Ginger Rogers

[Heather]

I'm going through a bit of a Ginger Rogers phase right now. I thought it would be swell to dedicate a thread to her. I hope I'm posting this in the right place but I figured since she was an actress it would be apprproiate. And forgive me if there is already a thread--moderators feel free to merge if it's a repeat. I find her to be pretty and adorable at the same time. And she seemed so nice! I believe I read that she's even a distant cousin to Lucille ball. Is that true?

 

[kjoretur]

Ginger Rogers in Hats

In keeping with the theme of this forum, I have included Photos of
Either Ginger Rogers or her Gentlemen co-stars in Hats

 

[dhermann1]

Once around 1980 I saw Ginger Rogers on West 58th St in Manhattan. She was coming out of a hotel or something. She had gotten a little plump in her later years, and was just very big and blond. But she still had . . . that certain spectacular something. Fond memory.
I used to see her on Carson from time to time. She didn't seem as bright or interesting as some of the old screen legends, but that was OK.
I seem to recall that Katherine Hepburn used to derisively refer to her as "Titmouse". I won't speculate on just what she was referring to, but Kate was one to talk.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"I saw "Lady in The dark" yesterday at a store for $10.00 but i was not sure if it was the film of the Broadway musical, so passed on it, will have to see if its there next week!, love her on Lux Radio theatre too"

 

[Nathan Dodge]

I became quite enamored with Ginger in 2006. Stage Door and Weekend at the Waldorf made me a fan for life. Her comic timing and sharp delivery in the former impressed me because she pushed The Great Kate right off the screen in that. No mean feat.

As for Ginger's weight gain, I guess not dancing with Fred sixteen hours a day finally caught up with her. She still looked great to me, though.

Ginger never looked better than she did in Swing Time. My lord, was she dangerous!

I remember seeing Ginger on one of the talk shows in the early 1990s--"Geraldo" maybe-- and Burgess Meredith, who nursed a torch for her for decades admitted as much on the show. Ginger smiled and said something like "That's sweet" and completely moved on. Poor Burgess.

 

[Tomasso]

"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels."

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

I am a huge Ginger Rogers fan and have been for years.

Nobody could work a skirt like Ginger. Watch the hemline of her costumes twirl back and forth as she moves. She does it in all of her movies, not just during the musical dance numbers.

Ginger was also a staunch conservative. She was one of the members of "The Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals", an anti-communist organization, along with John Wayne, Ronald Regan, Walt Disney, and Ayn Rand. Her mother was a "friendly witness" for the 1947 House Committee on Un-American Activities and she publicly supported the blacklist.

My favorite Ginger Rogers movie is 1938's Having Wonderful Time.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Ginger was also a staunch conservative. She was one of the members of "The Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals", an anti-communist organization, along with John Wayne, Ronald Regan, Walt Disney, and Ayn Rand. Her mother was a "friendly witness" for the 1947 House Committee on Un-American Activities and she publicly supported the blacklist.

Nobody's perfect.

 

[scotrace]

I played Parcheesi with her cousin last week! No foolin.

 

[4and1]

She truly is one of the greats. Not only for her dance ability, but for her versatility as an actress on film and stage. She could play a broad range of characters, from Roxy Hart to Ellie May in Primrose Path and more.

Her and Lucille Ball were close friends, her and Hepburn...not so much. I think Katherine may have been a little mean spirited toward her. Possibly jealous of her superior talents.

 

[4and1]

I was trying to think of current actors/actresses who can sing, dance and act like many of the performers of the golden era did. The only one I could come up with is Jennifer Lopez and, to me, she just doesn't really compare.

 

[Miss Dizzy Dame]

an old family member of mine was rumored to be engaged to her during the vaudeville days.. will never know if thats true.

 

[4and1]

Did he have a name, Miss Dizzy?

 

[Miss Dizzy Dame]

Did he have a name, Miss Dizzy?

Art Frank.

 

[skyvue]

I once wrote to Ginger Rogers for an autograph, and received in return a price list for signed items.

I didn't begrudge her making a buck -- I knew even then that many old stars hadn't made as much money during their acting careers as one might assume, especially considering they mostly missed out on residuals -- but being in college (or just graduated, I don't recall), my budget was tight.

So I purchased an 8x10 of Ginger and included a note explaining that I was a young actor (I was, then -- now I'm neither young nor an actor), along with a self-addressed and stamped return envelope, so that the only expense she'd incur would be the time spent signing the photo and the cost of the ink in her signature, and, sure enough, that did the trick: A few weeks later, I received the photo by return mail, and it was signed, "Break a leg! -- Ginger Rogers."