Obituaries in the news Mar 20, 2009
LONDON (AP) - Betsy Blair, the Oscar-nominated actress and teenage bride of Gene Kelly, has died. She was 85. (Anchorage Daily News)
Stars donate autographed umbrellas to help conjoined twins Mar 16, 2009
The OneHeart Umbrella Campaign will culminate with an April 4 gala at the theater hosted by entertainment legend Debbie Reynolds, who starred in the 1952 film version of "Singin' in the Rain" with Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. Reynolds will greet patrons who buy prime seating and sponsorship tables at a private reception before she performs with the Mesa theater. (AZCentral -- News)
O stands for Oscar and also for Oz Feb 21, 2009
Costume designer Orry-Kelly born John Kelly in Kiama in 1897 received the first of his three Oscars in 1952 for his work on the Gene Kelly musical An American In Paris. In 1958 he won another for Les Girls and in 1960 for Some Like It Hot. (The Age, Australia -- Entertainment)
Evolution revolution: Ed Asner and 'The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial' Feb 15, 2009
Written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee in the mid-1950s, "Inherit the Wind" is a fictional account of what is known as the Scopes trial, which became the subject of a 1960 Academy Award-nominated film starring Spencer Tracey, Frederick March and Gene Kelly and spawned several television treatments and many community theater productions. "Monkey Trial" was written by Peter Goodchild (at one time the head of science for the British Broadcasting Co.) and is based strictly on court transcripts... (Athens Banner-Herald)
Big bucks for a Britney bio? Not likely Feb 10, 2009
After all, Abdul at least owed an I hope you dont mind to Gene Kelly and Jerry the mouse (of Tom and Jerry fame) for their original dancing duet in 1945s Anchors Aweigh. . (MSNBC -- Gossip)
'Singin in the Rain' reigns Apr 1, 2008
Kelsey Theatre's opening night audience for Maurer Productions' "Singin' in the Rain" demonstrated one thing for sure: The 1952 film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Con nor, Jean Hagen and the teenage Debbie Reynolds is firmly em bedded in the American cultural genome, and people simply love it. The adoration was rewarded with a sterling production, witty direction, outstanding performers with charm as well as talent, and a stage set that left nothing to the imagination. (NJ.com -- Times)
An In-Their-Face View Mar 30, 2008
Gene Kelly did it with Vincente Minnelli in 'An American In Paris. They stopped the movie for 20 minutes at the end. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Making a big splash Mar 28, 2008
The sight of Gene Kelly twirling an umbrella and splashing around in puddles arguably is the most famous movie musical moment of all time. Advertisement. (The News-Herald)
School's super cool Mar 23, 2008
"The director, Kenny Ortega, who worked with (legendary film dancer) Gene Kelly and keeps referring to the master, has a definite vision for the High School Musical, but at the same time is always looking for something new," says Klapow. "People say High School Musical is Grease for the 21st century but you have to remember Grease II, unlike HSM2, wasn't considered as good as the first film. The reason? It didn't have the same cast and crew. The High School team has stayed together.". (Courier Mail)
Talk of the Town: I’ve got the Easter bonnet blues Mar 21, 2008
(Although Munshin was in successful MGM musicals such as Easter Parade and Take Me Out to the Ball Game, audiences would always remember him as one of the trio of sailors including Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York, it s a Wonderful Town in the hit On the Town ... The first was Gene Kelly in For Me and My Gal (1942) ... Gene Kelly was originally scheduled to play Don, but he broke his ankle when he stamped his foot in anger after losing a volleyball game. (Green Valley News & Sun, AZ)
Jumping on 'The Band Wagon' Mar 10, 2008
He adapted it from the 1980 film of the same name, a mess of a movie that was steeped in roller disco and gave Gene Kelly his last film role. Now, for the Old Globe, Beane has adapted another movie musical, Vincente Minnelli's 1953 The Band Wagon. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Profile: David Stratton Mar 5, 2008
Gene Kelly was one of the great entertainers from the golden era of Hollywood. send photos, videos ffs to 0424 SMS SMH (+61 424 767 764), or us. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Thousands cast early ballots Mar 5, 2008
On the Democratic side, Rick Noriega, Gene Kelly, Rhett Smith and Ray McMurrey are vying for a spot on the November ballot. Houston Community Newspapers Online 2008. (Pasadena Citizen, TX)
High school musicals Feb 24, 2008
you will also soon find weekly previews and eventually a half-dozen or more full reviews (some with photo journals) and reviews by student Kelly Critics from Pittsburgh CLO's Gene Kelly Awards ... 18th Gene Kelly Awards (Allegheny County): Benedum Center, Downtown, 7:30 p.m. May 24; 28 schools entered, marked ... " April 11-13 Neshannock, "Kiss Me Kate," April 11-13 Avonworth, "Disney's Beauty and the Beast," April 11-12, 18-19 April 14-20 Eden Christian Academy, "Narnia, the Musical," April... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Lights, cameras and action as Hollywood prepares for Oscars Feb 24, 2008
We just took a camera down there and the red carpet was there, Army Archerd was in the stands calling out the names of the stars and one by one they came: Richard Burton, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly. It was the thrill of my life. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
And the Oscar goes to. . . . Feb 22, 2008
Spencer Tracy and Gene Kelly in a classic film that taught me the importance of independent thinking. To Kill a Mockingbird. (Greenville Delta Democrat Times, MS)
Happy Burt-days! Feb 18, 2008
"), Bette Davis, Gene Kelly and "Missy" Stanwyck, among others. 2. The personalized notes. Cary Grant calls him "my, and the world's, favorite light comedian. " Elizabeth Taylor playfully writes: "Darling Burt, you need a more experienced woman (like me. (The Palm Beach Post)
Sorry You Missed My Book Signing Feb 15, 2008
While searching for something or other on the internet, shed come across an article Id written in which I mentioned that in spite of having interviewed the likes of Gerald Ford, Billy Wilder, Jerry Herman, Steve Allen, George Carlin, Art Linkletter, Henry Mancini, Judith Krantz and Sid Caesar, and having probably been the last person to have interviewed Gene Kelly, Sammy Cahn, G. David Schine and Ginger Rogers, the book had been spurned by any number of publishers who hadnt even wanted... (Townhall.com)
Movies with heart Feb 14, 2008
When best friends Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson) get lost on a hunting trip in Scotland, they discover a mysterious and seemingly timeless village called Brigadoon, where Tommy falls for the wistful Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse). The catch: for its own protection, the village exists only one day out of every one hundred years. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
My New York: Tony Roberts Feb 10, 2008
He danced with Gene Kelly for most of the musicals in the '50s and taught some of the greatest dancers on Broadway. And it's cheap - until recently, it was 10 a class. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Year of the Rat promises economic prosperity Feb 6, 2008
However, there will be more pressure and problems in the second half of the year," she said. People born in the Year of the Rat are said to be compatible with those born under the ox, dragon and monkey, and are not compatible with those born in a horse year. The western counterpart of the Rat horoscope is Sagittarius. Famous Rats include William Shakespeare, Prince Charles, Al Gore, George Washington, T.S. Eliot, Mozart, Claude Monet, the Queen Mother, Marlon Brando, George Bush, Jimmy Carter,... (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Features)
Review: S.F. Ballet opens season with charm Feb 1, 2008
But Hohenstein had the Gene Kelly ease for Mac, the high-flying station attendant, though he could ham it up yet more. And the orchestra sounded as if it was having fun with the tongue-in-cheek bombast of Virgil Thomson's winking, jazzy score under Music Director Martin West. (San Francisco Chronicle)
'Ziegfeld Follies' Jan 24, 2008
Then behold: Lucille Ball taming a pack of slinky catwomen; Judy Garland spoofing superstardom; and Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly engaging in a tap-dance battle. This luscious 1946 musical directed by Vincente Minnelli showcases MGM's galaxy of stars and proves bigger really is better. (Boston Globe)
Movie musicals rule again Jan 24, 2008
Other movie musicals (although not necessarily based on or adapted from stage musicals) had also left legacies Gene Kelly splashing in the rain; Fred whirling Ginger around a silvery ballroom; the Jets and the Sharks coolly making menace through a mambo routine; and Catherine Deneuves whispery crooning at a little umbrella shop in Cherbourg. Unfortunately, audiences eventually became jaded of the ever present sing-and-dance routines, and the movie musical lost its appeal. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
'American Idol' Executive Producer's Secret Flop: 'The Apple' Jan 17, 2008
"Can't Stop the Music" featured Steve Guttenberg in short shorts and the Village People, and "Xanadu" shoved cinema legend Gene Kelly into a pair of roller skates, but many critics agree that "The Apple" takes the cake when it comes to pure schlocky incoherence. The sci-fi allegory which essentially boils down to a music competition not unlike "American Idol" (except that it involves God and the devil) confounded audiences when it hit theaters in November 1980. (VHI.com -- Music News)
La Jolla Playhouse unveils two more shows for '08 season Jan 17, 2008
The film starred Olivia Newton-John as a mystical roller-mama and Gene Kelly (in his final film role) as mentor to a young skating enthusiast. Ashley's version preserves much of the Electric Light Orchestra's score, by far the best part of the movie. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Musical star Depp makes the cut Jan 15, 2008
But she had done little dancing and was intimidated at the prospect of partnering Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor in dance routines. Under Kelly's demanding tutelage, she found a way to channel her natural agility and buoyancy into stylish dance steps. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Chris Brown heats up arena Jan 8, 2008
He danced with an umbrella in a way that has not been done since Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain. During a costume change, and presumably a breather, his two child backup dancers, one 9, one 11, came out and soloed. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Michael Kidd, 92; inventive choreographer for Broadway, Hollywood Dec 25, 2007
In 1955, Kidd made his screen debut in Donen's "It's Always Fair Weather," which starred Charisse, Gene Kelly and Dan Dailey. His performance pleased critics, including the New York Times' Bosley Crowther, who described Kidd's acting as "somewhat in the style of Frank Sinatra.". (Los Angeles Times)
Michael Kidd; won 5 Tonys for choreography Dec 25, 2007
Mr. Kidd also choreographed and directed "Merry Andrew," starring Kaye, and appeared on-screen dancing with Gene Kelly and Dan Dailey in "It's Always Fair Weather.". The great New York City Ballet dancer Jacques d'Amboise, who was in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," said at the time that Mr. Kidd was "willing to do anything himself that he expects of his dancers. And he's a great dancer himself - we respect that.". (Boston Globe)
10 hottest aprs ski bars Dec 8, 2007
Clink whisky sours and hope that the resident pianist will dance on the grand piano, as Gene Kelly did one night long ago. Stein Ericksen LodgeDon your Dale of Norway sweater and settle into a cozy chair near the fireplace at Deer Valley, Utah's Troll Hallen Lounge, the bastion of all things Nordic. (MSNBC -- Travel)
EMI Music Publishing Signs Usher's Brother, Hitmaking Producer JLack, to a Worldwide Publishing Deal Dec 7, 2007
Recently, JLack produced a remake of the Gene Kelly classic "Singin' In The Rain" for Usher's performance on MOVIES ROCK, the two-hour CBS special celebrating the role that music has played in films, airing on December 7th at 9 pm et/pt. "JLack is an incredibly talented songwriter and producer. He has a true musical sensitivity and this, coupled with his incredible drive, is the combination for a bright future. He has emerged gracefully as a true songwriter," says Big Jon Platt, Executive Vice... (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
12/7: Usher salutes movie classics Dec 7, 2007
Yes, it's imposing to do a number that Gene Kelly mastered 55 years ago. "All of the greats get copied," Usher says. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
'Movies Rock' brings major star power as celebs from music and film mix it up Dec 4, 2007
LL Cool J complimented Usher on his modern Gene Kelly moves, telling him, "I loved it." Legend, who sang "As Time Goes By" with Mary J. Blige, was glued to a screen in the green room while Fergie performed. Other highlights included Jennifer Hudson singing "Somewhere" from "West Side Story," Queen Latifah's performance of "Big Spender" and Carrie Underwood's rendition of "The Sound of Music.". (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Leaping star lost his fear of tights Nov 29, 2007
"EVEN as a kid in the Australian Ballet School, Daniel Gaudiello had that Gene Kelly, gotta dance aura," said David McAllister. As artistic director of the Australian Ballet, McAllister knows Gaudiello "lights up the stage and people ask, 'Who is that boy?' ". (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Indy champ finishes first in 'Dancing With the Stars' Nov 29, 2007
It was a charming moment - Gene Kelly couldn't have pulled it off better - and it encapsulates what audiences want from their 8 p.m.-hour TV. In an era of snark and cynicism, this show has met an untapped need. No wonder movie musicals have made a comeback, too. (Boston Globe)
The urban jungle Nov 16, 2007
On the left bank, with Notre-Dame in the background, Goldie Hawn, propped up by special effects, dances above and around a stiff Woody Allen: poor stand-ins for Leslie Caron and Gene Kelly, or Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. Agn;s Poirier. (Guardian Unlimited)
Golden oldies at the golden archesAn array of performers makes Monday nights at McDonalds the 'in' spot Nov 16, 2007
Pikesville resident Wilbur Baron was tutored by Gene Kelly and was a professional dancer, performing on Broadway and television and in touring shows with his twin brother, William. Now, Wilbur sways like a feather across the McDonald's floor with his sweetheart, Irene Abarbanel. (Owings Mills Times, MD)
'Just singin' and dancin' in the rain' Oct 29, 2007
Gene Kelly in the 1952 film 'Singin' in the Rain. . (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
The week's best films Oct 20, 2007
On The Town (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, 1949) 10am, C4 ... Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Jules Munshin are sailors on leave in New York and searching for the delectable Ivy (Vera-Ellen). (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
Spreading a little magic - PART 2 Oct 20, 2007
" Like drawing and painting, he wishes he would have picked up a musical instrument and mastered it, the way he has the 400 different dance moves he took from studying every Gene Kelly movie, from 1942's "For Me and My Gal" to 1952's "Singing In The Rain", and then applied them to his ballroom dance classes, which were always full. The (Hamline University) Oracle March 23, 1990 To the Editor: There are many classes that you take, finish, and then forget. And then there are Dick Mulkern's... (Hampton Chronicle, IA)
Playhouse's new chief not wasting time settling in Oct 15, 2007
In April, soon after Ashley accepted the Playhouse offer, he resumed rehearsals for this new Broadway musical, backed by indie producers and based on the flop 1980 movie with Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly, though with a new book by impish funnyman Douglas Carter Beane. Featuring a frustrated painter and the muse sent to Earth to help him open a roller disco, the show includes original hits from the multi-platinum movie soundtrack by Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra, and John... (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Paul X. O'Neill; dancer founded high-tech firm Oct 4, 2007
"He was a self-made man from Roxbury, who made hard-to-fabricate items to exacting standards, but he was also a wonderful pianist who could dance just like Gene Kelly," retired Rear Admiral Paul Mulloy of Falmouth, Mr. O'Neill's classmate at the academy, said yesterday. "He called himself a nuclear nerd, but he was very unnerdy. He was a great entertainer who should have been on the stage," Peter X. O'Neill Sr. of North Andover said yesterday of his father, 78, who died of pneumonia Sept. 25 in... (Boston Globe)
Britney's crime against choreography tops poll Oct 1, 2007
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers took fourth place for their classic celluloid dance routines in the 1930s while Gene Kelly landed sixth place for the 1952 classic Singin in the Rain. . (MSNBC -- News)
Michael Evans, 87, star of stage, TV soap Oct 1, 2007
The play was turned into a musical starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. In the late 1950s Mr. Evans played Henry Higgins in a touring production of "My Fair Lady," performing in the United States and abroad, including in Russia at the height of the Cold War. (Boston Globe)
Kermit the Frog on TCM Sep 29, 2007
" What are Kermit the Frog's Fave Flicks? Apparently the Green Guy digs such family-friendly fare as 1952's Gene Kelly musical Singin' in the Rain (screening at 8pm), Fred Astaire/Cyd Charisse musical The Band Wagon (10pm), Cyrano de Bergerac (possibly the 1990 version with G;rard Depardieu) (12am) and Lassie Come Home (2am). Not bad for a frog. I can take or leave the Lassie flick, but Singin' in the Rain is an acknowledged classic, The Band Wagon has its fans, and Depardieu totally rocked the... (Suite101.com)
A full, if incomplete, look at life of Pete Seeger Sep 28, 2007
In the archival footage he looks like a hayseed Gene Kelly. Seeger found commercial success with the Almanac Singers and the Weavers in the 1940s before the blacklist knocked him off the airwaves for the better part of two decades. (Boston Globe)
Alex Romero, 94; choreographer for Elvis Presley Sep 18, 2007
He was a featured dancer in "On the Town," a 1949 film that starred Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. He also performed in the 1951 film "An American in Paris," which also starred Kelly. (Los Angeles Times)
Miyoshi Umeki Sep 17, 2007
Flower Drum Song, directed by Gene Kelly and featuring a mostly Asian cast, had the Japanese Umeki playing an illegal Chinese immigrant just arrived in San Francisco for an arranged marriage - Broadway and Hollywood seldom bothered to make ethnic distinctions. Her two solo numbers, A Hundred Million Miracles and I'm Going To Like It Here, were sweetly sung both on stage and in the 1961 film version, but the character was not much of an advance from the days of Anna May Wong. (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
Name-Dropping Sep 14, 2007
Every so often in the business of reporting, you suspect you really shouldn't take the money, that you'd do this stuff gratis. I felt that way last week when Pavarotti died. (Forbes)
TV Countdown: Who'll get the hook? Sep 12, 2007
There's no spark or fire to Owen, and his dancing won't exactly make anyone think Gene Kelly - or even Hugh Jackman, who steals the show. And, it's petty theft at best. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Read on... Sep 12, 2007
Three films that mean a lot to me: ST: Singin in the Rain, directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly ... Annie Hall, directed by Woody AllenTootsie, directed by Sydney PollackSingin in the Rain, directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly. (Variety)
In the Grand Cunard Tradition, Entertainment Aboard Queen Victoria Will Strike a Visual High Note Aug 30, 2007
Outstanding international dancers execute superb and diverse choreography, capturing the magic of Gene Kelly, the sensual Argentine Tango, Salsa and Samba. The show delivers the grace and elegance of classic dance to the vibrant energy of Swing and Jump Jive. (Canada Newswire)
The kids are back on Disney Channel with 'High School Musical 2' Aug 17, 2007
Despite the fact that Chad's been dancing like a mop-headed Gene Kelly (Again, ask your grandparents) ever since the film started, he says he won't dance in the kids' number unless Ryan can prove his prowess on the ball field. Of course it makes no sense, but what matters is that the number is hot. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Spitzer ally returns to DEC Aug 15, 2007
Gene Kelly, an assistant attorney general for 10 years, is the last regional director to be appointed by DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis. Previously, he was an assistant attorney in DEC Region 4, which includes Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Schenectady and Schoharie counties. (Albany Times Union)
'Xanadu' stars rock but don't roll Aug 11, 2007
Hoffman and Testa seem the most unrestrained among the cast, which includes Kerry Butler as the head muse and Tony Roberts in the only other non-skating role, one originally filled by Gene Kelly on screen. "We were allowed more than anybody else in the cast to go more cartoony," says Hoffman. (CNN -- Showbiz)
Bad Traffic, Good Movie Aug 8, 2007
He's still the Gene Kelly of martial arts. Tucker and Ratner can't even begin to match Chan's grace, but to their credit, they seem to know it. (City Pages)
Ballet master to offer dance expertise to local residents Aug 4, 2007
A third-generation performer, France's grandparents worked the vaudeville circuit, and his parents' credits include work on Broadway and in Hollywood with such notables as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Fosse and Jerome Robbins ... "Gene Kelly used to say that dance is something that is handed down from one person to the next," said France. (Mexico Ledger, MO)
Pittsburgh's 'everyman' attributes make it popular for TV shows Jul 28, 2007
Carl Kurlander, a writer and TV producer who also penned the 1985 film, t. Elmo's Fire, calls it n everyman philosophy, an attractive character attribute, which many Pittsburgh-born actors, including Gene Kelly, Michael Keaton and Jeff Goldblum, have possessed, he said. Having several Pittsburgh-area expatriates in show business doesn't hurt, either, Kurlander said. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
New on DVD: 'Zodiac' has supreme stars Jul 27, 2007
But time has been kind to the film with Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Vincente Minnelli, Cole Porter, the Nicholas Brothers and d ... Highlights: Blue Moon (Mel Torme); Where or When (Lena Horne); Johnny One Note (Judy Garland); and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen dance in a waterfront dive). (USA Today -- Life)
The stage's rainmaker Jul 26, 2007
Puddles form and the title scene that made Gene Kelly a Hollywood legend springs forth like an April shower. Bielich says, "It's a lot of fun actually.". (KFOR Oklahoma City, OK)
New on DVD: Zodiac, The Number 23 Jul 24, 2007
Seven musicals from the MGM vaults arrive in a seven-disc set and in a series of single-DVD and two-disc releases, led by the 1948 swashbuckler The Pirate, starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly and directed by Garlands husband at the time, Vincente Minnelli. Garland also stars with Mickey Rooney in 1948s Words and Music, a tale about songwriters Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, while Kelly is host of the 1985 retrospective Thats Dancing. (MSNBC -- Movies)
New on DVD: Miller pops in 'Factory Girl' Jul 20, 2007
Due Tuesday: David Fincher's spectacularly good Zodiac; Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in Vincente Minnelli's The Pirate; a Woody Woodpecker box set. Share this story. (USA Today -- Life)
'Xanadu' on stage Jul 13, 2007
Part of the story involves a regretful older businessman, played here by Tony Roberts (Gene Kelly in the movie), who owns the building Sonny wants to use as the disco. When young, he didn't follow his muse and ended up rich - but alone. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
'Xanadu': A flop on screen, a waste on stage Jul 13, 2007
Best of all, Tony Roberts turns up in a role played on-screen by Gene Kelly and engages the musical's winking retro references with truly old-school grace. It would have been nice if Xanadu had been designed with more of Roberts' wit and affection or if the muses had inspired the show's creators to come up with some new ideas, rather than just deriding old ones. (USA Today -- Life)
