Kelly, Gene

orig. Eugene Curran Kelly

(born Aug. 23, 1912, Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S.—died Feb. 2, 1996, Beverly Hills, Calif.) U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, and movie director. After training at his mother's dance school in Pittsburgh, he moved to New York in 1938 and danced in Broadway musicals, creating the title role in in 1940. Beginning in 1942, his athletic style and carefree acting—exemplified in the popular (1945), (1949), (1951), and (1952), which he also helped choreograph and direct—became hallmarks of the movie musical. His achievements earned him a special Academy Award in 1951. He later choreographed and directed numerous other movies and created a ballet for the Paris Opéra (1960).

Find more information on Kelly, Gene. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Kelly, Gene.