PUBLICATIONS BY TOPIC

GENE KELLY

My work on Gene Kelly ranges from personal confessions (why he interests me) to historical and cultural analyses of his films, star image, fandom, and contributions to cinema and dance.

“Milk and Mythology in Singin’ in the Rain.”

I debunk one of the most widely disseminated myths about Singin' in the Rain (1952): that set designers added milk (or ink) to the water so that raindrops would show up on screen. In so doing, I also attempt to locate the milk myth's origin and explain why this falsehood has intensified over the last 20 years.
Transformative Works and Cultures, Vol. 25, Sept 15, 2017.

When Your Scholarship Goes to Court: A Professor, a University Press, and Gene Kelly

In 2016, I was sued for my scholarship, an experience I wouldn't wish on other academics. Should you find yourself in court for the same, I can offer some advice.
Chronicle Vitae, March 27, 2017

Road-Tripping to Gene Kelly's House: Fan Tourism on Rodeo Drive

Gene Kelly’s home reflects his star persona: the American everyman.
In Media Res, March 3, 2017

Was MGM's On the Town the First Musical Shot On Location?

On the Town (1949) is often incorrectly labeled the first film musical shot on location.
Pop Matters, October 6, 2016

You Should Dance Like Gene Kelly Today: National Tap Dance Day

In the glut of new "holidates," April and May offer two holidays celebrating those who preserve and promote the art of dance.
Pop Matters, May 2016

I'm an Academic, and I Run a Fansite

In 2010, I began a website as an archive for my research on Gene Kelly. Here’s the unusual backstory and the results of my ventures.
Chronicle Vitae, December 2015

An American in Paris: Onstage and Onscreen

Why MGM's An American in Paris is a big deal in the history of movie musicals.
JSTOR Daily, May 2015

What Gene Kelly Tattoos Teach Us about Modern Fandom

What makes a person love a movie or TV show so much that they want to wear it on their skin forever? The answer is rarely simple — but always personal....
The Week, July 2014

10 Recipes from Kitchens of Classic Hollywood Stars

Pairing Gene Kelly—or Hollywood stars in general—with recipes is nothing new.
Mental Floss, June 2014

4 Surprising Facts About Gene Kelly

Facts about the legendary song-and-dance man you may not know.
Mental Floss, February 2014

Gene Kelly, Star Signification, and Centennial Celebrations

Across the Globe, fans celebrated Gene Kelly's 100th birthday.
VQR Review, February 2013

Gene Kelly, Volkswagen, and Posthumous Performance

The Volkswagen ads draw attention to their own artifice, something Kelly would never presume to do.
FlowTV, April 2011

Why Gene Kelly Gets Me All Hot and Bothered

Kelly represents a complicated form of heterosexual masculinity largely absent in cinema today.
Personal blog, May 2010

Who's That Woman with Gene Kelly?

Thanks to old newspapers floating around the Internet, the mystery is solved.
Personal blog, March 2015

That Time Gene Kelly Made Debbie Reynolds Gag

I knew he was going to kiss me, but I didn’t know anything else was involved.
Personal blog, April 2015

Dancing: A Man's Game (with Glee's Harry Shum)

Like his mentor Gene Kelly, Harry Shum links dance and sports.
Personal blog, March 2015

20 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Gene Kelly

This weekend marks the eighteenth anniversary of Gene Kelly’s death. Here are 20 things you may not know about the Hollywood song-and-dance man.
Personal blog, February 2014