Originally published July 8, 1950.
Kelly dislikes formal parties and seldom goes to one. At such affairs he is apt to say exactly what he thinks — a form of honesty frowned upon by the usual host or hostess.
At one party, he was approached by a visiting banker from Boston. “Tell me about your work in films,” said the financier, with the air of a Beacon Hiller who has just discovered a decaying cod in his cellar. “I understand you’re connected with them in some way. You look intelligent and I wonder how you stand it.”
Kelly counted ten slowly, then said, “I have an intense love for show business. So much so that I don’t believe that anyone is really alive unless he is connected with it in some way. If you’ll forgive me, I’d rather not waste time in conversation with a well-groomed grave.”
—“The Fastest-Moving Star in Pictures” by Pete Martin, July 8, 1950
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