Stanley Donen

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Lore & Background

Stanley Donen was born into a Jewish family in Columbia, South Carolina, and while he later became an atheist, he identified culturally as Jewish throughout his life. He recalled a lonely and difficult childhood, marked by being one of the few Jewish children in the area and facing antisemitic bullying from classmates. To escape this isolation, he spent much of his youth in movie theaters, where he was particularly captivated by the 1933 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical *Flying Down to Rio*, which he claimed to have seen dozens of times. Inspired by Astaire, Donen took dance lessons in Columbia and performed at the local Town Theater. His father bought him an 8 mm camera and projector, with which he shot and screened home movies. After high school, he studied psychology briefly at the University of South Carolina before moving to New York City in 1940 to pursue stage dancing. He was cast as a chorus dancer in the Broadway production of *Pal Joey*, where the title role was played by Gene Kelly. Donen later worked as assistant stage manager and choreographer on other Broadway shows. His film career began in 1943 when he moved to Hollywood to appear in the film version of *Best Foot Forward*, signing a contract with MGM. There, he renewed his friendship with Kelly and assisted him in choreographing dance sequences for *Cover Girl* (1944), including the innovative “Alter Ego” scene where Kelly’s reflection dances with him. Donen also conceived the idea for the famous dance with Jerry the Mouse in *Anchors Aweigh* (1945). His professional relationship with Kelly eventually deteriorated during their final collaboration.

Reader's Guide

Donen's work helped define the Hollywood musical and demonstrated the potential of dance and music on film. His career began on Broadway as a chorus dancer, and he later moved to Hollywood, where he collaborated extensively with Gene Kelly. Together, they co-directed landmark musicals that showcased innovative choreography and integrated dance into narrative storytelling. Donen was responsible for the concept of the "Alter Ego" dance sequence in *Cover Girl*, where Kelly dances with his own reflection, a scene the director initially doubted would work. He also conceived the groundbreaking sequence in *Anchors Aweigh* where Kelly dances with an animated cartoon mouse, a technical feat that required extensive post-production work. As a contract director at MGM, Donen contributed to a string of celebrated musicals before breaking his contract to become an independent producer in the late 1950s. His later work expanded into sophisticated romantic comedies and thrillers, such as *Charade* and *Two for the Road*, demonstrating a versatility beyond the musical genre. Four of his films have been preserved in the National Film Registry, and he received both an Honorary Academy Award and a Career Golden Lion for his lasting impact on cinema.