1929 Program for the Fairgrieve Frolic, Nixon Theatre mentioning Gene Kelly & pics of his younger brother
Pittsburgh: Fairgrieve School of Dance, 1929. Wraps. 9 x 6 inches, wraps, 56 pp, illustrated. With mention on p. 45 of Eugene Kelly performing the "Acrobatic Tap," mentioned also on p. 44 in the roster of members of the tap classes and pictures of Gene's younger brother Frederic on p. 52. When he was eight, Kelly's mother enrolled him and his brother James in dance classes. As Kelly recalled, they both rebelled: "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 15." At one time, his childhood dream was to play shortstop for the hometown Pittsburgh Pirates. By the time he decided to dance, he was an accomplished sportsman and able to defend himself. He attended St. Raphael Elementary School in the Morningside neighborhood of Pittsburgh and graduated from Peabody High School at age 16. He entered the Pennsylvania State College as a journalism major, but after the 1929 crash, he left school and found work in order to help his family financially. He created dance routines with his younger brother Fred to earn prize money in local talent contests. They also performed in local nightclubs. (Information from Wikipedia). Extremely early printed mention of the Kellys. Very good. Item #H29294
Price: $100.00