“Sure he was great, but don’t forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did. . . backwards and in high heels.”
This quote from a 1982 Frank and Ernest cartoon sums up one of the greatest dance duos in film history, the debonair Fred Astaire and the tenacious Ginger Rogers.
She was born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri. Her parents divorced when she was young, and she moved to Texas with her mother. She never saw her birth father again, and when her mother remarried, she adopted her stepfather’s surname of Rogers. A young cousin had trouble saying “Virginia”, so she became “Ginger”. Her mother was a career woman, involved in show business, as a scriptwriter among other things, and was a huge influence on Rogers for all her life. She got her own start in show business when she won a Charleston contest at the age of 14 in 1925. This led to a vaudeville career, and eventually Broadway. At the age of 19, she starred in the Gershwin Broadway musical “Girl Crazy,” which made her a star and gained the attention of Hollywood studios.
She made several films before two supporting roles in 1933 earned her recognition. “Gold Diggers of 1933” and “42nd Street” were two of the most successful films of that year. That same year, she had another supporting role in a mostly forgettable film. However, her two minute dance with a Broadway star named Fred Astaire caused a huge sensation, leading to one of the most successful Hollywood partnerships, including “Top Hat” and “Swing Time.” They made eight more highly successful musicals together over the next six years, and teamed one last time in 1949. Their pictures are credited with revolutionizing the Hollywood musical in the 1930s. Astaire was a taskmaster, and wanted long shots to show the dance as a whole, not broken down with close-ups on dance steps or faces. This often required several shots in a day. He once said, “All the girls I ever danced with thought they couldn’t do it. So they always cried. All except Ginger. No, no, Ginger never cried.”
Not only did Rogers have to work extra hard on these dance routines, she had to balance her contractual obligations while adhering to the demanding dance rehearsals. While Astaire made up to two films per year, Rogers made several. She was well known for her comedic timing, starring in several delightful screwball comedies, and winning an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1941 for the romantic drama “Kitty Foyle.” She was one of the biggest box office draws from the late 1930s-late 1940s. In 1942, she was the highest paid star in Hollywood.
As happened with many actresses of the era, Rogers’s career began to decline in the 1950s. She returned to Broadway, with a successful turn as the lead in “Hello, Dolly!” in 1965. In 1969, she performed the lead in “Mame” at the Theatre Royale Drury Lane in the West End of London, and was the highest paid performer in the history of the West End up to that time. At the age of 74, she directed an off-Broadway version of “Babes in Arms” in 1985. She also appeared in several popular television series in the 1970s and 1980s.
Rogers was married five times between 1929 and 1969, with each marriage ending in divorce. She remained very close to her mother, who also aided her career. Despite rumors they didn’t get along, Astaire and Rogers always spoke fondly of one other, and their respect for one another shines through in their many dances together. She presented him with a special Oscar in 1950, and they presented together at the 1967 Academy Awards ceremony, causing a sensation with a little dance. In 1992, Rogers was recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors. Her autobiography was published in 1991.
In her later years, the bubbly, outdoorsy Rogers was slowed down by two strokes, confining her to a wheelchair. She died of congestive heart failure on April 25, 1995, at the age of 83.
Although she is best remembered for her collaborations with Astaire, Rogers made 73 films, and is remembered for her saucy smile, sassy demeanor, and wisecracking characters. Tour our photo gallery featuring her 20 greatest film performances, ranked from worst to best.
-
20. Flying Down to Rio (1933)
Image Credit: Ernest Bachrach/Rko/Kobal/Shutterstock The actual stars of the picture are Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio as a playboy bandleader chasing an exotic Brazilian beauty. But it was Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers who stole the show as the assistant band leader and vocalist. By this time, Rogers had appeared in about 20 films, whereas Broadway recruit Astaire had just been in one. They only dance together for a couple of minutes, as part of the “The Carioca” number, but they light up the screen, their chemistry and sheer joy creating a sensation. Credit for the box office success of this film was largely attributed to this unlikely pairing. The film itself is mediocre; however, it will always have a place in film history as the one that launched one of the greatest dance and romantic teams in cinema.
-
19. Star of Midnight (1935)
Image Credit: Snap/Shutterstock In this comedy mystery, lawyer ‘Dal’ Dalzelle (William Powell) is asked by friend Tim Winthrop (Leslie Fenton) to locate his girlfriend who disappeared from a theater a year ago. Dal enlists the aid of Donna (Rogers), who has a crush on him. When the three attend a show called “Midnight” together, Dal recognizes his missing girlfriend in the cast. However, she bolts again, and the only person who can explain what’s going on winds up murdered, with Dal ending up a suspect. Although it received a little criticism as being a rip-off of the “Thin Man” series (also starring the debonair Powell), it did well at the box office, and remains a favorite of Rogers’s fans today. The stylish 1930s sets, and Rogers’s numerous and sophisticated costumes add to its appeal.
-
18. The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)
Image Credit: Mgm/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Originally meant as a vehicle for Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, Rogers came in as a replacement when Garland’s drug addiction caused her to be suspended. This would be the tenth and final Astaire/Rogers pairing, the only one filmed in Technicolor, and the only one not produced at RKO (this was an MGM movie). Husband and wife Josh and Dinah Barkley (Astaire and Rogers) are a successful comedy team. However, Dinah is approached by a playwright with a dramatic role, causing a riff with Josh. Despite his irritation, Josh secretly watches her rehearse for the play, and when he sees her struggling, decides to help. He calls her with advice, but pretends to be her playwright mentor. Dinah eventually realizes it was Josh helping her, and the famous duo get their happily ever after one final time. In “Shall We Dance”, Astaire had sung “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” to Rogers, but they didn’t dance; in a bit of sentimentality Rogers suggested they dance to the famous tune in this film. Another tap routine, “Bouncing the Blues”, is a popular number among their fans; the dancers said they felt like the ten years apart melted away, and they were still in sync. Particularly notable is the fact that Rogers had only made one musical since her last one with Astaire ten years before, but she was still able to keep up with the master.
-
17. The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)
Image Credit: Rko/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock This would be the last of the Astaire/Rogers musicals for RKO, and the last altogether for 10 years. The film follows the true-life love story of Vernon and Irene Castle (Astaire and Rogers), who were successful and acclaimed ballroom dancers in the early 1900s. Tragically, Vernon was killed in a training accident during World War I. This is the only one of their films that is not also a romance/comedy, and ends tragically.
-
16. Vivacious Lady (1938)
Image Credit: Snap/Shutterstock While visiting Manhattan, young professor Peter Morgan (James Stewart) meets and marries nightclub singer Francey (Rogers) after a whirlwind romance. Troubles arise when he brings her back home to meet his ultra conservative father, and Peter cannot find a way to tell his father what he’s done. As Peter bumbles his way through confessing his love for Francey, his father reacts disapprovingly, causing his mother to leave his father. The men have to find a way to win their loves back. “Vivacious Lady” received two Oscar nominations and did well at the box office. It remains a favorite comedy romance, and a favorite among Rogers’s fans.
-
15. Roberta (1933)
Image Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock Football player John (Randolph Scott) inherits his aunt’s Parisian dress shop, and falls in love with designer Stephanie (Irene Dunne). Meanwhile, his buddy Huck (Fred Astaire), a dancer who lost his gig, runs into his old sweetheart Lizzie (Rogers), who’s posing as snobby “Countess Scharwenka”. The two couples have to overcome several obstacles to find their successes and happily ever afters. The film features one of their most impressive tap numbers, “I’ll Be Hard to Handle.” Rogers later said that they had fun doing that dance, and the laughing and whispering to each other were real and not scripted.
-
14. Monkey Business (1952)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock Absent-minded Dr. Barnaby Fulton (Cary Grant) thinks he has found the formula to a “fountain of youth” pill when the potion he is working on seems to make him feel like a young man again. He doesn’t realize one of his research chimpanzees has mixed its own formula, which has accidentally been dumped into the water cooler. His wife Edwina (Rogers), who adores him despite his penchant for getting lost in his work, supports him by trying some of the formula herself. Hilarity ensues as husband and wife relive their youth in this wonderful Howard Hawks screwball comedy. A young Marilyn Monroe in one of her first substantial roles plays a secretary. At the age of 41, Rogers was the oldest female lead in a Hawks picture. Grant refused to play Barnaby if a much younger actress was cast as his wife, as he felt it would be unbelievable. Rogers was an excellent choice, and “Monkey Business” keeps us laughing.
-
13. Shall We Dance (1937)
Image Credit: Rko/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Ballet dancer Peter (Astaire) falls in love with tap dancer Linda (Rogers) at first sight. A misunderstanding leads to a fake marriage between the two, but they eventually know they belong together. This is the seventh Astaire/Rogers teaming, and the second Hollywood musical with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, who received an Oscar nomination for “You Can’t Take That Away from Me.” Although the movie did not fare well at the box office – perhaps the flimsy plot of boy chasing girl pieced together with music was getting old and audiences were moving on – this is still a well-loved musical by fans of the famous pair. It includes one of their most enjoyable numbers, “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” during which they dance while on roller skates!
-
12. Roxie Hart (1942)
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock Rogers plays the title role, a dancer who confesses to a murder committed by her husband, reasoning that women rarely get convicted of murder and the publicity will revive her fading career. Her guilty husband hires the best defense lawyer around, the flamboyant Billy Flynn (Adolphe Menjou), who encourages her to use any means necessary to charm reporters and the public into believing it was self defense. If the plot sounds familiar, it is indeed based on the 1926 play “Chicago,” which would become successful Broadway and film musicals decades later; however, due to the Production Code, the plot had to be altered to make Roxie innocent of murder. Although Alice Faye was the original choice for Roxie (she backed out due to pregnancy), the part of the saucy, wisecracking, unrepentant showgirl seems tailored-made for Rogers. It remains a favorite among her fans.
-
11. Carefree (1938)
Image Credit: Rko/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Stephen (Ralph Bellamy) sends his fiancee Amanda (Rogers) to his psychiatrist friend Tony (Fred Astaire) to find out why she keeps delaying their marriage. However, Amanda falls in love with the doctor instead. Although Tony tries to correct the error, he ends up falling in love with her as well. Although it did not initially make money as their previous movies had, the film earned three Academy Award nominations. Astaire had always felt “lovemaking” between him and Ginger should be conveyed through dance; however, rumors that the pair didn’t get along and that his wife wouldn’t let him kiss her, prompted their longest onscreen kiss. The kiss followed the “I Used to Be Color Blind” dance number, which is slow downed, making the details in their moves easier to see.
-
10. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
Image Credit: Bert Longworth/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock A precode musical made during the Great Depression, “Gold Diggers of 1933” is a lavish production that was one of the top-grossing films of that year. Featuring much of the same cast as the perhaps better remembered “42nd Street,” this story revolves around four actresses who are excited to be offered roles in a new Broadway show. However, there is a shortage of money. A secretly rich benefactor comes to the rescue, but he refuses to be part of the show despite being talented. The reason for that comes to light when his wealthy family finds out he’s involved in show business, and they become determined to save him from “gold diggers”. Rogers plays one of the four actresses in a supporting role, with a musical number called “We’re in the Money”, part of which she sang in pig latin. This is a must see film for any movie lover, especially for musical lovers, and shows an early glimpse of the star power of Rogers. It has been preserved in the National Film Registry.
-
9. Stage Door (1937)
Image Credit: Rko/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Against her father’s wishes, wealthy Terry Randall (Katharine Hepburn) moves to New York with aspirations of being an actress. She moves into a boarding house for such dreamers, but her snobbish attitude does not endear her to the group of women. Her roommate, cynical dancer Jean Maitland (Rogers), especially dislikes her, believing she is backed by a rich benefactor. With a cast that includes Lucille Ball, Ann Miller, Eve Arden and Andrea Leeds in an Oscar-nominated role, this rich melodrama details the joys and agonies of young performers in search of their “big break”. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Rogers and Hepburn shared top billing, and their completely opposite personalities – Rogers’s wisecracking dame to Hepburn’s refined New England lady – is a joy to watch.
-
8. Follow the Fleet (1936)
Image Credit: Snap/REX/Shutterstock While on leave in San Francisco, Navy man Bake Baker (Fred Astaire) tries to rekindle his romance with his old dance partner Sherry Martin (Rogers), but he only ends up costing her the job. Meanwhile, his friend Bilge (Randolph Scott) romances Sherry’s sister Connie (Harriet Hilliard). As usual, a series of misunderstandings cause Bake to chase after Sherry, hoping to right some wrongs, all while singing and dancing. This film features Rogers’s only solo dance (“Let Yourself Go”) in all her pairings with Astaire. It also features one of their most iconic dance numbers, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” in which Rogers wears a dress weighed down with beads; the sleeves hit Astaire in the face several times. Despite several takes, they were never able to get a complete scene without it slapping him, so it stayed in the picture. Regardless of this imperfection, or maybe because of it, movies such as “Pennies from Heaven” have paid homage to this dance sequence.
-
7. The Major and the Minor (1942)
Image Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock Working girl Susan Applegate is fed up with New York City and decides to go home to Iowa. However, she only has enough train fare for a child, so she disguises herself as a 12-year-old. When a conductor catches on to her, she hides in the compartment belonging to Major Philip Kirby (Ray Milland). Convinced she is a frightened child, he allows her to stay. When Philip’s fiancee and her family meet up with them, a series of misunderstandings ensue, with Susan trying to keep her charade going, but also falling in love with Philip. Written by Billy Wilder and frequent collaborator Charles Brackett, this is also the first film Wilder directed. As a young woman, Rogers had pretended to be younger to get a better fare when her mother (who coincidentally plays her mother in this film) couldn’t afford another ticket, so she felt like she related to this role.
-
6. The Gay Divorcee (1934)
Image Credit: Rko/Kobal/Shutterstock While staying in London with his lawyer friend, American Dancer Guy Holden (Fred Astaire) falls for fellow American Mimi, unaware she is there to obtain a divorce from a neglectful husband. When she hires his friend as her divorce attorney, a series of misunderstandings nearly leads her to discount poor Guy in the romance department; however, he wooes her with song and dance, and the mix-ups are cleared up in the end. This was the second pairing of Astaire and Rogers, with this being the first to star them as a pair. Astaire was initially reluctant, as he had recently dissolved a dance partnership with his sister and wanted a solo career. However, “Flying Down to Rio” did so well that he agreed, and one of the greatest onscreen pairings was on their way to film history. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning four Academy Award nominations. The Original Song category made its debut in 1935, and “The Continental” from this film won the prize. The song and dance number lasts 17 1/2 minutes, the longest musical number in a film until “An American in Paris” in 1951.
-
5. Bachelor Mother (1939)
Image Credit: Rko/Kobal/Shutterstock In this lighthearted comedy, Polly Parrish (Rogers) is a recently unemployed salesgirl who finds an abandoned baby, and is mistaken for his mother. David Merlin (David Niven), the son of her former employer, gives her her job back because he thinks she is an unwed mother. Unable to convince anyone she’s not the mother, and in danger of losing her job if she does, she continues the charade. David and Polly fall in love, but he worries about his father’s reaction, and the couple have a lot of sorting out to do before they can become a ready-made family. A Rogers film once again provided a box office hit for RKO, this time in the year in which more classic films were made than in any other year. It was remade in 1956 as “Bundle of Joy” with Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. “Bachelor Mother” is a favorite among Rogers fans, and fans of comedy-romance.
-
4. 42nd Street (1933)
Image Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock Rogers had her first substantial film role in this Best Picture nominee. In this precode musical, Broadway producer Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) is trying to put together a musical during the Great Depression, despite several complications: his own poor health and financial woes; a love triangle involving his financial backer, his leading lady, and her ex-boyfriend; and the leading lady’s broken ankle the day before Opening Night, and her replacement by a newbie chorus girl. Rogers plays Anytime Annie, a chorus girl with a sassy mouth, which became one of her trademarks. The film not only helped Rogers’ career, but made stars out of Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell, and propelled Warner Bros to put legendary choreographer Busby Berkeley under contract. The studio was on the verge of bankruptcy; “42nd Street” was one of the top-grossing films of 1933, saving the studio and revitalizing the musical genre. It remains one of the most loved and lauded musicals of all time, setting the standard for the “backstage musicals” of the era and inspiring an equally successful Broadway musical 50 years later. It has been preserved in the National Film Registry.
-
3. Kitty Foyle (1940)
Image Credit: RKO/REX/Shutterstock Rogers won the Academy Award for her portrayal of the title character in this bittersweet love story. Kitty is a working class girl who falls in love with blue collar Wyn Strafford (Dennis Morgan), and eventually marries him despite her father’s warnings that his family will never accept her. Her father’s predictions ring true when their marriage collapses under the strain of his family’s disapproval. She divorces him, leaving her hometown of Philadelphia to go to work in New York City. There, she meets a practical doctor, Mark Eisen (James Craig), who eventually proposes. She’s found out Wyn is now engaged to someone in his social class; however, Wyn comes back into her life and she has to choose between two very different men and two very different futures. “Kitty Foyle” was one of the top-grossing movies of 1940, and RKO’s number one money maker for the year. Besides Rogers’s win, it received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Writing, and Best Sound. Rogers’s performance received much praise, with many claiming that she made what could have been a forgettable film into something memorable. To add to its popularity, her dress style soon became a fad, known as a “Kitty Foyle dress”.
-
2. Swing Time (1936)
Image Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock Dancer Lucky Garrett (Fred Astaire) goes to New York to make enough money to prove to his fiancee’s father that he’s good enough for her. There, he meets dance instructor Penny Carroll (Rogers), and they team up to form a successful nightclub act, falling in love along the way. However, both of their past love interests put a dent in their budding romance. “Top Hat” and “Swing Time” vie for the higher spot on many “best of” lists. This is considered by many to be their best dance movie, with the “Never Gonna Dance” number taking 47 takes in one day, resulting in bleeding feet for Rogers. Nonetheless, she later claimed this was her favorite film with Astaire, and she received excellent reviews for her performance. Astaire’s frequent collaborator Hermes Pan received an Oscar nomination for Best Dance Direction for the “Bojangles of Harlem” number, and Jerome Kerns and Dorothy Fields took home the statue for Best Original Song for “The Way You Look Tonight,” which became a number one hit and remains a popular song to this day. Although the film did well at the box office, it also marked the beginning of the decline of their popularity. Still loved today, “Swing Time” is preserved in the National Film Registry.
-
1. Top Hat (1935)
Image Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock “Top Hat” is considered by many to be the best pairing of the famous dance team. It follows their tried and true formula of boy instantly falls for girl, but he annoys her, and he then seduces her with song and dance. Dancer Jerry Travers (Fred Astaire) is eager to show off his new tap dance to his producer, and gives him a demonstration in his hotel room one night. Dale Tremont (Rogers) is trying to sleep in the room below, and charges upstairs to complain. Although annoyed, she is instantly attracted to Jerry; however, a series of misunderstandings leads her to believe he is married and chaos ensues. This film contains some of their most famous musical numbers, including “Isn’t This a Lovely Day (to Be Caught in the Rain)” and “Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails.” Perhaps the most famous in this film is the spectacular “Cheek to Cheek.” Despite protests from Astaire and director Mark Sandrich, Rogers insisted on wearing a dress that included several ostrich feathers, thinking it would look perfect with the flow of the dance. Because it took so long to make, there was no time to rehearse and they went straight to filming – and feathers flew off during the production. Astaire later said it was “like a chicken being attacked by a coyote”. Nonetheless, it remains one of their most iconic dance sequences. The film went on to be one of the top-grossing films of that year, and the biggest money maker for RKO studios that decade. It set a house record upon its opening week at Radio City Music Hall, and policemen were summoned to control the crowds. This topnotch musical earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. “Top Hat” is often cited as one of the greatest musicals, and in some cases, one of the greatest films period, ever made. It is preserved in the National Film Registry.
