Happy Birthday, Ginger!

Hollywood magazine   September 1934

Happy Birthday to Miss Ginger Rogers.  In a toast to the lady who gave so much to the world in the form of entertainment, here is an interview that I found floating around on the internet.

NOTE:  This item IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN!

The Montana Memory Project has an interview with Miss Ginger Rogers by Rosetta Kamlowsky that was recorded for KBLL Radio on June 7, 1974.  It was contributed to the collection by the Montana Historical Society Research Center.

Ginger gives a brief history of herself, talks about her career, gives some commentary on the state of Hollywood "today" and more.  The sound of the recording is quite good, despite some sirens going by at one point. It is only 7 minutes and 26 seconds, but at least it can be heard.  Listen for it here:

http://cdm16013.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p103401coll30/id/32/rec/5

 NOTE, again:  This item IS NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN!

Another interview that is NOT in the public domain is here:
http://bobbiewygant.blogspot.com/2010/11/bobbie-wygant-interviews-ginger-rogers.html
This is a video of Ginger being interviewed by Bobbie Wygant.  (I've seen this interview on You Tube as well.)  Ginger was in Texas at the time but there isn't a date when the interview took place.  Ginger and Bobbie talk about film preservation and Ginger alludes to her autobiography, which had not yet been published at the time.  So maybe the date is the late 80's?  Thanks to Bobbie Wygant for preserving this interview.
And again, this video is

NOT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

What else can be said but, here's looking at you, Ginger.  Happy Birthday!  And have some cake.

New Movie Magazine     November 1934

Ginger Rogers enjoys her birthday cake with the cast of The Gay Divorce: (left-right)  Mark Sandrich, Fred Astaire, Ginger, Erik Rhodes, Alice Brady and Edward Everett Horton.  (the caption in the magazine has the movie title as The Gay Divorce)



The photo at the top of the page is from the Media History Digital Library:
http://archive.org/stream/hollywood23holl#page/n555/mode/2up
and so is the picture of Ginger's birthday party
http://archive.org/stream/newmoviemagazine10weir#page/n503/mode/2up

Photoplay Magazine Color/Colorized Pictures

Here are a few color photos of Miss Ginger Rogers from Photoplay magazine.  They can be found in the Media History Digital Library, along with a lot of others that aren't as colorful.  It is a treat for me to see Miss Ginger in color.  It seems odd that a woman who was so colorful, and liked to dress so colorfully, was almost always seen in black and white during her movie career.  To see her in color, you had to watch her live.  I guess it goes to show that there is nothing more colorful than real life.

Photoplay magazine   July 1933

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay4445chic#page/n47/mode/2up

Photoplay magazine    July 1936

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay51chic#page/n67/mode/2up

Photoplay magazine    February 1941

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay118phot#page/n121/mode/2up

Photoplay magazine    September 1942

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay121phot#page/n253/mode/2up

Photoplay magazine   April 1943

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay122phot#page/n377/mode/2up

Media History Digital Library:  http://mediahistoryproject.org

The Ginger Rogers Show

A pilot was made for a television series called... what was the name again?  Hmmm... it was just on the tip of my tongue, ... oh yeah...

THE GINGER ROGERS SHOW

The show wasn't picked up as a series.  The pilot did appear as a single episode on The Vacation Showcase, July 22, 1963.  It was called "A Love Affair Just for Three."  You can watch the show on archive.org

http://archive.org/details/GingerRogersShowPilot

The story line had Ginger playing twins, Elizabeth and Margaret Harcourt.  One was a serious writer and the other a less serious fashion designer.  Both were beautiful and wore lovely clothes.  Charles Ruggles played their Uncle Eli.  Give it a look and judge for yourself how it went.  Fortunately, Ginger herself appears at the end of the program to talk about the future of the series.  Unfortunately, it didn't have a future.  

And, here are a few frame grabs from the show.

 

For a list of other appearances by Ginger Rogers on television, go to the "Television" page of this blog:
http://thegingerrogersresouce.blogspot.com/2012/09/television.html

Ginger Rogers on the Steve Allen Show

Ginger Rogers appears on "The Steve Allen Show"             October 20, 1957

Miss Ginger Rogers appeared on television many times during her career.  Over the decades, there has been much talk about TV stars not being good enough for the movies and movie stars being too good for TV but early television featured a lot of big Hollywood names on their shows.  What a thrill it must have been to have Ginger Rogers singing in your living room.  With technology being the way it is, now we can all have Ginger Rogers singing, dancing and acting in our living rooms at the press of a button.  Lucky us.

Anyway, back on October 20, 1957, anyone tuning in to The Steve Allen Show got the pleasure of seeing Ginger Rogers sing a series of songs in various characters along with Steve Allen's introductions, commentary and light piano playing.  It was, and still is, a funny sketch and available to view on archive.org:

http://archive.org/details/SteveAllenShowSingers1

I've always enjoyed Ginger Rogers' singing because she sings in character.  Most singers have a style they stick to and that's it.  Actors and actresses do this as well if they have to sing in movies.  Ginger was different and I think this difference added a lot to her performances.  If anyone ever doubted that she was a great singer, they should watch the video and then decide.  She demonstrates her singing skills and versatility in the sketch AND it all stays funny the entire time.  It is well worth watching.

There are more clips from The Steve Allen Show featuring Ginger Rogers, and others, here:
http://archive.org/details/SteveAllenPlymouthIntro
The quality isn't the best but they show a variety of Ginger's talents and what television used to be like.

Other performances by Ginger on television are listed here:
http://thegingerrogersresouce.blogspot.com/2012/09/television.html

And because I couldn't pick just one still from the show, here are a few more.....

Zee french singer explains

The starlet falls flat...

...but still takes a bow

Gone But Not Forgotten

Motion Picture magazine  April 1940

Just thinking of Miss Ginger Rogers today, April 25th, on the anniversary of her passing from this life.  She left a lasting legacy for the rest of us to appreciate.  God bless her and may she rest in peace.


Motion Picture magazine photo above can be found in the Media History Digital library:
http://archive.org/stream/motionpicture59fawc#page/n199/mode/2up

Suddenly It's Spring

The Cinema News and Property Gazette   August 18, 1943

Miss Ginger Rogers recorded the song "Suddenly It's Spring" for the movie Lady in the Dark.  When the movie was released in 1944, the song had been left on the cutting room floor BUT the recording was put on a record AND that recording can now be found on archive.org:

http://archive.org/details/OutakesFromClassicHollywoodMusicals

Look for the entry "GINGER ROGERS SUDDENLY IT'S SPRING" in the middle of the block of recordings listed there or go directly to:

http://ia601501.us.archive.org/12/items/OutakesFromClassicHollywoodMusicals/GingerRogersSuddenlyItsSpring.mp3

There are a lot of other items available that were left out of movies, or cut short, and this page is only volume 4 in which you may explore.  "Suddenly It's Spring" is the only song from the series that is attributed to Ginger Rogers, however.  The recording includes the orchestration which was left in the movie and can be heard during the dream sequence of the dance in the gazebo.  Ginger wrote about that dance in her autobiography, Ginger:  My Story, page 254 and 255:

We devised a little routine that we had to execute through a fog, created by dry ice.  For over two and a half hours I worked on the dream dance.  To keep the dry ice from melting too rapidly, all the outside doors were shut.  Inside, I was groping through the fog and inhaling the overwhelming dry ice.  It was like swimming underwater on one breath.  I went outside and took big gulps of the fresh air.

It was no wonder she felt like she was holding her breath because dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide.  As it sublimates, it creates a fog of itself as a gas which blocks oxygen from getting into the lungs.  It makes for a nice effect but breathing enough carbon dioxide instead of air will cause you to suffocate.  Imagine dancing in that!  (For more fun facts on dry ice, check out Wikipedia or head to your friendly, neighborhood library.  Your library may also have a copy of Ginger:  My Story that you can borrow.)

Meanwhile, back on archive.org...
On this same page of cut songs is the full version of "Swing Trot" from Barkleys of Broadway.  Look for "MGM STUDIO ORCH SWING TROT" on the list or go to:

http://ia601501.us.archive.org/12/items/OutakesFromClassicHollywoodMusicals/MgmStudioOrchSwingTrotcomplete.mp3


For some pretty pictures of the dress Ginger wore in the movie Lady in the Dark see this blog (note:  the images on this blog page aren't in the public domain.)
http://katandbaby.blogspot.com/2013/02/hollywood-costumes-exhibition.html

For more information on songs Ginger Rogers recorded that are available on archive.org, go to the "Ginger Sings" page of The Ginger Rogers Resource (this one is an actual link):
http://thegingerrogersresouce.blogspot.com/2012/09/ginger-sings.html

The Cinema News and Property Gazette image seen above is available here:
http://archive.org/stream/cinproper00cine#page/n269/mode/2up
Made available by the Media History Digital Library.  I thank them very much for all of their hard work.

The Capture of Lizzie Stone

Photoplay magazine    June 1939

The story of outlaw Lizzie Stone who falls for the new deputy Marshall in town.  She decides to give up breaking the law and will shoot anyone between the eyes who tries to stop her!  The show is well done and a lot of fun.  'Lizabeth (as she prefers to be called) Stone is played by that well known cowgirl herself, Miss Ginger Rogers.  The best date I've been able to find fur when this a-here show wuz done is 1943, or there abouts.  It is listed online as an "audition show" but an audition for what isn't as clear.  Check it out for yurselves, or Lizzie.... I mean 'Lizabeth, will make ya' pay the price.

http://archive.org/details/CaptureofLizzieStone


For a list of radio shows featuring Ginger Rogers, see the "Radio Shows from A-Z" page on this blog:
http://thegingerrogersresouce.blogspot.com/2012/10/radio-shows-from-z.html


Photoplay magazine image above can be found:
http://archive.org/stream/photoplay53chic#page/38/mode/2up

Magazine Movie Ads

I've come across a lot of ads for movies starring Miss Ginger Rogers in my time on the internet.  I've collected a lot of them here.  They are different from the movie posters, which is interesting... at least from my point of view.  I hope you enjoy looking at them.  All the images below are from the Media History Digital Library - http://mediahistoryproject.org/collections/


The posters below are in alphabetical order except for the first one, which is just to get you interested!

"Follow the Fleet"  The Film Daily     February 25, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/436/mode/2up

20 Million Sweethearts

Photoplay magazine     June 1934

http://archive.org/stream/photo46chic#page/n651/mode/2up

42nd Street

Motion Picture magazine   April 1933

http://archive.org/stream/motionpicture45moti#page/n201/mode/2up
and Photoplay magazine April 1933
http://archive.org/stream/photo44chic#page/n387/mode/2up

Broadway Bad

 The Film Daily  January 26, 1933

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66162newy#page/132/mode/2up

Carefree

Motion Picture magazine   October 1938

http://archive.org/stream/motionpicture56fawc#page/n157/mode/2up
and Photoplay magazine October 1938
http://archive.org/stream/photoplayvolume52chic#page/n299/mode/2up

Change of Heart

Motion Picture magazine    June 1934

http://archive.org/stream/motionpicture47moti#page/n407/mode/2up
and in Photoplay magazine June 1934
http://archive.org/stream/photo46chic#page/n721/mode/2up
and Hollywood magazine  June 1934
http://archive.org/stream/hollywood23holl#page/n313/mode/2up

Flying Down to Rio

Photoplay magazine   January 1934

http://archive.org/stream/photo46chic#page/n19/mode/2up

Follow the Fleet

The Film Daily    February 5, 1936

 http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/262/mode/2up

The Film Daily     February 5, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/264/mode/2up

The Film Daily  February 13, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/320/mode/2up

The Film Daily  February 21, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/406/mode/2up

The Film Daily   February 25, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/436/mode/2up
I like this one so much I just wanted to see it again  :)

The Film Daily   February 25, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/438/mode/2up

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/262/mode/2up

Follow the Leader

Motion Picture News  December 13, 1930

http://www.archive.org/stream/motionpicturenew42moti#page/n1079/mode/2up

This was called "Manhattan Mary" as a Broadway play but the title was changed for the film.

The Gay Divorcee

The Film Daily  October 9, 1934

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume666newy#page/706/mode/2up

The Film Daily  October 12, 1934

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume666newy#page/736/mode/2up

The Film Daily  October 19, 1934

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume666newy#page/800/mode/2up

The Film Daily   November 15, 1934

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume666newy#page/968/mode/2up

Gold Diggers of 1933

The Film Daily   May 4, 1933

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66162newy#page/680/mode/2up

The above item isn't exactly an ad for the movie but...

Photoplay magazine   July 1933

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay4445chic#page/n11/mode/2up


and

Picture Play magazine   July 1933

http://archive.org/stream/picturepl39stre#page/n455/mode/2up

In Person

The Film Daily   November 13, 1935

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume668newy#page/1174/mode/2up

Lady in the Dark

Photoplay magazine   October 1943

http://archive.org/stream/photopla123phot#page/n421/mode/2up
Not exactly an ad for the movie but I put it here all the same

Lucky Partners

Photoplay magazine   September 1940

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay52chic#page/n201/mode/2up

Photoplay magazine   September 1940

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay52chic#page/n253/mode/2up

The Major and The Minor

Photoplay magazine    November 1942

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay121phot#page/n445/mode/2up

Hollywood magazine    October 1942

http://archive.org/stream/hollywood31fawc#page/n661/mode/2up

Mother Carey's Chickens

The Film Daily    June 26, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66970newy#page/526/mode/2up

This one is interesting because Ginger WASN'T in the movie!

Once Upon a Honeymoon

Photoplay magazine  January 1943

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay122phot#page/n19/mode/2up

and (Hollywood magazine from December 1942)
http://archive.org/stream/hollywood31fawc#page/18/mode/2up

Professional Sweetheart

The Film Daily    June 2, 1933

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66162newy#page/844/mode/2up

New Movie magazine   August 1933

http://archive.org/stream/newmoviemagazine08weir#page/n143/mode/2up

Roberta

The Film Daily     January 9, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/84/mode/2up

Romance in Manhattan

The Film Daily      January 17, 1935

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdaily67wids#page/n197/mode/2up

Roxie Hart

Photoplay magazine      March 1942

http://archive.org/stream/photoplay120phot#page/n235/mode/2up

Shall We Dance

La Cinematographic Francaise    April 30, 1937

http://archive.org/stream/lacinmato65pari#page/n775/mode/2up

Stage Door

Photoplay magazine      November 1937

http://archive.org/stream/photoplayvolume551chic#page/n117/mode/2up

Hollywood magazine   October 1937

http://archive.org/stream/hollywood26fawc#page/n807/mode/2up

Suicide Fleet

The Film Daily   November 5, 1931

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume55657newy#page/958/mode/2up

When the "Old Fightin' Cock" announces something, you'd better listen!

Swing Time

The Film Daily  August 21, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66970newy#page/1020/mode/2up

The Film Daily    August 21, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66970newy#page/1022/mode/2up

The Film Daily     August 27, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66970newy#page/1074/mode/2up

The Film Daily   August 27, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66970newy#page/1076/mode/2up

The Film Daily  August 27, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume66970newy#page/1072/mode/2up

La Cinematographic Francaise    April 30, 1937

http://archive.org/stream/lacinmato65pari#page/n769/mode/2up

Motion Picture magazine   October  1936

http://archive.org/stream/motionpicture52moti#page/n189/mode/2up

Motion Picture magazine  October 1936

http://archive.org/stream/motionpicture52moti#page/n225/mode/2up
I don't know who blocked out Fred Astaire's face but it wasn't me.

Tales of Manhattan

Hollywood magazine     November 1942

http://archive.org/stream/hollywood31fawc#page/n749/mode/2up

not very exciting, I must admit

The Thirteenth Guest

The Film Daily   September 30, 1932

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume660newy#page/540/mode/2up

The Tip Off

The Film Daily   October 23, 1931

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume55657newy#page/864/mode/2up

Here's that "Old Fightin' Cock" again.  At least this time, he put on a tie.

Tom, Dick and Harry

Hollywood magazine    August 1941

http://archive.org/stream/hollywood30fawc#page/n517/mode/2up

Top Hat

The Film Daily    July 31, 1935

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume668newy#page/284/mode/2up

The Film Daily    August 29, 1935

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume668newy#page/554/mode/2up

The Film Daily     January 9, 1936

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume669newy#page/82/mode/2up

Movie Classic magazine    September 1935

http://archive.org/stream/movieclassic09moti#page/n23/mode/2up
not really an ad but this page needed more Top Hat

Vivacious Lady

Photoplay magazine  June 1938

http://www.archive.org/stream/photoplayvolume552chic#page/4/mode/2up

If you look closely at the ad, they call the song Ginger sings in the movie "I'll be Reminded of You".

You Said a Mouthful

The Film Daily   November 16, 1932

http://www.archive.org/stream/filmdailyvolume660newy#page/848/mode/2up