Fred Kelly; Dancer, Instructor Taught Tap to Brother Gene
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Fred Kelly, a three-time Tony Award winner and dance instructor who taught his older brother, Gene, how to tap dance, died of cancer Wednesday in Tucson. He was 83.
The two brothers appeared only once together on screen, in the 1955 film “Deep in My Heart,” which featured their dancing in a number that Fred choreographed, “I Love to Go Swimmin’ With Women.”
For the record:
12:00 a.m. March 30, 2000 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday March 30, 2000 Home Edition Part A Page 26 Metro Desk 2 inches; 39 words Type of Material: Correction
Kelly’s awards--The obituary of dancer Fred Kelly in March 18 editions of The Times mistakenly reported that he won three Tony awards for his role in William Saroyan’s “The Time of Your Life.” In fact, Kelly won three Donaldson awards, which were the precursors to the Tony awards.
Fred Kelly, the youngest of five children, was born in Pittsburgh in 1916. He and his siblings learned to dance at an early age so they could help teach classes in their mother’s dance studio. He also earned good money as a youngster by performing on a showboat that traveled the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, Kelly moved to New York, where he found work on Broadway, replacing his brother in “The Time of Your Life.” He was an instant success, winning three Tony Awards for his performance. He went on to appear in Irving Berlin’s production of “This Is the Army” during World War II before himself being tapped for military duty.
Even after Kelly entered the service, he didn’t stray far from the dance floor. He was called to Buckingham Palace in 1944 to teach Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret to dance.
“In the 1950s, my brother Gene was at the palace for a command screening of ‘An American in Paris,’ ” Kelly said in a 1996 interview. “Gene’s going through the reception line and Queen Elizabeth comes running up to him and says, ‘Oh, Mr. Kelly, is it true you’re the brother of Fred Kelly?’ ”
When Gene moved to Hollywood to pursue a movie career, he urged his brother to go with him, but Fred preferred teaching and choreographing for the stage.
He taught dance and sociology at Princeton, Pace University in New York and Kings College at Cambridge. In addition, he operated a dance studio in Oradell, N.J. He retired to Tucson in 1985.
“Dancing is masculine in every country of the world, except this one,” he observed. “In Brazil, about 12 newspapermen met me at the airport when I went there to choreograph for their national ballet.”
Kelly is survived by son Michael of Valencia, daughter Colleen Beaman of Tucson, two sisters and eight grandchildren.
A Mass is scheduled for next Saturday at St. Pius X Church in Tucson.
