One of the leading lights of Hollywood's golden age of musicals, Gene Kelly danced, sang, choreographed, and acted in several dozen movies, including Anchors Aweigh, An American in Paris, and, of course, Singin' in the Rain. He served in the Navy in 1944-45, and continued as a Naval Reserve officer until 1954.
Beginning in March 1949, the Office of Naval Intelligence investigated Kelly under the direction of the Bureau of Naval Personnel Loyalty Review Board because, as they state, "According to reliable information received in 1945 this individual was actively associated during 1944 and 1945 with known Communists or Communist sympathizers in the Hollywood - Los Angeles area" [page 1 of the file].
Pages 16 to 25 of the file contain Kelly's detailed response to the accusations, which can be summed up by the sentence: "I could no more consider being a Communist than being a member of a voodoo sect." He does, however, have to engage is some fancy tapdancing to explain his actual and alleged involvement with some leftist organizations.
The document [PDF]
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