Trivia

Tony Martin, the husband of MGM star/dancer Cyd Charisse, said he could tell who she had been dancing with that day on an MGM set. If she came home covered with bruises on her, it was the very physically-demanding Gene Kelly, if not it was the smooth and agile Fred Astaire.

Was sick, and had a fever of 103 degrees while filming the famous rain scene in Singin' in the Rain (1952).

He and his younger brother Fred Kelly appeared together in a dancing vaudeville act. When Gene got his big break as Harry the hoofer in the dramatic Broadway production of "The Time of Your Life" in 1939, he was eventually replaced by brother Fred, who took it on the road and won a Donaldson award for his efforts.

Was originally set to star as Don Hewes alongside Judy Garland in Easter Parade (1948). However, before filming began he got hurt and broke his ankle, resulting in Fred Astaire coming out of retirement to replace him.

While the main number in 'Singin in the Rain' looks as if it was done in one continuous take it was actually done over 6 days and Gene was suffering from a fever with a temperature of 103.

In a video interview in the late 1990s, Jules Dassin recalled that, after he had been blacklisted in Hollywood and escaped to Europe to continue his film directing and writing career, Kelly was the only American who was willing to be seen in public with him when they ran into each other at a Cannes Film Festival in the 1950s. Dassin recalled (but did not identify) another American celebrity who actually hid under a table to avoid being seen with him.

His last movie musical was Xanadu (1980) co-starring the late Olivia Newton-John.

Was dance consultant for Madonna's 1993 "Girlie Show" tour.

He was cremated without a funeral or memorial service.

During World War II, he was a sailor stationed at the United States Naval Photographic Center in Anacostia, D.C. (where the documentary Victory at Sea (1952) was later assembled for NBC-TV). He starred in several Navy films while on active duty there and in "civilian" films while on leave.

His trademark scar on the left side of his face was the result of a bike accident when Gene was 5 years old, which required stitches.

Ray Bradbury's novel "Something Wicked This Way Comes" was dedicated to Kelly.

Gene Kelly loved playing volley-ball at home, with his friends, on a concrete floor. His villa was never closed, always opened day and night for visitors.

Awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Bill Clinton in 1994.

He and MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer shared a long-standing feud stemming from even before Kelly entered the motion picture business. One evening after seeing Gene perform in "Pal Joey" on Broadway, Mayer met him backstage and offered to sign him to MGM without a screen test. When Kelly later received a call from an MGM representative requesting a screen test, he insisted there was some sort of mistake, saying he had Mayer's word he did not have to make one and told the rep to ask Mayer himself. When the rep did, he called back days later stating that he did talk to Mayer and that he still had to make a test. Kelly was furious and wrote a scathing letter to Mayer for retracting his promise. For the first couple of years he worked for Mayer, Kelly was uncertain that Mayer even read the letter until he brought it up in an argument one evening.

Graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in economics.

Working on an autobiography at the time of his death.

Kelly's father was Al Jolson's road manager in the 1920s.

Had three children: Kerry Kelly, with Betsy Blair, in 1942, and Bridget Kelly and Tim Kelly, with Jeanne Coyne, in the 1960s.

He never wanted to be a dancer, his original ambition was to be a baseball player.

Was named the #15 greatest actor on The 50 Greatest Screen Legends list by the American Film Institute

A stage version of "Singin' in the Rain" was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 for Outstanding Musical Production, with choreography by Kelly.

In order to secure the film rights to the hit musical "Best Foot Forward," MGM loaned Kelly's to Columbia for one picture. Although it was assumed the studio would mount an adaptation of Kelly's stage hit "Pal Joey," for which it owned the screen rights, Columbia instead co-starred him with its top star, Rita Hayworth, in Cover Girl (1944). Ironically, when they did finally film the property over a decade later with Frank Sinatra, Hayworth again co-starred.

Martial arts stars Jackie Chan and David Carradine both cite him as an influence.

He lost his Catholic faith in the late 1930s, mainly as a result of the Church's support for Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War, and what he perceived as the Church's indifference to the extreme poverty he witnessed in Mexico.

His favourite number from singing in the Rain was 'Broadway Melody'.

According to his widow Patricia Ward Kelly, Kelly was such an avid reader he would often read a book in one day.

Bob Fosse originally wanted him for a lead role in a musical film adaptation of the Maurine Dallas Watkins play "Chicago" around the early 1970s. He eventually gave up the choice, and Fosse opted to do a stage musical instead.

He named A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) as his favorite film for the AFI.

Producer David O. Selznick signed Kelly to his first Hollywood contract after seeing him star in "Pal Joey" on Broadway. Though Gene had had other offers from studios, he chose to sign with Selznick mostly because his was the only studio that did not insist on a screen test before signing him. Selznick sold Kelly's contact to MGM before he could find a suitable role for him to appear in.

Jeanne Coyne, Kelly's second wife, was previously married to his show-business partner Stanley Donen.

Judy Garland was responsible for MGM's Arthur Freed buying out David O. Selznick's personal exclusive contract with Kelly, who arrived in town in 1941. He came direct to Hollywood from his 1940 successful Broadway musical production of "Pal Joey." He planned to return to New York City, to the Broadway stage, after fulfilling his one-picture deal with Selznick. However, Selznick basically kept him off the screen after he arrived in Hollywood, basically putting his career on hold. Garland, who knew about Kelly's reputation on Broadway, told Freed--who was the producer in charge of making MGM's musicals--that she wanted Kelly as her partner in her next musical for the studio. Freed negotiated a deal with Selznick that resulted in MGM buying out Kelly's contract, which enabled him to play opposite Judy in For Me and My Gal (1942). The film was a huge success and jump-started Kelly's (up to that point) faltering film career.

He has appeared in three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951) and Singin' in the Rain (1952). He has also directed two films that are in the registry: On the Town and Singin' in the Rain.

His first two wives were dancers. Betsy Blair met him while she was a performer and he a choreographer in the show "Diamond Horseshoe". Second wife Jeanne Coyne was Gene's dancing assistant for many years before they married in 1960. A major talent in her own right, her dazzling footwork can be seen in the "From This Moment On" number alongside partner Bobby Van, Ann Miller, Tommy Rall, Carol Haney and Bob Fosse in Kiss Me Kate (1953) (1953). She died of leukemia in 1973.

Attended Penn State University before transferring to University of Pittsburgh, where he graduated with a degree in economics.

Kennedy Center Honoree, 1982

In the film 'Demoiseles de Rochfort' he played an American concert pianist and did his own dialogue in fluent French.

Has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6153 Hollywood Blvd.

MGM grudgingly allowed him 5 days filming in New York for 'On the Town'.

He was granted Irish citizenship later in his life under Ireland's Citizenship by Foreign Birth program.

Inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2014.

After his death it was reported that he had donated money to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the 1970s, at the height of its bombing campaign in the UK and "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland.

With the film of 'Hello Dolly' he devoted a year on the script, casting, and working with choreographer Michael Kidd in developing concepts of the musical sequences and integrating them into the overall production. He involved himself in all the minute preparation then taking charge of the crew and putting it into the film.

He was voted the 42nd Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

Joined the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity while studying at the University of Pittsburgh.

Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in Madonna's song "Vogue"

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1959

His father was of Irish descent and his mother was of half Irish and half German ancestry.

In October 1997 he was ranked #26 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.

Was one of Heath Ledger's idols.