Gene Kelly collection of home movies, dance excerpts, and other material, circa 1940-1969.

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Summary

Creators:
Kelly, Gene, 1912-1996.
Abstract:
This collection features home movies of parties for Gene Kelly's children, Christmas gatherings, Kelly fishing, Kelly in Dakar, Accra, Paris, Abidjan, Ghana, Kelly in Monte Carlo with Yul Brynner and Prince Rainer, and Kelly getting his footprints in cement at the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theater as part of the promotion for the film he directed, Hello, Dolly! (1969). Dance sequences are clips from Kelly's feature films: Summer stock (1950), Words and music (1948), Living in a big way (1947), An American in Paris (1951), Thousands cheer (1943), The pirate (1948), It's always fair weather (1955), Brigadoon (1954), and Singin' in the rain (1952). Also featured is an excerpt from a kinescope of the 34th annual Academy Awards where Kelly is presented with a special award during a segment saluting choreographer Jerome Robbins, 16 mm. copies of the feature films, For me and my gal (1942) and Living in a big way (1947), and behind the scenes amateur footage shot during the production of The Three Musketeers (1948). A short film labeled Clown around shows various shots of circus clowns and brief glimpses of their acts. All films are 16 mm., except two 35 mm. reels of dance excerpts, two reels of home movies on Super 8, and four 3/4 in. videocassettes of home movies transferred by the Kelly estate.
Extent:
24 film reels, 4 videocassettes.
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Gene Kelly Collection at the UCLA Film Television Archive.

Background

Biographical / historical:
Eugene (Gene) Curran Kelly (1912-1996) was born in the Highland Park district of Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania and worked professionally in motion pictures and television as a dancer, choreographer, actor, producer, and director. In 1941, he married his first wife, actress Betsy Blair (1923- ). The couple divorced in 1957. Their only daughter, Kerry, was born on October 16, 1942. In 1960, Kelly married Jeanne Coyne (1923-1973). They had two children, Timothy (1962-) and Bridget (1964-). Kelly was a Kennedy Center honoree in 1982, received the American Film Institute's lifetime achievement award in 1985 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. Kelly married writer Patricia Ward in 1990. For the remaining years of his life he was hard at work on his autobiography, which was unfinished at the time of his death on February 2, 1996. He died after a series of strokes at the Beverly Hills home he had lived in since 1946.
Acquisition information:

Patricia Kelly,

Patricia Kelly,

Physical description:
24 film reels, 4 videocassettes.
Note:

Access to home movies is restricted.

Inventory list available. Inquire at the Archive Research and Study Center.

Access and use

Restrictions:
Access to home movies is restricted.
Terms of access:
Copyright not assigned to UCLA Film Television Archive.
Preferred citation:
Gene Kelly Collection at the UCLA Film Television Archive.
Location of this collection:
302 East Melnitz
Box 951323
Los Angeles, CA 90095, US
Contact:
(310) 206-8013
archive@ucla.edu
Website