Gene Kelly

thumb|Gene Kelly in 1943 Gene Kelly (born Eugene Curran Kelly, August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and choreographer. Quotes I really don't know why I clicked. I didn't want to be a dancer, I just did it to work my way through college. But I was always an athlete and gymnast, so it came naturally. Quoted in "Gene Kelly's Musical Memories" by Rex Reed, in The Chicago Tribune (November 29, 1970) In the 1930s, when I started, Martha Graham was the only dancer doing anything modern, but she did it all to classical music. I couldn't see myself doing Swan Lake every night, and I wanted to develop a truly American style. The only dancer in the movies at that time with any success was Fred Astaire, but he did very small, elegant steps in a top hat, white tie, and tails. Quoted in "Gene Kelly's Musical Memories" It's all true. It's true I didn't want to be a dancer. What I really wanted to be was a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then at 14 I discovered girls, and began to study dancing diligently. At that time dancing was the only way you could put your arm around the girl. Dancing was courtship. Only later did I discover you dance joy. You dance love. You dance dreams. Of course, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost a hell of a shortstop. Speaking on March 8, 1985 at the American Film Institute; as quoted in "Hollywood Honors Man Who `Danced Joy'" by Paul Rosenfield, in Los Angeles Times (March 9, 1985) Fred Astaire represented the aristocracy, I represented the proletariat. Quoted in Vaudeville Old and New, Frank Cullen, Florence Hackman, Donald McNeilly (2004) External links Category:1912 births Category:1996 deaths Category:Actors from Pittsburgh Category:Dancers from the United States Category:Film directors from the United States Category:Producers from the United States Category:Singers from the United States Category:Agnostics from the United States Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh Category:Academy Honorary Award recipients Category:Former Roman Catholics Category:Primetime Emmy Award winners