Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and choreographer.

A major exponent of 20th century filmed dance, Kelly was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks and the likeable characters that he played on screen. Although he is probably best known today for his performance in Singin' in the Rain, he was a dominant force in Hollywood musical films from the mid 1940s until their demise in the late 1950s. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical film, and he is credited with almost singlehandedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences.

Kelly was the recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements. He later received lifetime achievement awards in the Kennedy Center Honors, and from the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute; in 1999, the American Film Institute also named him among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time.

Awards:

• 1946 – Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in Anchors Aweigh (1945).
• 1952 – Honorary Academy Award "in appreciation of his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film." This Oscar was lost in a fire in 1983 and replaced at the 1984 Academy Awards.
• 1956 – Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Invitation to the Dance.
• 1958 – Nomination for Golden Laurel Award for Best Male Musical Performance in Les Girls.
• 1958 – Dance Magazine's annual TV Award for Dancing: A Man's Game from the Omnibus television series. It was also nominated for an Emmy for best choreography.
• 1960 – In France, Kelly was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.
• 1962 – Gene Kelly Dance Film Festival staged by the Museum of Modern Art.
• 1964 – Silver Sail Best Actor for What a Way to Go! (1964) at the Locarno International Film Festival.
• 1967 – Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program for Jack and the Beanstalk.
• 1970 – Nomination for Golden Globe, Best Director for Hello, Dolly!, 1969.
• 1981 – Cecil B. DeMille Award at Golden Globes.
• 1981 – Gene Kelly was the subject of a two-week film festival in France.
• 1982 – Lifetime Achievement Award in the fifth annual Kennedy Center Honors.
• 1985 – Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute.
• 1989 – Life Achievement Award from Screen Actors Guild.
• 1991 – University of Pittsburgh inaugurates The Gene Kelly Awards, given annually to high school musicals in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
• 1992 – Induction into the Theater Hall of Fame.
• 1994 – National Medal of Arts awarded by United States President Bill Clinton.
• 1994 – The Three Tenors performed Singin' in the Rain in his presence during a concert at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.
• 1996 – Honorary César Award The César is the main national film award in France.
• 1996 – At the Academy Awards ceremony, director Quincy Jones organised a tribute to the just-deceased Kelly, in which Savion Glover performed the dance to "Singin' in the Rain".
• 1997 – Ranked #26 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.
• 1999 – Ranked #15 in the American Film Institute's "Greatest Legends" list.