Makin' a Splash: Singin' in the Rain Secrets

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the 1952 film Singin’ in the Rain? Perhaps it’s Gene Kelly’s titular number, splash-danced to the catchy music composed by Ignacio Herbert Brown, or the sweet and skilled performance by Debbie Reynolds. But did you know that Reynolds wasn’t a trained dancer, or that, during filming, Kelly had an all-too-common problem of his own? In advance of Lyric’s Singin' in the Rain: Film with Orchestra presentation on February 7, 2025, we’re sharing some fun facts you may not have known about the iconic musical comedy. 

• Debbie Reynolds — who played the studio singer Kathy Selden — was only 19 years old when the movie was filmed. While Reynolds was a talented gymnast, she had no experience with dancing. Under the determined direction of Gene Kelly and multiple dance teachers, she quickly grew comfortable with tap dancing — and kept pace with Kelly and Donald O’Connor in their peppy musical number, “Good Mornin'.” 

• After one particularly frustrating rehearsal, Debbie Reynolds went to hide under a piano — only to be comforted by the legendary dancer and actor Fred Astaire. Astaire invited Reynolds to sit in on a rehearsal of his own 1951 Royal Wedding; after seeing Astaire’s dedication and perseverance up close, Reynolds was reinvigorated.

Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, and Gene Kelly perform the energetic number, "Good Mornin'."

• Shooting days for the film lasted 14 to 15 hours, with some film sequences taking up to three days to complete. The “Good Mornin’” scene above, for example, took from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Debbie Reynolds later remarked that Singin’ in the Rain and childbirth were “the two hardest things [she] ever had to do” in her life. 

• Reynolds wasn’t the only one feeling the ill effects of exhaustion and overwork. Gene Kelly reportedly had a 103°F fever during filming. Despite co-director Stanley Donen’s insistence that he go home, Kelly persevered and continued shooting the iconic “Singin’ in the Rain” scene.

Gene Kelly performs the titular musical number, "Singin' in the Rain."

• While the film was a hit, with domestic box-office numbers reaching $7.2 million, and it is known and beloved by millions, its cultural significance and relevance wouldn’t be officially cemented until 1987, 35 years after its premiere. That’s when the United States National Film Preservation Board archived Singin’ in the Rain in the National Film Registry, which annually preserves 25 prominent American films.

• Singin’ in the Rain has made numerous, often unexpected appearances in a host of popular movies, including: the classic science-fiction/horror movie Alien, where protagonist Ellen Ripley sings “You Are My Lucky Star” to herself in an attempt to stay calm; the romantic comedy Silver Linings Playbook, in which the two main characters watch the “Moses Supposes” scene; and The Intern, where Robert DeNiro and Anne Hathaway watch the entire movie in their hotel room. The film has been mentioned in countless television series and programs, from Glee and Supergirl to The Muppet Show and Gilmore Girls.

• The movie also boasts a perfect 100% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and is heralded as “an homage to the cinema and the musical… at the heart of its enduring brilliance” (Varsity). 

Singin’ in the Rain ushered in a new era of whimsical music in stunning technicolor. Experience it anew in Lyric’s magnificent art deco opera house — accompanied by vibrant live music from the Lyric Opera Orchestra — on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 7 p.m.