Stanley Donen, one of the last surviving icons of Hollywood's Golden Age, also directed Funny Face and Two for the Road
Stanley Donen, the director of Singin’ in the Rain and one of the last architects of Hollywood’s Golden Age, has died at age 94.
One of his sons confirmed the news to the Chicago Tribune on Feb. 23 — perhaps fittingly, on the eve of the Oscars, a night when Hollywood celebrates its legacy of style, glamour and moviemaking talent.
A former Broadway dancer and choreographer, Donen co-directed 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain — widely regarded as the best movie musical of all time — with its star, Gene Kelly. He went on to direct more classic musicals, including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, It’s Always Fair Weather and Funny Face.
Donen was also acclaimed for sparkling, sophisticated romantic comedies and thrillers, reteaming with Audrey Hepburn for 1963’s Charade and 1967’s Two for the Road. (Hepburn’s Two for the Road costar, Albert Finney, died Feb. 7 at age 82.)
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Donen was never nominated for an Academy Award himself — but he contributed one of the show’s most charming moments of all time when he accepted his honorary lifetime achievement Oscar in 1998. Holding up the statuette, he sang Irving Berlin’s classic song “Cheek to Cheek” (“heaven, I’m in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak…”), swaying along with his Oscar.
Donen was married and divorced five times and had three children. For the last two decades, his companion was comedy icon Elaine May, now 86.