Fred astaire and ginger rogers book

Fred astaire biography affair, divorce, ethnicity, nationality, salary, net worth married biography who is fred astaire. 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. Internet archive contributor internet archive language english. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. 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.

I truly enjoyed the insights of the author and it made watching the movies a much more indepth experience. A key chapter of the book is devoted to astaires somewhat unwilling partnership with ginger rogers, the woman with whom he danced most dazzlingly. The first thing that springs to my mind when i think of films and dance is fred astaire. A feather broke loose from ginger rogers dress and stubbornly floated in mid air around astaires face. 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. Couple dances along with fred astaire and ginger rogers. Arlen croce, the dance critic for the new yorker, explores each dance in each of their nine films. The fred astaire and ginger rogers murder case by george baxt. Apr 09, 1999 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 lot less friendly, as astaire s biographer michael.

Originally published in 1972 by outerbridge and dienstfrey, this book is an extended appreciation of the astairerogers films. If you look closely, you can see the feathers flying off ginger rogers dress as she is being. When i learned that she had written an autobiography, i wanted to read it right away. Apr 22, 2019 fred astaire biography affair, divorce, ethnicity, nationality, salary, net worth married biography who is fred astaire. Ginger rogers, astaires longtime dance partner, passed away in 1995. The fred astaire and ginger rogers murder case hardcover february 1, 1997 by george baxt author. This book was so good and informative, that i read all 450 pages within a few days. He was well known for a number of successful musical comedy films in which he starred with ginger rogers. 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. July 16, 1911 april 25, 1995 was an american actress, dancer, and singer. Entertaining analysis of the astairerogers films but youd be better off with a copy of john muellers book. Finalist, national book awards 1973 for arts and letters.

He is widely considered the most influential dancer in the history of film. 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. Ginger rogers was an american actress, dancer, singer and director. The gay divorcee is a great classic musical, with ginger rogers and fred astaire shining and dancing. Simpy the best book ever written about the fred astaireginger roges partnership.

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. Fred astaire and ginger rogers fred astaire my one and. Meetings that made entertainment history when ginger rogers met fred astaire. 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. 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. Fred astaire and ginger rogers book arlene croce isbn.

The best part are the freezeframes of two dances in the upper margin of the book. Fred astaire biography life, family, children, parents. An autobiography reprint by fred astaire, ginger rogers isbn. Nov, 2018 ginger rogers and fred astaire in swing time. 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. Ginger rogers movies, dancing, films ginger rogers biography. 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.

The chemistry, artistry and craftsmanship of their dancing is discussed. Ginger rogers, astaire s longtime dance partner, passed away in 1995. She also won an oscar for playing the title role in kitty foyle 1940 and later starred in roxie hart 1942. Ginger rogers and fred astaires 10 films ranked by how. A feather broke loose from ginger rogers dress and stubbornly floated in mid air around astaire s face. Rogers and stevens fell in love on the set of swing time, and carried on a relationship for three yearsthree. May 23, 2016 the first thing that springs to my mind when i think of films and dance is fred astaire. May 10, 1899 june 22, 1987 was an american dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. What emerges from these pages is a fascinating view of an american era, seen through the accomplishments of fred astaire, an unassuming but uncompromising performer who transformed entertainment.

Publication date 1972 topics astaire, fred, rogers, ginger, 1911, dancers, musical films. Born in independence, missouri, in 1911, she debuted in vaudeville at age fourteen. 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. Rogers is often quoted as having said, i did everything fred did, only backwards and in high heels. Apr 21, 2020 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. Fred astaire was adamant that he didnt want to be teamed with ginger rogers for their followup. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids. His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years. However, her real stardom began when she teamed up with her dance partner, fred astaire.

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. When it comes to the dancing stars of hollywoods golden era, not many, if any, can quite compare to fred astaire. Her career continued on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century. Croce followed this with one of the bestloved works in dance literature, the fred astaire and ginger rogers book. The astaires, by kathleen riley the new york times.

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. This is not a dry history lesson but an interpretive survey of the musical film from its infancy to the present day. She has danced her way into the hearts of millions and has starred in both comedy and drama on both stage and screen. He is regarded by many as the greatest popularmusic dancer of all time. The volume also presents background production notes.

Feb 07, 2012 timeless scene from the 1936 movie swing time. 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. Marking the beginning of an enduring onscreen partnership that was to continue for 16 years, when ginger rogers met fred astaire, it was a meeting of two of the greatest dancers of the 20th century. Yet, in her descriptions of the astairerogers team in motion, the ingenious literary. The fred astaire and ginger rogers bookarlene croce. The fred astaire and ginger rogers murder case book. 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. The fred astaire and ginger rogers murder case jacob. 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.

The book includes a complete description of every movie and a commentary on each song and dance. 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. Entertaining analysis of the astaire rogers films but youd be better off with a copy of john muellers book. 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. Fred astaire singing the way you look tonight no infringement intended. Rogers and stevens fell in love on the set of swing time, and carried on. From her many marriages to her reported affair with fred. 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.

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. 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. I am a great fan of fred astaire and 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. In prose that perfectly rises to the thrill of these classics. Along with a bibliography and pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about fred and ginger like you never have before. This book one has the flip pictures in the top right. A couple couldnt resist a dance after hearing cheek to cheek from the 1935 movie top hat starring rogers and astaire playing. 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. Fred was an american dancer, singer, actor, choreographer, and television presenter. Arlene croce introduces the amazing films fred astaire performed with ginger rogers. She was one of hollywoods greatest stars from the 1930s and 40s. This is a rereleased edition by obelisk books in 1987 and pretty much looks like the original hardcover edition printed in 1972 throughout.

We already know about the glories of fred astaire and ginger rogers, but basingers eloquent summation is lovely to read. Videos from the movie top hat, 1935 starring fred astaire and ginger rogers. 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. Howard hughes affair with ginger rogers hollywood producer. In 1980, as he entered his eighties, astaire married robyn smith, a successful jockey in her midthirties. Fred astaire and ginger rogers endure in the american imagination. Fred astaire lived until the late 1980s so this feels like part 1 of his life story.