Page "Gene Kelly" Paragraph 5

Kelly was born in the Highland Park neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

He was the third son of Harriet Catherine ( née Curran ) and James Patrick Joseph Kelly, a phonograph salesman.

His father was born in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, to a family of Irish descent.

His maternal grandfather was an immigrant from Derry in northern Ireland and his maternal grandmother was of German ancestry.

At the age of eight, Kelly was enrolled by his mother in dance classes, along with his elder brother James.

They both rebelled, and, according to Kelly: " We didn't like it much and were continually involved in fistfights with the neighborhood boys who called us sissies ... I didn't dance again until I was fifteen.

" He thought it would be a good way to get girls.

Kelly returned to dance on his own initiative and by then was an accomplished sportsman and well able to take care of himself.

He attended St. Raphael Elementary School in the Morningside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA.

He graduated from Peabody High School in 1929 at the age of sixteen.

He enrolled in Pennsylvania State College to study journalism but the economic crash obliged him to seek employment to help with the family's finances.

At this time, he worked up dance routines with his younger brother Fred in order to earn prize money in local talent contests, and they also performed in local nightclubs.