▁for ▁G igi . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁having ▁directed ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁known ▁musical s ▁of ▁his ▁day , ▁Minn elli ▁made ▁many ▁com ed ies ▁and ▁mel od ram as . ▁He ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁Jud y ▁Gar land ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁until ▁ 1 9 5 1 ; ▁the ▁couple ▁were ▁the ▁parents ▁of ▁L iza ▁Minn elli . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁and ▁bapt ized ▁as ▁L ester ▁Anthony ▁Minn elli ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁young est ▁of ▁four ▁known ▁sons , ▁only ▁two ▁of ▁whom ▁surv ived ▁to ▁ad ul th ood , ▁born ▁to ▁Marie ▁É mil ie ▁Od ile ▁Leb eau ▁( stage ▁name : ▁M ina ▁G enn ell ) ▁and ▁Vincent ▁Charles ▁Minn elli . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁the ▁musical ▁conduct or ▁of ▁Minn elli ▁Brothers ' ▁T ent ▁Theater . ▁ ▁His ▁Chicago - born ▁mother ▁was ▁of ▁French ▁Canadian ▁descent ▁with ▁a ▁strong ▁probability ▁of ▁Native ▁American ▁( An ish ina abe ) ▁line age ▁included ▁via ▁her ▁Mack in ac ▁Island , ▁Michigan ▁born ▁mother . ▁The ▁family ▁tou red ▁small ▁towns ▁primarily ▁in ▁Ohio , ▁Indiana ▁and ▁Illinois ▁before ▁sett ling ▁perman ently ▁in ▁Del aware , ▁Ohio . ▁ ▁His ▁pat ernal ▁grand father ▁V inc en zo ▁Minn elli ▁and ▁great - un cle ▁D omen ico ▁Minn elli , ▁both ▁Sic ilian ▁revolution aries , ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁leave ▁Sic ily ▁after ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁prov is ional ▁Sic ilian ▁government