Gene Kelly: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Gene Kelly turned the Hollywood musical into something muscular and vernacular — "dance for the common man" — welding ballet, tap and Pittsburgh-gym athleticism to the camera itself. This mix traces the hoofers and ballet modernists he absorbed, the painters and composers he raided, and the filmmakers who still quote him.

The Kynda mix for Gene Kelly

• Key Influence · Top Hat by Fred Astaire (1935). Astaire was the benchmark Kelly measured himself against and defined himself away from: where Astaire danced in top hat and tails as an aristocrat of elegance, Kelly deliberately danced in loafers, sailor suits and work shirts.
• Influencia Obscura · Gaîté Parisienne by Léonide Massine (1938). The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's touring repertory brought Massine's character-ballet comedy to American cities in the late 1930s, and this fusion of popular dance idiom with classical technique is the template behind Kelly's long narrative ballets. Massine's crowded cafe tableaux, danced by recognizable social types rather than sylphs, anticipate the market and street ensembles Kelly staged on soundstages.
• Local Roots · Lush Life by Billy Strayhorn (1949). Strayhorn grew up in Pittsburgh's Homewood district in the same years Kelly was teaching at the family dance studios in East Liberty and Johnstown. The city's extraordinary interwar output — Strayhorn, Erroll Garner, Earl Hines, Lena Horne — formed the musical hinterland Kelly came from, and Strayhorn's sophisticated sense of harmony is the sound of the same industrial town that produced Kelly's work ethic.
• Beyond the Medium · An American in Paris by George Gershwin (1928). Gershwin's 1928 symphonic poem existed for over two decades before Kelly and Vincente Minnelli used it whole as the spine of a seventeen-minute wordless ballet climaxing the 1951 film. Taking a concert-hall score rather than a song cycle forced Kelly to think in symphonic structure — development, key change, recapitulation — instead of chorus-and-verse, reshaping how screen dance could be built.
• Peer · Fancy Free by Jerome Robbins (1944). Robbins's ballet about three sailors on shore leave, with a Leonard Bernstein score, became the show On the Town — which Kelly filmed in 1949, playing one of those sailors and shooting on location in New York. The two men were the era's rival inventors of an American vernacular dance vocabulary, both pulling ballet technique toward gum-chewing, hip-swinging ordinary bodies.
• From the Canon · Singin' in the Rain by Gene Kelly (1952). Co-directed with Stanley Donen from a Comden and Green script built out of Arthur Freed's back catalogue, this is the fullest statement of Kelly's method: dance arising from props, puddles, furniture and rage rather than from a stage. The title number, shot with a drenched Kelly reportedly working through a fever, remains the definitive demonstration that choreography and camera movement are one act.
• Key Collaborator · Charade by Stanley Donen (1963). Donen co-directed On the Town, Singin' in the Rain and It's Always Fair Weather with Kelly after starting as a teenage chorus dancer alongside him in the Broadway Pal Joey. Charade shows what Donen brought to that partnership independent of dance: crisp comic timing, elegant camera placement and a European lightness, the craft side of a collaboration usually credited entirely to Kelly's legs.
• Legacy · La La Land by Damien Chazelle (2016). Chazelle has been explicit about building his Los Angeles musical on the Kelly-Donen model, from the long-take freeway opener to a lamppost-lit hilltop soft-shoe and a closing fantasy ballet that restages An American in Paris as what-might-have-been. The film's entire argument — that dance can be shot in real places by non-virtuoso bodies — descends from Kelly's dance-for-the-common-man creed.

What influenced Gene Kelly

• An American in Paris by George Gershwin. An American in Paris (George Gershwin) — culture for Gene Kelly “The result was Pas de Dieux, based on Greek mythology, combined with the music of George Gershwin's Concerto in F.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Robert Alton. Alton is explicitly identified as an influence on Kelly's film work. “When he began his collaborative film work, he was influenced by Robert Alton and John Murray Anderson , striving to create moods and character insight with his dances.” (Wikipedia)
• John Murray Anderson. Anderson is explicitly identified as an influence on Kelly's film work. “When he began his collaborative film work, he was influenced by Robert Alton and John Murray Anderson , striving to create moods and character insight with his dances.” (Wikipedia)
• George M. Cohan. Kelly expressly acknowledged Cohan's influence on his dancing. “He especially acknowledged the influence of George M. Cohan : "I have a lot of Cohan in me. It's an Irish quality, a jaw-jutting, up-on-the-toes cockiness—which is a good quality for a male dancer to have."” (Wikipedia)
• Robert Dotson. The article explicitly identifies Dotson as a strong influence on Kelly. “He was heavily influenced by an African-American dancer, Robert Dotson , whom he saw perform at Loew's Penn Theatre around 1929.” (Wikipedia)
• Frank Harrington. Harrington briefly taught Kelly tap dancing. “He was briefly taught by Frank Harrington, an African-American tap specialist from New York.” (Wikipedia)
• Kotchetovsky. Kelly studied ballet under Kotchetovsky. “However, his main interest was in ballet, which he studied under Kotchetovsky in the early 1930s.” (Wikipedia)
• Angel Cansino. Kelly studied Spanish dancing under Cansino. “He studied Spanish dancing under Angel Cansino, Rita Hayworth 's uncle.” (Wikipedia)
• Douglas Fairbanks Sr.. Kelly names Fairbanks when asked who his biggest influence was. “It was Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. I couldn’t believe his grace, his moves, his athleticism.” (Interview Magazine)
• Top Hat by Fred Astaire (1935). Top Hat (Fred Astaire) — titan for Gene Kelly “In Ziegfeld Follies (1946)—which was produced in 1944 but delayed for release—Kelly collaborated with Fred Astaire, for whom he had the greatest admiration, in "The Babbitt and the Bromide" challenge dance routine.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Pal Joey by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (1940). Pal Joey (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) — titan for Gene Kelly (wikidata.org)
• Gaîté Parisienne by Léonide Massine (1938). Gaîté Parisienne (Léonide Massine) — ghost for Gene Kelly (wikidata.org)
• Slaughter on Tenth Avenue by George Balanchine (1936). Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (George Balanchine) — ghost for Gene Kelly (wikidata.org)
• Moulin Rouge: La Goulue by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1891). Moulin Rouge: La Goulue (Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec) — culture for Gene Kelly (wikidata.org)
• Yankee Doodle Dandy by James Cagney (1942). Yankee Doodle Dandy (James Cagney) — titan for Gene Kelly
• Le Moulin de la Galette by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1876). Le Moulin de la Galette (Pierre-Auguste Renoir) — culture for Gene Kelly

Peers and kindred spirits

• Fred Astaire (1899). Astaire danced with Gene Kelly in Ziegfeld Follies. (also via Top Hat) “In Ziegfeld Follies (1946)—which was produced in 1944 but delayed for release—Kelly collaborated with Fred Astaire , for whom he had the greatest admiration, in "The Babbitt and the Bromide" challenge dance routine.” (Wikipedia)
• Judy Garland. Kelly and Garland appeared together in three named films. (also via Singin' in the Rain) “In her next film, For Me and My Gal (1942), Garland performed with Gene Kelly in his first screen appearance.” (Wikipedia)
• Vincente Minnelli. Kelly worked with director Minnelli on The Pirate. (also via Meet Me in St. Louis) “You seemed to have a brief problem with writers during The Pirate (1948), when they wanted to reverse the situation, and make Gene Kelly a pirate who wanted to be a good actor rather than an actor pretending to be a pirate.” (Henry Sheehan Interviews)
• Jacques Demy. Kelly appeared in Demy's The Young Girls of Rochefort. (also via Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) “Gene KELLY talks about her work as a choreographer and actor in Jacques DEMY’s film "Les demoiselles de Rochefort".” (INA Mediaclip)
• Jackie Gleason. Kelly directed Gleason in Gigot. “Perhaps Gene Kelly might not have been the right director for this exercise but it fitted with his likening to attempt unusual subjects – and Gigot is certainly unusual.” (Rotten Tomatoes)
• Lucille Ball. Kelly and Ball appeared together in Du Barry Was a Lady. “Lucille Ball wins that part, and Gene Kelly plays emcee Alec Howe.” (Gene Kelly Fans)
• Frank Sinatra (1915). Sinatra reunited with Gene Kelly for a television special. “This musical film persuaded Arthur Freed to have Kelly make On the Town , also in 1949, in which he partnered with Frank Sinatra for the third and final time.” (Wikipedia)
• Stanley Donen. Donen assisted Kelly's choreography. (also via Charade) “He choreographed his own movement, along with that of the ensemble, with the assistance of Jeanne Coyne , Stanley Donen, Carol Haney , and Alex Romero.” (Wikipedia)
• Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola invited Kelly to recruit production staff for One from the Heart. “He has collaborated with the likes of Twyla Tharp and served as special advisor at Francis Ford Coppola’s now-defunct Zoetrope Studios.” (Interview Magazine)
• Michael Kidd (1915). Kidd joined Kelly in a dance trio in It's Always Fair Weather. (also via Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) “The first of these, It's Always Fair Weather (1955), co-directed with Donen, was a musical satire on television and advertising, and includes his roller-skate dance routine to I Like Myself , and a dance trio with Michael Kidd and Dan Da…” (Wikipedia)
• Lush Life by Billy Strayhorn (1949). Lush Life (Billy Strayhorn) — geography for Gene Kelly “The former Regent Theatre in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood was renamed the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in honor of Strayhorn and fellow Pittsburgh resident Gene Kelly in 2000.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• A Smattering of Ignorance by Oscar Levant (1940). A Smattering of Ignorance (Oscar Levant) — geography for Gene Kelly “He acted in supporting roles in musicals starring Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and also in several movies, including The Barkleys of Broadway (1949), An American in Paris (1951), The Band Wagon (1953) and his friend George Gershwin's bio…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Charade by Stanley Donen (1963). Charade (Stanley Donen) — collaborator for Gene Kelly “He starred in, choreographed, and, with Stanley Donen, co-directed some of the best-regarded musical films of the 1940s and 1950s.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Meet Me in St. Louis by Vincente Minnelli (1944). Meet Me in St. Louis (Vincente Minnelli) — collaborator for Gene Kelly “According to dance and art historian Beth Genné, working with his co-director Donen in Singin' in the Rain and in films with director Vincente Minnelli, "Kelly ...” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Bells Are Ringing by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (1956). Bells Are Ringing (Betty Comden and Adolph Green) — collaborator for Gene Kelly “They gained fame in film collaborating with Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, and Vincente Minnelli as part of Arthur Freed's production unit at Metro Goldwyn Mayer.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Jeanne Coyne. Coyne assisted Kelly's choreography. “He choreographed his own movement, along with that of the ensemble, with the assistance of Jeanne Coyne , Stanley Donen, Carol Haney , and Alex Romero.” (Wikipedia)
• Carol Haney. Haney assisted Kelly's choreography. “He choreographed his own movement, along with that of the ensemble, with the assistance of Jeanne Coyne , Stanley Donen, Carol Haney , and Alex Romero.” (Wikipedia)
• Alex Romero. Romero assisted Kelly's choreography. “He choreographed his own movement, along with that of the ensemble, with the assistance of Jeanne Coyne , Stanley Donen, Carol Haney , and Alex Romero.” (Wikipedia)
• Fred Kelly. Kelly created and performed dance routines with his brother Fred. “He created dance routines with his younger brother Fred to earn prize money in local talent contests. They also performed in local nightclubs.” (Wikipedia)
• Nicholas Brothers. Kelly performed a dance routine with the Nicholas Brothers in The Pirate. “It features Kelly's work with the Nicholas Brothers —the leading black dancers of their day—in a virtuoso dance routine.” (Wikipedia)
• Rita Hayworth. Kelly danced with Hayworth in Cover Girl. “In 1944 he achieved breakthrough as a dancer on film when MGM lent him to Columbia to dance with Rita Hayworth in Cover Girl , a film that foreshadowed the best of his future work.” (Wikipedia)
• Donald O'Connor. Kelly performed the Moses Supposes routine with O'Connor. “The following year, Singin' in the Rain featured Kelly's celebrated and much imitated solo dance routine to the title song, along with the "Moses Supposes" routine with Donald O'Connor and the "Broadway Melody" finale with Cyd Charisse .” (Wikipedia)
• Cyd Charisse. Kelly performed the Broadway Melody finale with Charisse. “The following year, Singin' in the Rain featured Kelly's celebrated and much imitated solo dance routine to the title song, along with the "Moses Supposes" routine with Donald O'Connor and the "Broadway Melody" finale with Cyd Charisse .” (Wikipedia)
• Dan Dailey. Dailey joined Kelly in a dance trio in It's Always Fair Weather. “The first of these, It's Always Fair Weather (1955), co-directed with Donen, was a musical satire on television and advertising, and includes his roller-skate dance routine to I Like Myself , and a dance trio with Michael Kidd and Dan Da…” (Wikipedia)
• Woody Allen. Allen wrote the television special and appeared alongside Kelly. “The special was written by Woody Allen , who also stars alongside Kelly.” (Wikipedia)
• Madonna (1958). Madonna hired Kelly for choreography on The Girlie Show tour, though the arrangement was short-lived. “In 1993, Kelly was hired by Madonna and her brother Christopher Ciccone to do the choreography for part of Madonna's The Girlie Show tour, but he was quickly dismissed” (Wikipedia)
• Christopher Ciccone. Ciccone and Madonna hired Kelly for tour choreography. “In 1993, Kelly was hired by Madonna and her brother Christopher Ciccone to do the choreography for part of Madonna's The Girlie Show tour, but he was quickly dismissed” (Wikipedia)
• Leslie Caron. Kelly brought Caron to Hollywood for her film debut in An American in Paris. “The film also marked the debut of 19-year-old ballerina Leslie Caron , whom Kelly had spotted in Paris and brought to Hollywood.” (Wikipedia)
• Walter Matthau. Kelly directed Matthau in A Guide for the Married Man. “His perseverance finally paid off, with the major box-office hit A Guide for the Married Man (1967), in which he directed Walter Matthau .” (Wikipedia)
• Barbra Streisand. Kelly directed Streisand in Hello, Dolly! “Fox—buoyed by the returns from The Sound of Music (1965)—commissioned Kelly to direct Hello, Dolly! (1969), again directing Matthau along with Barbra Streisand .” (Wikipedia)
• Vera-Ellen. Kelly appeared with Vera-Ellen in the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue ballet. “he capitalized on his swashbuckling image as d'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers in 1948—and appeared with Vera-Ellen in the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue ballet in Words and Music (1948 again).” (Wikipedia)
• Twyla Tharp (1941). Rochlin explicitly identifies Tharp as a Kelly collaborator. “He has collaborated with the likes of Twyla Tharp and served as special advisor at Francis Ford Coppola’s now-defunct Zoetrope Studios.” (Interview Magazine)
• Olivia Newton-John (1948). Kelly describes how a dance number with Newton-John came to be included in Xanadu. “In fact, I wasn’t going to dance in Xanadu , but several journalists told me that Olivia Newton-John kept saying how sad she was that she wouldn’t get the chance to dance with me. So I finally said, “All right, throw in a number.”” (Interview Magazine)
• Concert by the Sea by Erroll Garner (1955). Concert by the Sea (Erroll Garner) — geography for Gene Kelly (musicbrainz.org)
• Fancy Free by Jerome Robbins (1944). Fancy Free (Jerome Robbins) — peer for Gene Kelly (wikidata.org)
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers by Michael Kidd (1954). Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Michael Kidd) — peer for Gene Kelly “The first of these, It's Always Fair Weather (1955), co-directed with Donen, was a musical satire on television and advertising, and includes his roller-skate dance routine to I Like Myself, and a dance trio with Michael Kidd and Dan Dai…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Sweet Charity by Bob Fosse (1966). Sweet Charity (Bob Fosse) — peer for Gene Kelly (themoviedb.org)

Who Gene Kelly influenced

• Al Guster. The writer compares dancer Al Guster's style to that of Gene Kelly. “Al Guster, a sepia Gene Kelly and Paul Draper rolled into one who for the past 16 weeks has thrilled colored and white cabaret devotees” (The Daily Bulletin (Dayton, Ohio))
• Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson (1988). Smooth Criminal (Michael Jackson) — legacy for Gene Kelly “=== Influences === Jackson was influenced by musicians including James Brown, Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Diana Ross, Fred Astaire, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly, and David Ruffin.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Les Demoiselles de Rochefort by Jacques Demy (1967). Les Demoiselles de Rochefort (Jacques Demy) — legacy for Gene Kelly “Another French effort, Jacques Demy's homage to the MGM musical, The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, 1967), in which Kelly appeared, was a box-office success in France and nominated for Academy Awards for Best Mus…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• La La Land by Damien Chazelle (2016). La La Land (Damien Chazelle) — legacy for Gene Kelly (themoviedb.org)
• Usher. Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen) — culture for Usher (via Singin' in the Rain)