you just want to loaf through a couple of hoofing routines. But that just didn't satisfy me.
night ridiculous hell
I had been asked to open a nightclub in Atlantic City. They offered me a ridiculous amount of money. They literally overpaid me. So I did one show a night. Then they asked me back by popular demand. So I went back. Then I said, "To hell with this." I was only doing it for the money, and I was doing easy routines. It's just too much work to get up every day and practice.
dancing chance journalist
In fact, I wasn't going to dance in Xanadu, but several journalists told me that Olivia Newton-John kept saying how sad she was that she wouldn't get the chance to dance with me. So I finally said, "All right, throw in a number." But I'm through with dancing.
dancer trying fit
It fit into my scheme of things for many reasons. At the time it was true that male dancers were looked down upon, and it was true that a lot of the male dancers were effeminate. But what I was really trying to do was develop something that would be American.
dancing
At the time the quickest way to establish yourself as an American was to throw a little bit of tap into your dance - even when it wasn't called for. But what also helped me was the fact that I was dancing in roles that I had played.
kids tough
If I played a tough kid on the street I couldn't go out there and get into fifth position. I had to dance like a tough kid on the street.
kids thinking dancer
I saw Mikhail Baryshnikov do Twyla Tharp's Sinatra Suite on PBS. I have no numbers to prove it, but I bet that kids who saw that loved it. I think you will see younger dancers, who certainly have the artistic sense and capabilities, start going back to romantic numbers.
thinking simple anticipation
The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with [women] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table or twist them all around. All I want to do is one-two, one-two-three - a simple fox trot. But they're shaking with anticipation at the thought that I'm about to whip them around and then toss them on the roof.
thinking great-things
I think Twyla [Tharp] has a lot to say. The great thing about Twyla is that she continues to explore.
thinking dancer
When they do let them sustain on screen from head to toe, though, then you know they must think the person is a good dancer.
running dream song
You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams. And I know if I can make you smile by jumping over a couple of couches or running through a rainstorm, then I'll be very glad to be a song and dance man.
dream joy dance-love
You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams.
aristocracy proletariat
Fred Astaire represented the aristocracy, I represented the proletariat.