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I love these daily almanac posts, but please include another very special August 23 birthday if you could: Eugene Curran Kelly born this day in 1912 in Pittsburgh PA. After earning a degree in Economics from Pitt, he began teaching dance classes to help support his family during the Depression. He went to NYC to try his luck and ended up starring in the stage version of Pal Joey. From there, MGM signed him, and Kelly went on to create many innovative dances which served to uniquely advance the story in movies. He served in the Navy during WW2 where he created films about PTSD and mental health from wartime. He directed several films and created a documentary about the science, art, and athleticism of dance.

He spoke French fluently and visited his family’s ancestral homeland in Ireland on several occasions. He is survived by three children and several grandchildren. “Dance joy, dance life, dance love!”

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