Fred astaire and ginger rogers book

His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years. Fred astaire, american dancer onstage and in motion pictures who was best known for a number of highly successful musical comedy films in which he starred with ginger rogers, including the gay divorcee, top hat, and swing time. Entertaining analysis of the astaire rogers films but youd be better off with a copy of john muellers book. The first thing that springs to my mind when i think of films and dance is fred astaire. This is the first book about the theatre career of fred and adele astaire, detailing their years in vaudeville, on broadway, and in london, their impact culturally, and the essence of. This is a rereleased edition by obelisk books in 1987 and pretty much looks like the original hardcover edition printed in 1972 throughout. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Not such a fine romance on screen they were the worlds most romantic couple, but away from the cameras fred astaire and ginger rogers were a. Apr 02, 2020 fred astaire, american dancer onstage and in motion pictures who was best known for a number of highly successful musical comedy films in which he starred with ginger rogers, including the gay divorcee, top hat, and swing time. Fred astaire may 10, 1899 june 22, 1987 and ginger rogers july 16, 1911 april 25, 1995 were iconic dance partners in a total of 10 films, nine of them with rko radio pictures from 1933 to 1939, and one, the barkleys of broadway, with mgm in 1949, their only color film. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The long song the continental was awarded with the oscar of best music in 1935 and it is delightful to see the choreography of the dance. Ginger rogers, american dancer and actress who was best known as the partner of fred astaire in a series of movie musicals, including the gay divorcee 1934 and top hat 1935. July 16, 1911 april 25, 1995 was an american actress, dancer, and singer.

The truth on the screen they appeared besotted with each other but, as a new book reveals, fred astaire and ginger rogers were consumed by conflict, envy and mistrust. The gay divorcee is a great classic musical, with ginger rogers and fred astaire shining and dancing. From her many marriages to her reported affair with fred. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. This is not a dry history lesson but an interpretive survey of the musical film from its infancy to the present day. Howard hughes affair with ginger rogers hollywood producer.

May 10, 1899 june 22, 1987 was an american dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. Rogers and stevens fell in love on the set of swing time, and carried on a relationship for three yearsthree. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. When i learned that she had written an autobiography, i wanted to read it right away. Arlene croce introduces the amazing films fred astaire performed with ginger rogers. The story of hollywood s most famous dancers profiles the lives and careers of both stars, as well as a comprehensive analysis of their movies together. A couple couldnt resist a dance after hearing cheek to cheek from the 1935 movie top hat starring rogers and astaire playing. Meetings that made entertainment history when ginger rogers. The charm and grace of their dancing in the ten films they made together, including top hat and swing time, elicit nostalgia today. She has danced her way into the hearts of millions and has starred in both comedy and drama on both stage and screen. Her career continued on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century. An italian couples slow dance with a little help from fred astaire and ginger rogers has helped people smile during a dark time with the country under quarantine from the coronavirus a couple couldnt resist a dance after hearing cheek to cheek from the. Along with a bibliography and pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about fred and ginger like you never have before.

She was one of hollywoods greatest stars from the 1930s and 40s. Ginger rogers movies, dancing, films ginger rogers biography. May 23, 2016 the first thing that springs to my mind when i think of films and dance is fred astaire. The book includes a complete description of every movie and a commentary on each song and dance. Videos from the movie top hat, 1935 starring fred astaire and ginger rogers. Fred astaire singing the way you look tonight no infringement intended. The partnership of fred astaire and ginger rogers was extraordinary and wont be seen again, and any fan wanting to know more should explore this book and hannah hyams fabulous book, fred and ginger. Arlen croce, the dance critic for the new yorker, explores each dance in each of their nine films. Fred astaire and ginger rogers fred astaire my one and. No dancers ever reached a wider public, wrote dance critic arlene croce in the fred astaire and ginger rogers book in 1972, and the stunning fact is that astaire and rogers, whose.

Okay, but no feathers, please, recalling the troubles he had with one of ginger rogers elaborate ostrich feathered gowns in a dance from top hat 1935. I truly enjoyed the insights of the author and it made watching the movies a much more indepth experience. Fred astaire was an american dancer of stage and film who is best known for a number of successful musical comedy films in which he starred with ginger rogers. And it didnt stop there, i immediately had this image of fred astaire and ginger rogers doing their cheek to cheek dance number in the film top hat.

Jeanine basinger recommends the fred astaire and ginger rogers book by arlene croce, hollywood, the dream factory by hortense. Fred astaire biography affair, divorce, ethnicity, nationality, salary, net worth married biography who is fred astaire. Fred astaire lived until the late 1980s so this feels like part 1 of his life story. Feb 07, 2012 timeless scene from the 1936 movie swing time. Fred astaire and ginger rogers endure in the american imagination. The fred astaire and ginger rogers bookarlene croce. This book one has the flip pictures in the top right. This book was so good and informative, that i read all 450 pages within a few days. Fred astaire biography life, family, children, parents.

Finalist, national book awards 1973 for arts and letters. Originally published in 1972 by outerbridge and dienstfrey, this book is an extended appreciation of the astairerogers films. Jul 17, 2019 fred astaire was an american dancer of stage and film who is best known for a number of successful musical comedy films in which he starred with ginger rogers. We already know about the glories of fred astaire and ginger rogers, but basingers eloquent summation is lovely to read. Rogers and stevens fell in love on the set of swing time, and carried on. I am a great fan of fred astaire and ginger rogers. A feather broke loose from ginger rogers dress and stubbornly floated in mid air around astaires face. The chemistry, artistry and craftsmanship of their dancing is discussed. Ginger rogers, astaire s longtime dance partner, passed away in 1995. This book started off so much fun hollywood legends, the russian ballet, fred astaire, ginger rogers, the cia, the kgb, spies, double agents, hollywood agents, detectives, gossip columnists, impresarios, terrible puns, and glitzy parties and frenetic rehearsals galore. A feather broke loose from ginger rogers dress and stubbornly floated in mid air around astaire s face. Ginger rogers, astaires longtime dance partner, passed away in 1995. A key chapter of the book is devoted to astaires somewhat unwilling partnership with ginger rogers, the woman with whom he danced most dazzlingly. She also won an oscar for playing the title role in kitty foyle 1940 and later starred in roxie hart 1942.

Over half of the book is dedicated to his rise through vaudeville performances with his sister, demonstrating that there was so much more to him than the dozen or so films he made with ginger rogers. Fred astaire and ginger rogers book arlene croce isbn. Fred was an american dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. Publication date 1972 topics astaire, fred, rogers, ginger, 1911, dancers, musical films. In prose that perfectly rises to the thrill of these classics. The volume also presents background production notes. However, her real stardom began when she teamed up with her dance partner, fred astaire. He is widely considered the most influential dancer in the history of film. Most books about the astairerogers films focus exclusively on the music and dance scenes, but this book shows that the films are much more than the sum of those scenes, which after all only. An autobiography reprint by fred astaire, ginger rogers isbn. Rogers is often quoted as having said, i did everything fred did, only backwards and in high heels.

In 1980, as he entered his eighties, astaire married robyn smith, a successful jockey in her midthirties. Nov, 2018 ginger rogers and fred astaire in swing time. My mother told me i was dancing before i was born, ginger rogers writes. She won an academy award for her starring role in kitty foyle 1940, but is best remembered for performing during the 1930s in rkos musical films partnered with fred astaire. Fred astaire was adamant that he didnt want to be teamed with ginger rogers for their followup. Sol hurok has brought the legendary baronovitch ballet company to america and will feature them with fred astaire and ginger rogers in a highly touted tv. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Fred astaire was the epitome of charm, grace, and suave sophistication, with a style all his own and a complete disregard for the laws of gravity. Born in independence, missouri, in 1911, she debuted in vaudeville at age fourteen. Ginger rogers was an american actress, dancer, singer and director. The fred astaire and ginger rogers murder case book. Entertaining analysis of the astairerogers films but youd be better off with a copy of john muellers book. If you look closely, you can see the feathers flying off ginger rogers dress as she is being. When it comes to the dancing stars of hollywoods golden era, not many, if any, can quite compare to fred astaire.

Yet, in her descriptions of the astairerogers team in motion, the ingenious literary. Couple dances along with fred astaire and ginger rogers. Apr 22, 2019 fred astaire biography affair, divorce, ethnicity, nationality, salary, net worth married biography who is fred astaire. The best part are the freezeframes of two dances in the upper margin of the book. The astaires, by kathleen riley the new york times. He is regarded by many as the greatest popularmusic dancer of all time. The fred astaire and ginger rogers murder case by george baxt. Wellwritten in an engaging style, the book relates how hard, how much blood, sweat, and tears it took to make each dance seem so effortless. And yet, even he was a firm believer that his recurring costar, ginger rogers, was a better dancer than him. Meetings that made entertainment history when ginger rogers met fred astaire. Mar 19, 2020 an italian couples slow dance with a little help from fred astaire and ginger rogers has helped people smile during a dark time with the country under quarantine from the coronavirus.