Gene Kelly: To Live and Dance | Biography, Documentary | Full Movie
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Archive footage lifts the lid on the life of actor, dancer, singer, choreographer and director Gene Kelly, featuring insights from his son and eldest daughter.
00:00 Full Documentary (with subtitles)
00:37 The life and career of Gene Kelly, a pioneering Hollywood dancer and actor from Pittsburgh.
06:39 The rise of Gene Kelly in Hollywood, known for his unique dancing style and charisma.
12:21 Gene Kelly's impact on Hollywood during World War II and his dedication to dance and innovation.
18:26 Gene Kelly's journey through war, filmmaking, and artistic community in Los Angeles and New York.
23:45 The impact of Gene Kelly's ballet sequence in 'An American in Paris' and the creation of 'Singin' in the Rain.'
30:24 The life and career of Gene Kelly, including his political stance, personal struggles, and challenges in Hollywood.
36:56 Gene Kelly's impact on popularizing dance as an art form, from challenging traditional ballet to introducing jazz.
41:23 The life and legacy of Gene Kelly, a renowned dancer and director, as he navigates personal and professional challenges.
47:12 Life and legacy of iconic dancer Gene Kelly, from early struggles to enduring influence on Broadway.
@CultCinemaClassics - Krátké a kreslené filmy
My Dad was his roomate at Pittsburg university, for a few years! I have a yearbook that he signed of my fathers! He taught my dad to dance to get the girls!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this! And I guess the lessons worked!
Pittsburgh!
Wow! He could dance, too? Lucky Mrs. Rogers!
Amazing!!! Tell us more! I love Gene Kelly. It’s must be surreal to meet him!
How amazing and wonderful!!
Yes he was an amazing dancer, actor and singer, but to be remembered as a wonderful father, friend and man, is truly the best success anyone can achieve! What a tremendous man!
Yes! I teared up when his children were describing their relationship with him. Truly wonderful!
Absolutely. So many of the children of actors from that generation have only negative things to say about their famous parent. It’s such a pleasant surprise to see just how much Gene Kelly’s children revere him. It goes to show what a loving father he was.
He was quite a real man!
He was an athlete..remarkably strong..lots of endurance..it takes strength to dance.
A few years ago I was going through a rough time with depression. One of the things that got me through it was watching all of Gene's MGM classics. For a few hours they gave my brain a rest and a real lift. I'm grateful.
+
I never grow tired of seeing him sing and dance in Singin In The Rain, On The Town, An American In Paris, Cover Girl, Anchors Aweigh, and Summer Stock
Me either
Ditto. He was a genius!
9
And he was so, so sick when he had to do Singing in the Rain. Imagine having to do that, over and over again while sick? Such a Warrior.
Don't forget one of my favorites he did was Brigadoon. The Town that appears out of the mist! It's a really good movie.
They dont make stars like this anymore they were in a totally different league to these so called celebrities of today. What a masterpiece A American in Paris was just beautiful music and of course the dancing. He was a genius.🇬🇧
ABSOLUTELY!
Back when a celebrity had to earn that title by actually being TALENTED, and not just "famous for being famous" celebs of today.
My mom went to Peabody High School with Gene. Everyone in our neighborhood knew the Kellys, and it seemed like half of Pittsburgh took dancing lessons from Gene or Louise or another Kelly. They went to St Raphael's Church, but Gene also taught for years at Beth Shalom Congregation during the Depression. They had a million friends of all races, nationalities, and faiths, and never forgot their neighborhood. Gene made certain everyone from his graduating class could afford to come back for his 50th class reunion by picking up the tab for the entire event. He was a blue collar guy who just happened to be a superstar.
When Gene passed away, I was working at ABC News, and Peter Jennings was not only the anchor but also the managing editor (or whatever we called it) on World News Tonight. Peter personally decided not to run a traditional obituary. On the program that night, he said a few words about Gene dying, and said what would follow would say more about Gene Kelly than words ever could. And then we played the entire four-minutes-plus of Gene's iconic song and dance number for Singing in the Rain. A finer obituary there never was.
What a wonderful story. Keep sharing.
@@MrPerfesser I remember that and it was very moving.
Thankyou for adding your recollections, great to hear from people who knew Gene K well earlier in his life!
🚬👴🏿🥃 SOOO HOWS YO MOTHER DOIN?
Phenominal dancer, obviously. But he's the only performer I can think of where when he sings, you can actually hear his smile. I love that about him. ❤
Yes! And also Louis Armstrong singing "What a Wonderful World". I can def hear him smiling too.
Yes, his talents included, he could, dance,.was a choreographer of dance, performed ice skating style ballet on rollerskates, sing, act, he also directed movies, a script writing expert,.and assembled documentarys. His talents will be missed. I enjoyed your response 👍
He was also an acrobat and gymnast
Gene Kelly's creativity was magical.
monster just disgusting hate his style hate him and nor surprised finding out everyone hated and feared him. I can't look at any film he is in. dancing second rate seemed to get a kick out of how much he hurt his female partners Tony Martin always knowing when Cyd had been on set dancing with him from her bruises All his routines are UGLY in style and concept and his singing just horrid.. YUCK
He seems to have been a lovely man, extremely intelligent and giving. His son and daughter that spoke are just lovely also. He brought joy to so many people and is still doing so. Regards from Ireland 🇮🇪 💚
Daughters. Amen.
JulieKilburn
My favorite dancer ever. His looks, charm, optimism, athleticism... talent beyond compare. Thank you!
The most imaginative dancer. When he danced with Donald O’Conner it was magical
Nobody else like him; such charisma, such talent!
Every person is an individual. Nobody is like anyone else.
As a professionnal dancer myself, I think Gene kelly is perhaps the most underrated actor/dancer ever! I dare anyone today to go up on any stage and perform the way he did!
I don't think he is underrated. Anyone who dances or knows about dance considers him an icon. Misha talked about him in his heyday.
@@katashley1031 Yes, he is a Legend.
lucky luke...I think that another much underrated dancer/singer is/was Donald O'Connor. He was a very physical dancer like Kelly. He could also sing. I can only assume that O'connor was well known and respected within the dance community and by Hollywood, but perhaps because he didn't quite have the outward good looks of Gene Kelly that he didn't rise to the same level of Kelly...??
@@marbleman52 No he came along when the musical was dying out as he was far younger than Kelly and Astaire. He was a brilliant dancer and Kelly commented that O’Connor was a better dancer than himself which is high praise indeed.
@@marbleman52 You are actually correct. Hwood insisted on the "handsome" male look for their start rosters.
What a gorgeous hunk, and fabulous dancer - the best in my opinion. I was born in January 1960, and have loved Gene ever since I can remember. When girls at Senior school in the UK had pictures of 70's singers in their desks and on their bedroom walls - I had pictures of Gene Kelly!! A lovely man.
LOL! Same here. Born in 1961. In the 70s, my girlfriends had pics of Elvis, Donny Osmond, David Cassidy etc. I displayed posters of movie scenes that featured Gene. We had mature, sophisticated taste, Valerie!
And dang, I was a tad jealous when he married his third wife Patricia. She's about the same age we are. No fair! If only...
He was one of the sexiest performers ever. Grew up watching his grace and strength wishing I was in his arms. It wasn’t until I grew up that I understood what a truly creative genius he was. He is still missed.
He was only 5'6" tall
Harto sexy era.Pero por sobre todo buen bailarín.
He was a dancing athlete. EPIC ass! I never really understood men’s buttocks til I beheld Kelly’s.
@@michellelekas211 He was 5'8" tall.
@@susanlloyd7395 Susan, They always overreport male heights, especially in acting
How wonderful to hear from a child that their father was a wonderful father. I love Gene Kelly. I remember I was watching a bio of Cyd Charise, and she said that her husband always knew which dancer she was rehearsing with. If she came home smooth with no bruises or black and blues, she was rehearsing with Fred Astaire, if she came home bruised up and tired, she was dancing with Gene Kelly. The Kelly kids were blessed and we were blessed to have him dance for us.
Your message is beautiful. No one compares to him. He was amazingly talented and lovely in every way. We were lucky to be alive to see him before he grew old.
That's actually pretty sad
@@michellelekas211 He was quite a bully at times. Lots of people he worked with complained of it, especially women. He was also competitive to the point of boorishness. A great talent and a good guy, but he had his flaws too.
Debbie Reynolds had never really danced before so Gene had to train her for Singing in the Rain. He worked her so hard, then sometimes when she would remove her shoes, her feet would be blistered and bloody.
But she sure learned! They didn't have the luxury of time! Gene Kelly didn't set the timetable. Louis B Mayer and Production Head Arthur Freed demanded they be ready by a certain date. THEY hired a non-dancer with great talent. Debbie Reynolds learned from THE Pro who KNEW what SHE must learn to stay in the movie!! She wanted it! She signed a contract!
Gene Kelly ALWAYS worked per schedule. And yeah, he was a perfectionist! BUT that's what dancers signed onto or were forced by contract to learn!!
THEY chose to dance. Gene Kelly SHOWED them HOW to Dance!!
Let's look at the WHOLE Picture!!
AND Debbie often said what she'd give to dance again, with the bloody toes.
“He said, ‘Donald, I’m so sorry I yelled at you, but Debbie just hasn’t been able to get these steps,'” O’Connor remembered. “‘If I had yelled at her, I ran the risk of losing her from the rest of the film. I couldn’t take that chance, so I took it out on you instead.’ I said, ‘All right, but you better protect yourself next time’ (Laughs).”
I googled and found TCM interview with Debbie Reynolds (I have her autograph when she was selling her beloved collection. OMG). Anyway, www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/singin-in-the-rain-debbie-reynolds-blood-shoes-filming-good-morning-tap-dance.html/
Kelly and Astaire (and Hayworth!) are why DANCERS are my favorite entertainers!!💘also so great to see that his kids loved him and thought he was a great dad❤
What about Ginger Rogers And Astaire, all so wonderful and entertaining, I have watched some of their movies several times ,always with great admiration. A great family also. ❤️🇺🇸😃👍🌺
Wonderful! My favourite Gene Kelly routine is with Donald O'Connor - 'Moses supposes' from Singing in the Rain - flawless! He was so handsome, graceful, strong and a complete joy. A real star of old Hollywood.
My favorite dance number from that movie was "Good Morning." Donald O'Connor was a very underrated dancer. His number, "Make Them Laugh," was another one of my favorites.
My favorite dancer is George Murphy. That man was so smooth and light on his feet; he was great in Little Miss Broadway!✌️
Such an athletic dancer. Loved watching him
That's exactly it! I can see him as an athlete more than just a dancer
Thanks for this wonderful gift! I saw him for the first time when Ali was 8 yrs old and I fell in love with him. Will never forget him as long as I live.
I grew up watching Gene Kelly with my grandmother. She had every movie he did on VHS.
Now my grandchildren watch Gene Kelly on DVD and on line.
Amazing man. I always admired him.
What a wonderful documentary about a class act, dancer and human being, Mr. Gene Kelly. I never knew of his connection to France. Lovely. Thank you for sharing.
His dance on the song Singing in the Rain was phenomenal! Unmatched by anything else I've seen. So full of joie de vivre!
The tap was dubbed by Gwen Verdon, who was famous as a child tap dancer, but never did it once she was a star.
I really enjoyed this. Getting to hear Kelly and Timothy talk about him was a real treat. Singin' In the Rain was the first
movie I ever saw.
I saw Hello Dolly at the cinema as a young teenager and I came out of the dark into the sunlight singing and dancing! It was a glorious feeling I shall never forget. It still makes me sad that films since then don’t make anyone feel uplifted like that.
Unfortunately there’s not a wide enough audience for that anymore. Only on broadway is where stuff like that still has a presence. Now everything needs to have sex or drugs or violence or a mixture of all three
Hello Dolly was a terrible movie of a terrific show.
I don't think I have ever walked away from a Gene Kelly movie thinking I could dance like him.
Why not?at ain't hard.give it a whirl!👍😎
No one can think of such a thing.
@@judihart9658Debbie Reynolds’s had a very different view…
How lovely it was to find out more about this outstanding actor and person! Thank you so much for that...
We all ❤know the magnificent talent he was but to hear he was a great father was wonderful to hear as well
Incredibly handsome.
There aren't enough words.❤
He was my favorite male "classic movies" dancer. Loved watching him, Astaire, etc.
Cyd Charice is my favorite female dancer of that time.
A beautiful, talented man, beautifully remembered.
I was raised watching him dance……He always had a smile on his beautiful face, even when he was hurting…..Loved you Mr Gene Kelly, and always will ❣️
God he was magic. And such a Warrior.
Thank you for uploading this wonderful documentary about Gene Kelly, an AMERICAN TREASURE. May his greatness always be remembered.
I remember only being able to find this documentary in low quality with french dub. This is a treasure, getting to hear his children talk so extensively about him! thank you ❤
As a former professional ballerina & Artistic Director of several dance studios - Gene Kelly is about the best dancer there is .....along with Baryshnikov!
YES!
Yes… they are both showmen… I’ve always said that Baryshnikov is the Gene Kelly of the ballet world, and visa versa.
You are forgetting Bob Fosse and Tommy Nall and Fayard Nicholas
& Mr Astaire…..
Tommy Rall was a much better dancer than Gene, or anybody frankly - everyone knew that.
I loved all the old movies I watched as a kid in the 50’s. I was in Love with Gene Kelly. He could dance. ❤❤❤
An actor, creator, and genius, the like of which we will never see again. Wonderful; mesmerizing.
The one and only Song and Dance Man.
probely the most talented man in hollywood and a great father!
This was great; Gene Kelly is my all-time favorite "star"! But again, not one word about his movie, "The Pirate". It's very hard to find now, and it's a huge favorite of mine. I'd fake being sick (when I was in school, AND when I was working), just to stay home and watch it on broadcast television. Gene Kelly was absolutely brilliant in this one; singing, dancing, and comedy! Thank you, though, for this excellent video!
My sisters and I love The Pirate. We quote from it and send each other funny clips.
So handsome and so talented
I am in my 70's now and have always loved Gene Kelly and i still do. He gave me that feel good feeling and put a hugh smile to my face ❤
What a GREAT documentary!
I always felt that Kelly’s ballet dancer physique made him stand out from all the other musical actors at this time. His clean cut, expertly tailored clothes made him look like an American Matador. Add his acting, singing and fantastic dancing skills and it was impossible to keep your eye off him. He was always smiling making him human as well. He is one of my favorites.🙏💕🙏💕
An American Matador. Yes! You nailed it.
I was born in 1959, and fell in love with musicals early in my live. I guess my mother must have watched them. I so loved Gene Kelly. It’s wonderful to hear what a great and loving father he was.
Love love love Gene Kelly! Such an athlete & amazing performer/ dancer. Could watch him on screen for hours. ❤ so handsome as well. 😍
He was poetry in motion. ❤
What a superb dancer, I did not know he was an instructor AND choreographer! As stated, he exudes masculine attraction and affable charm that I would find attractive even by today's standards.
I recently saw the third wife in an interview. She seemed a horrendous creature. To see that she pushed the children away seems to follow suit. He was such a light of creativity, energy, and love of life. His children are so lovely, and they are great tributes to him as a person. Always love “Singing in the Rain,” and all of his other pictures. Such incredible talent.
An American Icon!❤
The third wife is sometimes called his elder abuser. Somehow she's been falsely acting as if she has the rights to everything and now goes around the country speaking about Gene and horning in on the stage productions of Singin' in the Rain. I despise her.
@@CathyS_Bx That's a very serious charge. If you have inside information, you should go to the authorities. If not, slinging terms like "elder abuse" around is the height of irresponsibility.
@@susanlloyd7395 Cathy doesn't need to get proof, Robert Wagner (Actor) was a very close friend of Gene's as well as Jeanne Martin (Dean Martin's wife) & Robert Wagner wrote in his own memoirs what a "witch" Patricia ward Kelly was to Gene in his later & final years, so no one needs to heed your advice Susan Lloyd!!
These people literally put them through their PACES alright...!! But still, you cant beat a good musical. From 30s to 50s etc. Im thankful for these stars. Where would we have been without them?
I love Gene Kelly so very much. What joy he has brought to the lives of so many and continues to bring through his legacy of wonderful films. A legend!
What a beautiful documentary on Gene Kelly he just amazing he was, i sure loved his movies.
*He was just amazing.
Mr Gene Kelly brilliant dancer and singer wonderful amazing man he was. Lives forever in all dancers and all who have that dream in their hearts. Gotta dance
He is my favourite dancer of all time ❤
He worked so hard to make it look so easy. I am totally in awe of people like Gene Kelly who can dance. And, yes, I know he worked his aspirin off to do it, but some of us can't.
I just love Gene Kelly! He makes me wish I lived in his decade.
This is a brilliant, heartfelt documentary which made me more fully understand his contributions to dance, choreography, theatre and his family. Special thanks to his children for their articulate remembrances which they so generously shared.
Seeing him dance with Olivia was pure magic.
Gene Kelly’s short, stocky ,muscular body made him look as if he could have worked on a building site- he proved you didn’t have to in the slightest bit effeminate to be a wonderful dancer. He was way ahead of his time with his choreography and musicality. I adored him and his talent and am still sorry he is no longer with us.
It is not really a question of effeminate - he just didn't have a ' typical ' dancers body shape. It is a very common association: long - limbed and lean would indicate light and elegant, short and stocky- powerful , but not necessarily light.The magic of Gene is that with his atypical body he was all- powerful, athletic and exceptionally light.
@@Katrina-mi2gm Thank you for your reply. I was actually referring to the common perception of the time that all male dancers were homosexual and considered to be effeminate . Gene proved this was not always the case and helped change the common perceptions of the time.
What "common perception " ? News to many of us interested in music in school at that time. Many of our track stars learned to dance for our school plays. There was nothing "effeminate" about these sinewy fellows,who also excelled in swimming. None of them ever had to deal with brain injuries, as football players did...and they were usually smarter !
BTW, check out the number of football homosexuals still in the closet at that time.
@@sarahhearn-vonfoerster7401 I think that it was more commonly associated with ballet and ' top hat and tails ' styles than with those that were more robust and athletic , such as tap and musical theatre. Also, a lot came from common culture prejudice, where dancing was considered to be a less masculine pursuit. " Real men play sports, don't dance. Dancing is for girls and sissies " . This is significantly less common in countries where there is a folk dancing culture , where men's ability to dance in admired, not sneered at and his masculinity is not questioned because of that.
Pues bajo fornido y musculoso.
Con aspecto de trabajar en la construccion.Pero sexy.
Los otros bailarines de esa época serían mas estilizados .Pero no eran sexy como Gene Kelly.
Ni guapos tampoco.
Y lo prefiero mil veces a Fred Astaire.
Beautiful, talented man!💖
This was a wonderful biography for all Gene Kelly fans. Thank you! Well done👏
Чудовий актор! Неймовірний танцюрист!
He had his quirks as a man but he was mighty talented! Thank you for so many memorable film moments and performances!!!
What an entertainer. What a marvelous talent. What a great dad he was too.
I knew about his song and dance. What I did not know is that Kelly was an exceptional dramatic actor. There was much more to him than just boy meets girl. He could stand toe to toe with the likes of Spencer Tracy. Watch their stinging dialog in the movie classic "Inherit the Wind".
and Noel Airman in Marjorie Morningstar please listen to him sing “ A very precious love “ from that film
“I love him still so much” this coming from his son says it all about the man. Respect.
I've always enjoyed and even loved Gene Kelly, and after watching this biography on his life, I love him even more!
What a lovely film and tribute to Gene I saw all those movies and watch them over and over on my dvds.Thank You Mr.Kelly❤❤
Thank you very much, he was a big part of my growing up. My mom loved musicals and we went to every one that came to my town. Then they started coming to televison and I got to love them more.
I stumbled across this and I am so glad I did. My mom was a child dancer at the Pantages theater in Los Angeles in the late 1920s-1930s, until she had polio with full paralysis. She wasn't expected to recover the use of her limbs much less have 5 kids. She never lost her love of dance so we watched everything available to us that included dance and music. I wish she lived long enough to see how following generations embraced and embodied that love.
I've always loved Gene Kelly since I was about 11. I'm now 62. I still admire his skill, and personality and his masculinity.❤😊
What an AMAZING MAN
I loved all of best dancing musicals like Gene Kelly, John Travolta lots more too like Singing in the Rain, Anchors Aweigh, On The Town, For Me and My Gal, An American In Paris, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Urban Cowboy, I loved them all!! Gene Kelly is one of the best iconic dancer in the world!! An American Treasure movie musicals never fade away they live in your memories forever!! R.I.P. Mr Gene Kelly you are now in musical heaven!! God
bless you Sir!!
Я очень люблю американские мюзиклы во много благодаря этому великолепному актеру. Я смотрю и пересматриваю его фильмы уже очень много лет. Прекрасный фильм, смотрела с огромным интересом. Всё в меру. Спасибо. Очень смешные титры. Всё равно спасибо.
glorious tribute...the fella's sweetness is what really comes across, he's very cuddly 🍸
This documentary didn't even mention the movie Xanadu! Gene Kelly was so beautiful in Xanadu. A movie where old times/dance/music & new times/dance/music meet with gusto & acceptance. I've loved Gene Kelly for so long & I don't intend to ever stop, not even when I take my last breath on this beautiful world! ❤️
To me Gene Kelly was a very handsome man his movies are such a joy to watch.
Какой молодец, выучил французский довольно быстро! И на хорошем уровне! Талантлив во всём!
Great piece and coverage of a great artist!
Love this documentary... I ended up with tears in my eyes.💞💝👒👔
Gene Kelly is a wonder, a unique dancer. Brilliant documentary, it was nice to see his children talking about their lovely father. Thanks for sharing.
I believe this was originally in French, this is a treasure.
Not a word about the pirate and that's my favourite Gene Kelly film!
The Pirate is an etraordinary film - and Judy's best performance too.
He was an adorable baby!
I love Gene forever. He’s the greatest ❤ and all of his works for Hollywood was 🙏🏼 phenomenal.
There aren't many who can level with Gene Kelly, when it's about charisma. A charmed life, so amazingly filled with the expressions of his talent, and his agility to adapt, alter, invent, create... in fact, what wasn't in the picture for him? Pun intended. I can't help wondering how he was when in a vulnerable state, and relentless in his teaching, with others in the movie business that had, or began to develop an attitude with dark shades below the stage floor, avoiding the spotlights.
Thank you so much for posting this
His talent was immeasurable and still so greatly needed in a contemporary setting
What an """artist athlete""....an impact on all dance lovers,the show business world ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!!!!!
Amazing actor❤ AMAZING humun
*human
Truly an innovative icon. Not inclusive to outstanding value of theatrical abilities,but his willingness to educate others in various aspects of life.
My favorite of all time and also got me through depression and happens to look like my grandfather. My favorite was his skating dance routine.
Gene Kelly and his family lived at the bottom of my street, before I was born, that is! And he attended the little dance school in Homestead, PA as a child, young teen. Crazy, because when I wanted to tone up after my first baby, it was the same ballet school I went to! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
He made it all look so effortless. He was and always will be the greatest dancer ever!
Saw Majorie Morningstar” and fell in love with him. At 77 , I still watch everything I can that he is in!
The year my grandmother died, I suffered from severe insomnia for the next two-three months. Between old YTV reruns of the show Emergency!, and another station (CBC maybe?) seemingly airing at least one Gene Kelly movie 2-3 times a week, it got me through. I had seen Singin’ in the Rain, and my Mum’s favourite Brigadoon, a number of times as an unappreciative 🙄 kid.
That summer, I really discovered how truly awesome Gene’s movies were. That Christmas I got An American in Paris and On the Town on dvd.
Thank you very much for sharing this biography. I grew up watching Singin' in the Rain in Beta Max video cassette. I don't know how many times I watched it over and over again when I was a kid. His contagious smile makes me feel so happy. Still in this day, when I feel low I open one of his musical movies and move on. Such a great actor.
an amazing tribute to a great performer.....
I had a HUGE crush on him before I even knew I was Gay. I can certainly believe I am not alone. He was magnificent, muscular, adept, masculine, strong and all while being light on his feet and spectacularly precise and talented. Watching him made me become an Actor Dancer.
Even in the late 1980s and early 1990s, what an inspiration Gene Kelly was to me. Having seen (and showing everyone I knew) An American in Paris, as a young folk musician in Los Angeles, I suddenly rolled up my sleeves and learned some dance.
Very precious documentary to understand the history of musicals, up to Michael Jackson with his white socks.
I LOVED That's Entertainment when I saw it at 12 yrs old