Friday links

August 23rd is Gene Kelly's birthday: here's a brief bio and the famous Singin' In The Rain dance. Related, this excellent compilation of Rita Hayworth's dancing, set to Stayin' Alive

8 Unexpected Signs You're Smarter Than Average.

Why We Pour Milk on our Cereal.

August 24th is St. Bartholomew's Day - some history, the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, a brief documentary, and Monty Python. Also this weekend, it's the anniversary of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and destruction of Pompeii in A.D. 79.

How a French Truck Manufacturer Sabotaged Nazi War Production.

The Afterlife of Royal Hair.

ICYMI, most recent links are here, and include the wild camels of the American west, comics published by the federal government, the weird journey of Dorothy Parker's ashes, and 50's and 60's visions of the everyday uses of nuclear explosions and radioactive isotopes.

Gene Kelly's birthday: here the famous "Singin' In The Rain" dance and a top 10 compilation

August 23rd is the anniversary of the birth in 1912 of extraordinary American dancer (Eu)Gene Curran Kelly (wiki) (1912-1996) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kelly worked his way through college as a dancer and teacher and joined a Broadway chorus line in 1938. Within two years, he had scored the dance lead in Pal Joey, and went on to Hollywood for his film debut in For Me and My Gal (1942). 

Kelly served in the Navy during World War II but soon resumed his career after the conflict in such films as On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951), and Singin' in the Rain (1952) - each appearance marked by his spirited, athletic, and seemingly effortless dancing. Subsequently, he became a celebrated choreographer, played straight dramatic roles in such films as Inherit the Wind (1960), and directed the 1969 film version of Hello, Dolly! 

His performance in the title song of Singin' in the Rain is perhaps his most memorable. Watch full screen!

And here's a top 10 Gene Kelly dance scene compilation (via @LandryST)



Related posts:

It's Fred Astaire's birthday - here are clips of some of his best dancing.

Happy Birthday, Rita Hayworth: here's an excellent compilation of her dancing, set to Stayin' Alive.

Wednesday links

It's Gene Kelly's birthday: here the famous "Singin' In The Rain" dance.

15 of the Dumbest Inventions in the 20th Century.

Photos of Victorian living rooms from the 1800s.

This 1957 film on how grocery stores work is a hoot.

NASA's ambitious plan to save Earth from a supervolcano.

Gallery: the Topiary Trees of San Francisco.

ICYMI, Monday's links are here, and include a latitude/longitude digits explainer, ranking sci-fi spacesuits, a Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a dog, and the weird journey of Dorothy Parker's ashes.