Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
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Contents
Beginning (1933–1935)
Fred Astaire started dancing in the early 1900s as a child on stage, in Vaudeville, partnering his older sister.[2] He made his first movie in 1933, taking on a small role in the movie Dancing Lady starring Clark Gable and Joan Crawford. Ginger Rogers made her first appearance in a 1929 movie short, then made feature Pre-Code movies with Warner Brothers Pictures such as 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made their first pairing in a movie in 1933, Flying Down to Rio. In Flying Down to Rio Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had supporting roles; the main star was Dolores Del Rio. In 1934 Astaire and Rogers made the musical movie The Gay Divorcee which co-starred Edward Everett Horton; it was their first joint starring role in a movie; the movie also featured the Cole Porter classic song "Night and Day". The song "The Continental" was a hit song from the movie and was also the first song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song in the 1935 Academy Awards ceremony for 1934.
1935
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made two movies in 1935, Roberta, which featured the song "I Won't Dance" and Top Hat, which also co-starred comedian Edward Everett Horton. In Roberta, Astaire and Ginger had a supporting role with Irene Dunne starring. In this film the song and dance, "I'll Be Hard to Handle", was an early example of the electricity and vivacity of the pairing. Top Hat marked the first time the duo had a film written solely for them, and it proved to be one of the most successful films of the year.[3] It was also, with "The Gay Divorcee", among the most profitable films RKO Radio Pictures made in the 1930s.[4]Later years
1937
1937 for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers featured only one movie Shall We Dance which co-starred Edward Everett Horton. Although the film was mildly successful, it did not perform as well as expected by the studio.[9] Shall We Dance, featured the first ever Hollywood score by talented brothers George and Ira Gershwin, and included the song They Can't Take That Away From Me. Although the partnership would go on to make two films together with RKO, the film's comparative disappointment in the box office was the beginning of the end for the duo.1938
After an unusually long period apart for the duo, Fred and Ginger only made one movie together in 1938, the 80 minute, Carefree.[10] During their time apart, Ginger appeared in the successful Stage Door, while Astaire's career did not reach the same heights he had experienced with Rogers.[11] The duo reunited, but Carefree marked a departure for their on screen partnership, featuring Astaire in a role unlike his usual typecast persona, as well as less emphasis on the musical element of the film.[12] Carefree was originally going to contain sequences shot in Technicolor, but RKO considered the costs prohibitive, so Carefree was filmed in black and white.[13] This movie feature an Irving Berlin musical score with only 4 songs, the fewest numbers in any Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film.[14] While the film was well received critically, with Motion Picture Herald's William R. Weaver calling it "the greatest Astaire-Rogers picture" the film ultimately lost money for the studio, signalling the end of partnership.[15]1939
In 1939, Fred and Ginger only made one movie, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle which ended their partnership for 10 years, until they reunited for The Barkleys of Broadway. Although their relationship was amicable, both wanted to explore new avenues. Rogers was interested in more dramatic roles than those she was offered with Astaire. Meanwhile Fred, who worked with many dancers throughout his career, no longer wanted to be paired with one, permanent partner.[16] Despite several successful films, RKO was facing bankruptcy. Due to the high cost and low profit of recent Astaire-Rogers vehicles, along with the stars' mutual desire to branch out, RKO announced the end of the on screen partnership.[17] Their farewell film was a musical biography of ballroom dancers Vernon and Irene Castle. When Fred and Ginger filmed the last dance in this film, Missouri Waltz, they attracted a large crowd of co-workers and crew members from RKO and numerous other studios, all of whom attended to bid an emotional farewell to the great dance team.[18]Solo years
Rogers had long been keen to pursue more dramatic roles, which she successfully managed after her split from Astaire. At the 1941 Academy Awards ceremony, Ginger won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kitty Foyle[19] and by the mid-1940s, she was the highest paid actress in Hollywood, although her career waned post war.[20]Astaire continued to make musicals including "Holiday Inn" (1942) with Bing Crosby, "Sky's The Limit" (1943) with Joan Leslie and "Blue Skies" (1946), his second and last movie with Crosby. He also partnered with numerous other dancers, including Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse and Judy Garland.[21] Fearing his career was failing, Blue Skies was due to be Astaire's last film, after which he retired for two years.[22] In 1948 Gene Kelly was due to star in MGM's Easter Parade alongside Judy Garland, but he broke his ankle, and MGM convinced Astaire to fill in, ending his retirement.[23] Due to their success as a partnership, Garland and Astaire were due to reunite for The Barkleys of Broadway, however Ginger Rogers took over her place after Garland was forced to drop out.[24]
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