Gene Kelly’s movie-star daughter, Kerry, is back to share her memories of the legendary dancer and actor.
She recalls her father told her stories about the time he arrived in Hollywood as a young man when he was only 18 to show his wife, actress Janet Leigh, how beautiful he was.
But before he could show her how he really looked, the actor jumped out of his car and was hit by a car.
She and her younger brother wouldn’t touch the actor, whom they saw regularly in the hospital.
He had a huge scar on his face that resembled that of a different man, Kelly explains.
After his recovery, Kelly’s father would encourage the actor to audition for Broadway shows and later for a career in movies.
Her father made his Broadway debut in the play “Shanghai Surprise,” which was based on a classic Harold Arlen song.
As with others, he was required to work 15-hour days.
“He was a great trouper,” his daughter says.
The end of the show that night was joyful. She remembers her father and co-star Jimmy Durante playing cards and joking about their gigs.
“It was about the love of work,” Kerry recalls.
Gene Kelly’s father also told the true story about meeting the Dolly Parton.
The future “Dolly Parton” was 20 years old and begged the actress for a change of clothes, but she refused, Kelly recalls.
The 20-year-old Parton walked over to Kelly’s father, sneaked a look at his sons and asked him if he could sing “9 to 5.”
Without hesitation, Kelly played the song and said “Dolly, you are my sister.”
When she told Gene his son looked like “that little cute little CMT talking CMT girl” her father joked: “They got to take me out of my room for that.”
Fox News’ Todd Starnes is on Twitter @tvtodd.