Ask anybody of a certain age what they think of when you say "Ginger Rogers," and the answer you'll get most often will be "Fred Astaire." But Ginger was a lot more than just Fred's dance partner; she was also a dancer in her own right, a singer, and an actress who could handle either comedy or drama.
Ginger Rogers was born on July 16, 1911 in Independence, Missouri, as Virginia Katherine MacMath. She got the name "Ginger" when her young cousin couldn't say "Virginia." She wanted to become an actress from the time she was a child, and using her stepfather's last name, appeared in vaudeville shows and later on Broadway, where she met Fred Astaire.
Although she appeared in a number of films before pairing with him, it was the success of Astaire-Rogers that brought her real fame. However, she also had a great deal of success on her own, and was one of the most popular stars of the 30s and 40s. In 1940, she won a Best Actress Oscar, for Kitty Foyle (her only Academy Award nomination).
Ginger was married five times, to Edward Culpepper, Lew Ayres, Jack Briggs, Jacques Bergerac, and finally William Marshall. She divorced Marshall in 1962 and never remarried. She retired in 1984 and died in 1995 in California, at the age of 83. She was one of the most beautiful, talented actresses in Hollywood, and one of the most underrated.
And so we honor her memory with this 4-page tribute. I hope you enjoy it.
Part I: Introduction
Part II: Ginger Rogers Tributes and Other Pages
Part III: Movie Reviews & Where to Find Her Movies
Part IV: Photos, Art, and Posters
