Lester Anthony Minnelli, born on February 28, 1903, in Chicago, Illinois, was the son of Vincent Minnelli, a renowned musical conductor of the Minnelli Brothers' Tent Theater. Minnelli's early life was marked by a strong desire to pursue an artistic career, which led him to work in the costumedepartment of the Chicago Theater and later on Broadway as a set designer and costumer. When he was hired as an art-director by Radio City Music Hall, he adopted a Latinized version of his father's first name, Lester.
Minnelli's directorial debut came in the fall of 1935 with the Franz Schubert revue, At Home Abroad, which was inspired by the style of the legendary Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. The show was a huge success, and Minnelli went on to direct two more revues, solidifying his reputation as a talented and innovative director.
In 1936, Minnelli received an offer from Arthur Freed to work at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM),which marked the beginning of a 26-year-long association with the studio. During his time at MGM, Minnelli worked on numerous films, including the iconic Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland vehicles, often directed by Busby Berkeley.
Minnelli's breakthrough as a director came in 1943 with Cabin in the Sky, a risky screen project with an all-black cast, which was a major departure from the norm at the time. This was followed by the ambitious period piece Meet Me in St. Louis in 1944, which starred Judy Garland, whom Minnelli would later marry in 1945.
Throughout his career, Minnelli was known for his innovative use of color and his ability to craft memorable musical numbers. He worked with many of the top stars of the time, including Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and Frank Sinatra, and was one of the few directors for whom Technicolor seemed to have been invented.
Minnelli's films often featured a dream sequence, which became a hallmark of his style. He directed a wide range of films, including musicals, melodramas, and urban comedies, and was known for his ability to balance music, dance, and drama with ease.
Some of Minnelli's most famous films include The Band Wagon (1953),Some Came Running (1958),and Designing Woman (1957),which he often worked on simultaneously. Minnelli's legacy as a director continues to be celebrated to this day, and his films remain some of the most beloved and enduring of all time.
