First Biography on Orry Kelly - Now Available at ACMI

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Coinciding with ACMI's latest celebrated exhibition 'Orry-Kelly: Dressing Hollywood' is the newly released first ever biography of the great Australian costume designer, Orry Kelly, written by Robert Parkinson.Entitled 'Orry Kelly – Miss Weston's Protégé - The Story of a Great Hollywood Designer', this widely researched book completes the story of Orry Kelly alongside his own memoir, Gillian Armstrong's feature-length documentary 'Women He's Undressed' (currently screening at ACMI) and the ACMI exhibition, currently open till 17th January 2016.Orry, born on 31 December 1897, went to the US in 1922 with an ambition to go on the stage as a dancer or actor. However he did not have the necessary talent in that field, and turned to scenery and costume design, which eventually led to his big break in 1928, when he was engaged to design costumes for the great Ethel Barrymore with whom he maintained a friendship until her death in 1959.In 1932 Orry went to Hollywood, working first at Warner Brothers studio and later at all the major studios. Throughout his celebrated career he worked on a staggering 312 movies, including productions starring the leading actresses of the day, such as Bette Davis and Loretta Young. Yet despite winning three Oscars® for An American In Paris (1952), Les Girls (1958) and Some Like It Hot (1960), his achievements were little known in Australia as he became an American citizen in 1943.With Parkinson's informative and insightful book, released through Impact Press, readers can discover the Orry's real story, as well as a treasure trove of Hollywood memories.Robert Parkinson studied classics and education at University of Sydney, graduating in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a Diploma in Education. Robert is a member of the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society of Australia Inc. and writes articles for their quarterly journal. Robert is also a member of the Royal Australian Historical Society and Sydney Mechanics School of Art and has researched Orry Kelly in detail over several years. 'Orry Kelly – Miss Weston's Protégé' is the perfect gift for cinema enthusiasts this Christmas.Available at the ACMI Shop for $25 and other good bookshops. Click here for more details.

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