GENE KELLY
Black and white publicity photograph of Gene Kelly in the 1954 film Crest of the Wave.
Photograph signed: "Gene Kelly". B/w, 8¼x10. Publicity photograph for the 1954 film, Crest of the Wave, in which Kelly starred as American scientist, Lt. Bradville. Crest of the Wave was the original British title for the film, which was released in the U.S. as Seagulls Over Sorrento. Actor, director and innovative dancer/choreographer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) was a major star in 1950s and 1960s MGM musicals, including Singin' in the Rain (1952). In 1951, he received a special Academy Award "in appreciation of his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specially for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film". Although Kelly, along with Fred Astaire, was the most successful song-and-dance man in film history, his 1952 film marked the peak of his career, and Kelly moved to Europe to take advantage of tax exemptions. Shortly after he returned to Hollywood, Kelly starred in Brigadoon (1954). His other films include Anchors Aweigh (1945; Best Actor Academy Award nomination), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), An American in Paris (1951), Marjorie Morningstar (1958), Inherit the Wind (1960), What a Way to Go! (1964) and Xanadu (1980), and Kelly also hosted and starred in several TV series and miniseries and made guest appearances on a number of TV shows from 1954-1984. Ink lightly spread. Surface creases (most not evident head on). Diagonal stain (barely visible) at lower portion of uniform. Lower right blank corner chipped away, file nicks at blank right edge. Overall, fine condition.