Stanley Donen

One of the most accomplished directors of the 20th century, Stanley Donen was born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1924. Donen began taking dance lessons as a child, and dance would remain his greatest passion, even as he enrolled at the University of South Carolina as a psychology major.

He only lasted a single semester, before, with his family's encouragement, he moved to New York to try his luck as a professional dancer. Donen landed his first role in the chorus of the original production of Rodgers and Hart's "Pal Joey" in 1940, where he first met longtime friend and collaborator Gene Kelly.

The pair would work together on a number of Broadway plays, often with Donen acting as assistant choreographer. Eventually, when Kelly made the move to film, Donen did the same, making his debut in and assistant choreographing "Best Foot Forward" (1943).

Before long, Donen and Kelly reconnected and began collaborating on the choreography for major movie musicals like "Anchors Aweigh" (1945). Donen eventually paired with Kelly again to not only co-choreograph but co-direct "On the Town" (1949).

With his reputation as a bankable director in the difficult genre of musicals fully cemented, he went on to direct his own childhood idol Fred Astaire in "Royal Wedding" (1951) before reteaming with Kelly to co-direct the classic "Singin' in the Rain" (1952).

Donen would go on to direct a number of both musical and non-musical hits like "Funny Face" (1957), "Charade" (1963), and "Two for the Road" (1967), not to mention the science fiction film "Saturn 3" (1980).

Donen would direct his last feature film, frothy sex comedy "Blame it on Rio" (1984) in 1984, and henceforth largely returned to theater, memorably directing a production of "The Red Shoes" in 1993. Donen passed away in 2019. He was 94 years old.