Did Olivia Newton-John tap dance in Xanadu?

Despite playing the muse of dance, Olivia Newton-John does very little dancing in the film. The main exception is her number with Gene Kelly. Michael Beck doesn’t sing in this movie – he and Olivia Newton-John skate-dance to a recording of a song sung by her and Cliff Richard.

Was Xanadu Gene Kelly’s last movie?

Gene Kelly’s final film as an actor was Xanadu (1980), a musical starring pop sensation Olivia Newton-John.

What is the story of Xanadu?

Struggling artist Sonny Malone (Michael Beck) is trapped in a dull job painting album covers. He is instantly attracted to Kira (Olivia Newton-John), an anonymous woman randomly photographed in the background of one of his assignments, but no one is able to identify her. Visiting the auditorium where the cover was shot, Sonny finds the mysterious beauty, an ageless Greek muse, who encourages him to team up with old-fashioned Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) to build a roller-skating disco.
Xanadu/Film synopsis

Where is the Xanadu mural?

The mural was a fake wall built in an alley in Venice Beach, California. It is located between 325 and 405 Ocean Front Walk.

What did Gene Kelly think of Xanadu?

In the biography The Films of Gene Kelly, Song and Dance Man, his only quote about Xanadu is: “The concept was marvelous, but it just didn’t come off.”

Was Xanadu a success?

Xanadu is a 1980 American musical fantasy film written by Richard Christian Danus and Marc Reid Rubel, and directed by Robert Greenwald. Despite the lackluster performance of the film, the soundtrack album became a huge commercial success around the world, and was certified double platinum in the United States.

Is Xanadu a bad movie?

Despite marking Olivia Newton-John’s first feature film post-‘Grease’ and Gene Kelly’s final role before his death in 1996, ‘Xanadu’ bombed at the box office, with critics noting the film was a failure “but not necessarily as entertainment.”

Is Xanadu the worst movie ever?

At the first ever Razzies in 1981, Xanadu was nominated for Worst Picture, Worst Director (which it won), Worst Actor (Michael Beck), Worst Actress (Olivia Newton-John), Worst Screenplay and Worst Original Song for Suspended in Time. That’s literally every award except two.

What building was used in Xanadu?

the Pan-Pacific Auditorium
When the Los Angeles Convention Center opened in 1972, the Pan-Pacific Auditorium closed. Despite being added to the National Register of Historic Places., the venue was neglected and suffered damage during the years that followed. Thankfully it is preserved on celluloid thanks to the 1980 film Xanadu.

How old was Gene Kelly when he was in Xanadu?

Before it began filming, Xanadu had a bright future. It was front-page news that the Universal production would be a then-31-year-old Olivia Newton-John’s first film after the blockbuster Grease. And it would be the last film appearance screen legend Gene Kelly, then 68, would make before his death in 1996.

What did Gene Kelly say about Fred Astaire?

“It’s weird to say—it’s a Fred Astaire award,” she confided, “but my hero is Gene Kelly. There is something about the energy I like more.”