Younger sister of famed dancer, choreographer, singer, actor, and director, Gene Kelly.
Maternal grandfather, Billy Curran, immigrated from Londonderry, Ireland (now Northern Ireland), to New York in 1845. Maternal grandmother was of German ancestry.
Billy Curran came to Huntington, PA, where he married Mary Eckhart. Harriet Curran was born, then the family moved to Pittsburgh and opened a saloon.
Harriet married James Patrick Kelly in 1906. James Kelly had settled in Pittsburgh and met Harriet in 1905 at an amateur concert where she was performing. They made their home in the Highland Park neighborhood, at the corner of Portland and Bryant Streets. James was a traveling phonograph salesman.
Children:
Harriet Joan "Jay" Kelly, b. 1910
James Kelly, Jr., b. 1911
Eugene Curran ("Gene") Kelly, b. August, 1912
Moved to 722 Mellon Street, East Liberty.
Louise B., b. July, 1914
Fred, b. July 6, 1916
The family belonged to Sacred Heart Parish and the children attended St. Raphael School, taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden, PA.
The children took dancing lessons at Blinsky's Dancing School at Sixth and Penn Streets. Harriet took all the children to Broadway shows whenever they came to town. They saw George M. Cohan.
In 1921, Harriet entered the 5 siblings in an amateur night competition, as "The Five Kellys."
From 1916 - 1924, mother and children spent the entire summers at a rented cabin on Lake Erie in Ripley, New York, and later on Lake Conneaut in Western PA.
In 1924, the family moved to 7514 Kensington Street, Pittsburgh.
In 1932, the family opened the Gene Kelly Studio in both Pittsburgh (the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, on Sundays) and in Johnstown, PA (on Saturdays). Louise and Fred worked as teachers, and their father, then unemployed, was the bookkeeper. Louise taught ballet and the beginning students, while Gene taught the more advanced students.
When Gene left for Broadway, he left Fred and Louise in charge of the studios. Louise had graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1936, and later earned a Master's Degree there in Elementary Education.
When the United States entered World War II, Fred enlisted, and Louise officially took over the studio. She would run it for nearly 50 years with her husband, Bill Bailey. In her later years, they owned dancing studios at Lebanon Shops, in Mt. Lebanon (South Hills of Pittsburgh), and in the North Hills.
Retired to Alabama, and began a new location for the Gene Kelly School of Dance.
Survived by daughter, Kathy Burk-Campbell and
grandchildren Gordon and Kelly Burk.
Visitation at McCabe Brothers Funeral Home, Shadyside.
Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Shadyside.
Information from McCabe Funeral Home, the Wikipedia article on Gene Kelly, and book "He's Got Rhythm, The Life and Career of Gene Kelly," c. 2017, by Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson.
Submitted by Member Angela (#48520699), whose daughter was a dance pupil of Louise.
Maternal grandfather, Billy Curran, immigrated from Londonderry, Ireland (now Northern Ireland), to New York in 1845. Maternal grandmother was of German ancestry.
Billy Curran came to Huntington, PA, where he married Mary Eckhart. Harriet Curran was born, then the family moved to Pittsburgh and opened a saloon.
Harriet married James Patrick Kelly in 1906. James Kelly had settled in Pittsburgh and met Harriet in 1905 at an amateur concert where she was performing. They made their home in the Highland Park neighborhood, at the corner of Portland and Bryant Streets. James was a traveling phonograph salesman.
Children:
Harriet Joan "Jay" Kelly, b. 1910
James Kelly, Jr., b. 1911
Eugene Curran ("Gene") Kelly, b. August, 1912
Moved to 722 Mellon Street, East Liberty.
Louise B., b. July, 1914
Fred, b. July 6, 1916
The family belonged to Sacred Heart Parish and the children attended St. Raphael School, taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden, PA.
The children took dancing lessons at Blinsky's Dancing School at Sixth and Penn Streets. Harriet took all the children to Broadway shows whenever they came to town. They saw George M. Cohan.
In 1921, Harriet entered the 5 siblings in an amateur night competition, as "The Five Kellys."
From 1916 - 1924, mother and children spent the entire summers at a rented cabin on Lake Erie in Ripley, New York, and later on Lake Conneaut in Western PA.
In 1924, the family moved to 7514 Kensington Street, Pittsburgh.
In 1932, the family opened the Gene Kelly Studio in both Pittsburgh (the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, on Sundays) and in Johnstown, PA (on Saturdays). Louise and Fred worked as teachers, and their father, then unemployed, was the bookkeeper. Louise taught ballet and the beginning students, while Gene taught the more advanced students.
When Gene left for Broadway, he left Fred and Louise in charge of the studios. Louise had graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1936, and later earned a Master's Degree there in Elementary Education.
When the United States entered World War II, Fred enlisted, and Louise officially took over the studio. She would run it for nearly 50 years with her husband, Bill Bailey. In her later years, they owned dancing studios at Lebanon Shops, in Mt. Lebanon (South Hills of Pittsburgh), and in the North Hills.
Retired to Alabama, and began a new location for the Gene Kelly School of Dance.
Survived by daughter, Kathy Burk-Campbell and
grandchildren Gordon and Kelly Burk.
Visitation at McCabe Brothers Funeral Home, Shadyside.
Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Shadyside.
Information from McCabe Funeral Home, the Wikipedia article on Gene Kelly, and book "He's Got Rhythm, The Life and Career of Gene Kelly," c. 2017, by Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson.
Submitted by Member Angela (#48520699), whose daughter was a dance pupil of Louise.
Younger sister of famed dancer, choreographer, singer, actor, and director, Gene Kelly.
Maternal grandfather, Billy Curran, immigrated from Londonderry, Ireland (now Northern Ireland), to New York in 1845. Maternal grandmother was of German ancestry.
Billy Curran came to Huntington, PA, where he married Mary Eckhart. Harriet Curran was born, then the family moved to Pittsburgh and opened a saloon.
Harriet married James Patrick Kelly in 1906. James Kelly had settled in Pittsburgh and met Harriet in 1905 at an amateur concert where she was performing. They made their home in the Highland Park neighborhood, at the corner of Portland and Bryant Streets. James was a traveling phonograph salesman.
Children:
Harriet Joan "Jay" Kelly, b. 1910
James Kelly, Jr., b. 1911
Eugene Curran ("Gene") Kelly, b. August, 1912
Moved to 722 Mellon Street, East Liberty.
Louise B., b. July, 1914
Fred, b. July 6, 1916
The family belonged to Sacred Heart Parish and the children attended St. Raphael School, taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden, PA.
The children took dancing lessons at Blinsky's Dancing School at Sixth and Penn Streets. Harriet took all the children to Broadway shows whenever they came to town. They saw George M. Cohan.
In 1921, Harriet entered the 5 siblings in an amateur night competition, as "The Five Kellys."
From 1916 - 1924, mother and children spent the entire summers at a rented cabin on Lake Erie in Ripley, New York, and later on Lake Conneaut in Western PA.
In 1924, the family moved to 7514 Kensington Street, Pittsburgh.
In 1932, the family opened the Gene Kelly Studio in both Pittsburgh (the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, on Sundays) and in Johnstown, PA (on Saturdays). Louise and Fred worked as teachers, and their father, then unemployed, was the bookkeeper. Louise taught ballet and the beginning students, while Gene taught the more advanced students.
When Gene left for Broadway, he left Fred and Louise in charge of the studios. Louise had graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1936, and later earned a Master's Degree there in Elementary Education.
When the United States entered World War II, Fred enlisted, and Louise officially took over the studio. She would run it for nearly 50 years with her husband, Bill Bailey. In her later years, they owned dancing studios at Lebanon Shops, in Mt. Lebanon (South Hills of Pittsburgh), and in the North Hills.
Retired to Alabama, and began a new location for the Gene Kelly School of Dance.
Survived by daughter, Kathy Burk-Campbell and
grandchildren Gordon and Kelly Burk.
Visitation at McCabe Brothers Funeral Home, Shadyside.
Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Shadyside.
Information from McCabe Funeral Home, the Wikipedia article on Gene Kelly, and book "He's Got Rhythm, The Life and Career of Gene Kelly," c. 2017, by Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson.
Submitted by Member Angela (#48520699), whose daughter was a dance pupil of Louise.
Maternal grandfather, Billy Curran, immigrated from Londonderry, Ireland (now Northern Ireland), to New York in 1845. Maternal grandmother was of German ancestry.
Billy Curran came to Huntington, PA, where he married Mary Eckhart. Harriet Curran was born, then the family moved to Pittsburgh and opened a saloon.
Harriet married James Patrick Kelly in 1906. James Kelly had settled in Pittsburgh and met Harriet in 1905 at an amateur concert where she was performing. They made their home in the Highland Park neighborhood, at the corner of Portland and Bryant Streets. James was a traveling phonograph salesman.
Children:
Harriet Joan "Jay" Kelly, b. 1910
James Kelly, Jr., b. 1911
Eugene Curran ("Gene") Kelly, b. August, 1912
Moved to 722 Mellon Street, East Liberty.
Louise B., b. July, 1914
Fred, b. July 6, 1916
The family belonged to Sacred Heart Parish and the children attended St. Raphael School, taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden, PA.
The children took dancing lessons at Blinsky's Dancing School at Sixth and Penn Streets. Harriet took all the children to Broadway shows whenever they came to town. They saw George M. Cohan.
In 1921, Harriet entered the 5 siblings in an amateur night competition, as "The Five Kellys."
From 1916 - 1924, mother and children spent the entire summers at a rented cabin on Lake Erie in Ripley, New York, and later on Lake Conneaut in Western PA.
In 1924, the family moved to 7514 Kensington Street, Pittsburgh.
In 1932, the family opened the Gene Kelly Studio in both Pittsburgh (the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, on Sundays) and in Johnstown, PA (on Saturdays). Louise and Fred worked as teachers, and their father, then unemployed, was the bookkeeper. Louise taught ballet and the beginning students, while Gene taught the more advanced students.
When Gene left for Broadway, he left Fred and Louise in charge of the studios. Louise had graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1936, and later earned a Master's Degree there in Elementary Education.
When the United States entered World War II, Fred enlisted, and Louise officially took over the studio. She would run it for nearly 50 years with her husband, Bill Bailey. In her later years, they owned dancing studios at Lebanon Shops, in Mt. Lebanon (South Hills of Pittsburgh), and in the North Hills.
Retired to Alabama, and began a new location for the Gene Kelly School of Dance.
Survived by daughter, Kathy Burk-Campbell and
grandchildren Gordon and Kelly Burk.
Visitation at McCabe Brothers Funeral Home, Shadyside.
Mass of Christian Burial at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Shadyside.
Information from McCabe Funeral Home, the Wikipedia article on Gene Kelly, and book "He's Got Rhythm, The Life and Career of Gene Kelly," c. 2017, by Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson.
Submitted by Member Angela (#48520699), whose daughter was a dance pupil of Louise.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
