Table of Contents
Introduction: Ballet Dancer and Swaggering Tough 1
Part 1 "Who wants a choreographer from Pittsburgh?" 1912-1941
1 The Reluctant Dancer 9
2 A Depression-Era Kid 20
3 Kelly Mania 31
4 "It wasn't elegant, but it's me" 45
5 The Time of His Life 58
6 Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered 79
Part 2 Riding on a Rocket: 1941-1957
7 At the MGM University 101
8 New Heights 123
9 "I'm asking for the Navy" 142
10 The American Line 163
11 A Flaming Trail of Masculinity 182
12 The Renaissance Man 201
13 You Can Count on Me 220
14 Who Could Ask for Anything More? 239
15 Laughing at Clouds 259
16 What a Day This Has Been 279
17 The Unhappy Road 299
Part 3 Still Going Strong: 1957-1972
18 A Hundred Million Miracles 321
19 "I wear so many hats" 337
20 Looking for Enchantment 354
Part 4 Ambassador of His Art: 1972-Present
21 True Talent Shows Itself in Kindness 375
22 Contemporary Yet Timeless 392
Epilogue: Think of Him and Smile 409
Acknowledgments 413
Appendix A Selected Stage Work 415
Appendix B Selected Filmography 419
Appendix C Selected Television Work 429
Notes 433
Selected Bibliography 477
Index 481