Greg Jenner on Gene Kelly

Public historian Greg Jenner has always loved Gene Kelly.

"So much better than he had any right to be."

Born in Pittsburgh in 1912, Gene Kelly was a broad-shouldered Irish American whose first love was ice hockey. But according to his biographer, Ruth Leon, he revolutionised movie-making by making the camera dance.

Kelly's great films are Singin in the Rain, On The Town and An American in Paris - with extracts and archive of Gene speaking, this is a joyful celebration of the great age of Hollywood musicals.

Presented by Matthew Parris.

Producer Miles Warde

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2018.