Gene Kelly

GENE KELLY d1996. 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. He is best known today for his performances in films including ; For Me and My Gal (1942) / Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) / Thousands Cheer (1943) / The Three Musketeers (1948) / On The Town (1949) / An American in Paris (1951) / Anchors Aweigh (1945) and Singin in The Rain (1952). He starred in musical films until they fell out of fashion in the late 1950s. In his later career he starred in two films which were outside the musical genre ; Inherit The Wind (1960) and What a Way To Go. Throughout his career he directed films including "Hello Dolly" which despite being a commercial failure at the time is now more highly regarded. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. He received an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements. In 1999, the American Film Institute also numbered him No15 in their Greatest Male Stars of Classic Hollywood cinema list. He died in his sleep on February 2nd 1996 aged 83 in California.