Notes On A Napkin

I've kept quiet about this, but I think now is a good time to correct the record a bit. People often say that Gene Kelly was in an ad for Dirt Devil vacuum cleaners. In a recent interview regarding the use of "AI actors" Hollywood star @markhamill said, "Would Gene have wanted to be a spokesman for a vacuum cleaner? I don't know. It's too many unanswered questions." Mark is generally on the right side of things, but in this I must correct him. It was Fred Astaire dancing with the Broom VAC, not Gene. I was offered the ad that was to appear during the Super Bowl, but I turned it down. I thought the timing was poor, though I honestly feel both Gene and Fred would have done the deal had they been alive. You have to remember that Gene got/gets no residuals for his M-G-M work. So nothing for An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain, On the Town, (some 48 movies), for television, VHS, DVD, and now streaming. A commercial in those days was a big deal. Astaire's widow was eviscerated for her decision. What people don't know is that she used the money to help fund her crusade to create a "Right of Publicity" law in California that allows celebrities to control the use of their images after their deaths. Decisions like this are always tricky. I was fortunate because Gene discussed his wishes with me in detail. We talked about ads and commercials he agreed to during his lifetime, including the famous Coke commercial with Paula Abdul. Some people criticized Gene for choosing to "dance" with Paula in the "You're Number 1" campaign, but, as he said, the commercial introduced him and his work to new, young audiences and he received more fan mail than ever before. Frankly, I would love it if the right Super Bowl commercial came along for Gene, as it would help fund necessary work to preserve and promote his Legacy, including the digitization of his collection and the creation of the perpetual "museum" in the cloud. Conclusion: be careful how you judge the decisions people make, as you likely are not aware of all the circumstances.

Several of you asked about Gene's younger brother Fred. They only danced together in the movies once—in Deep in My Heart (1954), a movie about the American composer Sigmund Romberg. They performed "I Love to Go Swimmin' With Wimmin." When they were younger, Gene and Fred performed together in amateur nights in and around Pittsburgh. Trained as gymnasts, they were able to do remarkable acrobatic things, including kip ups on roller skates. They wore plus fours and had matching slicked back dark hair. Audiences loved them and they often won the top prizes, unless, as Gene said, there was an Italian accordion player who came with his own claque. Unlike Gene, Fred did not make it in the movies. In person, he and Gene had very different personalities. Fred loved to be on. Gene didn't. The women in this are: Sue Casey, Mary Ellen Gleason, Peggy Gordon, Jean Harrison, Joan Larkin, Joan McKellen, Betty Scott, and Barrie Chase is at the far right.

The snipe on the back of this photo describe it as Gene and a "bevy of beauties" with their "boss," since he is both actor and choreographer in Brigadoon (1954). He was a charmer, as you can see in this. He knew how to put people at ease, especially for awkward things like a still publicity photo. Notice his hands, again. Never static. The snipe also says, "Kelly figures 'Brigadoon' gives him a total of 77 dance numbers in 18 pictures since he arrived in Hollywood in 1943 [actually 1942]. Figuring an average of six weeks rehearsing for each, that adds up to two years and one month of dancing." IMDb identifies six of the women (I believe from right to left) as: Barrie Chase, Jane Fischer, Joan Larkin, Dolores Starr, Gloria Stone, and Dee Turnell. Barrie Chase, born in New York City in 1933, is the only one still with us. I met her several years ago. She's lovely, as you would expect. p.s. I realize I'm biased, but I would include Gene among the bevy!

Sometimes you only need an umbrella and a smile! Gene in Piccadilly Circus, London.

I thought it was time for a bit of color here with this behind-the-scenes shot of Gene on the set of An American in Paris. In the movie, you see him in this sweater and these slacks, but he's wearing a red cashmere scarf around his neck and one of his standard caps. I speak in a lot of high schools and when the students see photos of Gene I often hear: "He looks so cool!" And one said, "Like he just stepped out of a J Crew Ad!" Not bad for 75 years ago, eh? Ahead of his time, perhaps?

June Allyson played Constance to Gene's D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (1948). She appeared in the was the Broadway show for which Gene was choreographer—Best Foot Forward that opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York on Oct. 1, 1942. But he never spoke about her much. They traveled in different circles. Born Eleanor Geisman in the Bronx, New York in 1917, she died in Ojai, California in 2006. Allyson and her husband, dentist turned actor David Ashrow, were on our flight to Italy in 1988, where she and Gene (and Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Ali MacGraw, Robert Mitchum, Samantha Eggar, Joseph Cotten, and Patricia Medina) then received the National Italian Merit of Achievement Award in Campione, Switzerland. (That's a trip I'll be writing about!)

I often emphasize the cerebral side of Gene—the dimension that paid attention to every detail, the mind that never stopped. But he had a playful side, as well. You see it here in a behind-the-scene shot of him with Gig Young, who played Porthos to his D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (1948). I saw it often in the cartoons Gene cut from the "funny papers" and placed on the refrigerator for me to find in the morning and in the funny phrases he used to make me laugh, often old vaudeville bits he learned as a young man in Pittsburgh. Gig Young, by the way, was born Byron Barr in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Young's role as the dance-marathon emcee in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Originally cast as the Waco Kid in Blazing Saddles (1974), he was replaced by Gene Wilder because of his alcohol abuse. Similarly, he lost the role of Charles Townsend in the TV Series Charlie's Angels (1976) because he was too drunk to record his lines. He was replaced by John Forsythe. Young died by suicide in New York City in 1978, evidently after shooting his wife (his fifth), a young German actress named Kim Schmidt, after being married only three weeks. A sad end for someone who was once similarly playful.

Whenever I post things about The Pirate, people say this is one of their favorite scenes. It not only showcases the easy rapport between Gene and Judy Garland but, also, their comedic talents (not to mention the value of breakaway props!). One thing that I find missing from many accounts of Garland's life is her humor. Gene said she had a great sense of humor and that they loved to laugh and have fun together.

I have a lot of images from the photo shoot with Gene and Frank Sinatra for Anchors Aweigh. They were such imps and absolutely adored each other. In the film itself, you can see Frank looking over to "spot" Gene as he is doing here. My friend @salscognamillo is doing a special event at Patsy's Restaurant in NYC for Frank's birthday on December 12. He asked me to do a brief video for the event, since Gene and Frank were so close and Patsy's was their favorite restaurant (and now mine!). I talked about how these two were like comets flying through the air, the likes of which we shall not see again.

Though Gene is often known for his wide smile, this is also a familiar look for me. Either way, he definitely takes you in.