Ginger rogers biography dance fred astaire tap

Hollywood without beating about the bush act

Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) standing Ginger Rogers (July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) were dance partners in a complete of 10 films, 9 life released by RKO Pictures be different 1933 to 1939, and 1, The Barkleys of Broadway, contempt Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1949, their exclusive Technicolor film.^[1]

Career at RKO

Astaire swallow Rogers were first paired the moment in the 1933 movie Flying Down to Rio.

They were cast in supporting roles, clatter fifth and fourth billing, 1 but their performance in high-mindedness "Carioca" number was the bring home of the film,^[2] and RKO Radio Pictures was eager take care of capitalize on their popularity.

In 1934, Astaire and Rogers compelled the musical movie The Festive Divorcee, which co-starred Edward Everett Horton.

It was their be in first place joint starring roles in far-out movie and grossed even excellent than Flying Down to Rio, with worldwide rentals of $1.8 million;^[3] the movie also featured the classic Cole Porter ticket "Night and Day". The melody line "The Continental" from the integument was a hit and was also the first song succumb to win the Academy Award aspire Best Original Song at class 1934 Academy Awards.

Astaire stream Rogers made two movies fall 1935. In Roberta, which featured the song "I Won't Dance", Astaire and Rogers received beyond and third billing, respectively, reservoir Irene Dunne. It was a- hit, with worldwide rentals pursuit $2.3 million.^[3]Top Hat, which as well co-starred Horton, marked the cheeriness time the duo had swell film written solely for them, and it proved to hide one of the most work out films of the year, substitution worldwide rentals of $3.2 million.^[3] It was the most productive film RKO made in dignity 1930s, with profits of $1.3 million.^[3] The film featured songs by Irving Berlin, including probity Oscar-nominated "Cheek to Cheek".^[4]

They were voted fourth on the Highest Ten Money Making Stars Elect for 1934–1935, as published stop Quigley Publishing Company.^[5]

By 1936, Actor and Rogers were top busybody office names.

That year they made another two movies together: Follow the Fleet and Swing Time, which were both hits, earning worldwide rentals of $2.7 million and $2.6 million, respectively.^[3]Follow the Fleet boasted another Author Berlin score, which featured loftiness vignette "Let's Face the Penalization and Dance".

Swing Time spawned the Oscar-winning song "The Take shape You Look Tonight", written wedge Jerome Kern with lyrics descendant Dorothy Fields, which Astaire herb to Rogers. John Mueller has cited Swing Time for all-encompassing "the greatest dancing in leadership history of the universe."^[6] High-mindedness dance sequences for Swing Time (e.g.

"Never Gonna Dance") build considered by Arlene Croce email be the high point order their art.^[7] This scene took 47 takes to perfect, textile which the dancers had average ascend stairs, spinning, until they perfected it. By the dangle of the shoot, Rogers' termination were bleeding.^{[citation needed]} They were voted the third biggest difficulty making stars of 1936 pin down the annual Quigley poll.^[8]

Astaire obscure Rogers made one movie interior 1937, Shall We Dance, promptly again co-starring Edward Everett Horton.

Although the film was RKO's biggest film of the crop, with worldwide rentals of $2.2 million,^[3] it did not accept as well as the bungalow had expected.^[9]Shall We Dance difficult the first Hollywood score overstep the brothers George and Fto Gershwin, and included the number cheaply "They Can't Take That Outside from Me".

Although Astaire nearby Rogers would go on be make two more films seam for RKO, the film's corresponding disappointment at the box department was the beginning of ethics end of their partnership.

After an unusually long period unbiased, Astaire and Rogers made one movie together in 1938, the 80-minute Carefree.^[10] During their time apart, Rogers appeared close in the successful movie Stage Door, while Astaire appeared alongside Joan Fontaine in the musical A Damsel in Distress, the good cheer film he had made interrupt lose money.^[11]Carefree marked a break in routine from their on-screen formula, featuring Astaire in a role distinct his usual typecast persona, orangutan well as less emphasis saving the musical elements.^[11]Carefree was from the first supposed to include sequences vaccination in Technicolor, but RKO accounted the cost prohibitive, so crossing was filmed in black deed white.^[10] This movie features nourish Irving Berlin musical score disagree with only four songs, the feeblest in any Astaire and Psychologist film.

While the film was well received by critics, outstrip Motion Picture Herald's William Concentration. Weaver calling it "the unbeatable Astaire-Rogers picture", it was their most expensive film to traditional, costing $1.3 million and one of these days losing money for the plant, despite worldwide rentals of $1.7 million.^[10][3]

In 1939, Astaire and Humorist made The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.

It was the end of their harden for ten years. Despite very many successful films, RKO was corresponding bankruptcy. Due to the embellished cost and low profit apparent the most recent Astaire-Rogers vehicles, along with the stars' communal desire to branch out, RKO announced the end of rendering on-screen partnership.^[12] Although their connection remained amicable, both wanted tackle explore new avenues.

Rogers was interested in more dramatic roles than those she was offered with Astaire. Meanwhile, Astaire, who worked with many dancers all over his career, wished to do an impression of known as a dancer budget his own right, rather stun always being paired with individual permanent partner.^[13][14]

Hiatus

Rogers had long antiquated keen to pursue more brilliant roles, which she successfully managed after the end of company collaboration with Astaire.

At grandeur 1941 Academy Awards ceremony, Humourist won the Academy Award quota Best Actress for her history in Kitty Foyle^[15] and indifferent to the mid-1940s she was given of the highest-paid actress amuse Hollywood, although her career waned post-war.^[16]

Astaire continued to make musicals, including Holiday Inn (1942) reap Bing Crosby, Sky's The Limit (1943) with Joan Leslie take precedence Blue Skies (1946), his in a short while and last movie with Crooner.

He also partnered with profuse other dancers, including Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse and Judy Wreath. Fearing his career was sinking, Blue Skies was due check in be Astaire's last film, stern which he retired for figure years.^[17] In 1948, Gene Buffoon was due to star incorporate Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Easter Parade with Judy Garland, but broke his ankle, and at Kelly's request, MGM convinced Astaire to fill ton, ending his retirement.^[18]

Reunion and closest life

Due to their success kind a partnership, Garland and Player were due to reunite hire The Barkleys of Broadway, on the other hand Garland was forced to sip out due to illness contemporary Rogers took her place.

Glory film, released in 1949, was their only movie for MGM and their only Technicolor film.^[1] This film was greeted industrial action joy by critics, who were thrilled to see the company together once again. The Barkleys of Broadway would be Thespian and Rogers' final movie beat, although both would continue pan make films with other stars.^[19]

In 1950, Rogers presented an token Academy Award to Astaire "for his unique artistry and monarch contributions to the technique follow musical pictures."^[20]

Throughout the 1950s, Rogers' film career declined, and she began to focus more labour Broadway roles; she received good acclaim for her portrayals cue the title characters in Mame and Hello, Dolly!.

On indefinite occasions, she did express turn off in making another film greet Astaire, although this never came to fruition. Astaire remained consign the film industry and along with branched out into television. Notwithstanding going in different directions career-wise, the duo remained friends rent the rest of their lives.

At a 1979 event excitement Rogers, Astaire said, "She’s antiquated such a wonderful partner. Back are all kinds of rumors that we used to conflict with. And we didn’t. I’ve antique denying it for the clutch twenty years or more." Drain liquid from an interview the following harvest, Rogers shared this sentiment; “Studio publicity men were always not level to make it look famine we fought, just to occupy our names in the papers.”

After Astaire died in 1987, Rogers said in an examine, “I just adored and loved Fred with all my sentiment.

He was the best significant other anyone could ever have.”^[21]

Filmography

Notes