Pug Sighting

Pug Sighting....

In the 1948 musical, Easter Parade!!!! And boy are they cute. Here is Peter Lawford, Fred Astaire, and Ann Miller

Dancing Problems

The picture above is from the very famous Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie "Top Hat" and did you know that it was Ginger Rogers idea to wear the dress seen in the picture? As a matter of fact, Fred Astaire hated the dress with all the feathers flying around and getting in his face. He asked Ginger Rogers to change her dress even, and she said no to Astaire because she believed that the dress would work. Later on, after Mr. Astaire saw the movie, he agreed with her and from then on, he trusted Miss. Rogers ideas on their films and dance routines. Pretty neat huh? 

The Gay Divorcee

The Gay Divorcee 
Released Date: October 12, 1934
Director: Mark Sandrich
Actors: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, Lillian Miles, Charles Coleman, William Austin, and Betty Grable

     For the past month, I have been on a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers kick. I've had so much fun watching the talent of the amazing duo. Out of all the movies they did together, this one, so far, has been my favorite. I ordered part two of the collection and am waiting patiently. Did you know that Fred Astaire did not want to work with Ginger at first? This just happens to be the couples second out of ten movies they made together. And, Fred Astaire wanted to make a second movie with Ginger Rogers, after their first film together. I have also been reading Ginger Rogers book and I must say, she is an amazing woman. She is a great dancer, actress, and also, as I was pleased to find out, a great story teller.

     Do you believe in love at first sight? Well Guy Holden (Fred Astaire) is proof that it can happen. After pulling Mimi Glossop's (Ginger Rogers) dress out of a trunk, he is hopelessly head of heels. The two Americans meet in England of all places. Mimi's Aunt Hortense (Alice Brady) is going to help her get a divorce. The last thing Mimi was expecting, while trying to get her divorce, was to fall in love. But Guy is so persistent that he even looks all over the streets to find Mimi. And when he finally runs into her (literally) with his car, he follows her and blocks her just to talk to her. They soon realize that they have amazing chemestry and dance well together. Which is pretty neat, considering that the real life Fred and Ginger, had to find that out too. And so did we! Meanwhile, Aunt Hortense finds her old flame. Which also happens to be Guy's best friend and manager, Egbert "Pinky" Fitzgerald (Edward Everett Horton). Will Guy find out that Mimi is married? If he does, will he be upset? Will they end up together? Hopefully, right? Because the world would not be the same without the most amazing dancing partners ever! If you end up buying the couples Collection films, you won't be disappointed. I promise.

Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn
Released Date: April 4, 1943
Director: Mark Sandrich
Actors: Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale, Walter Abel, Louise Beavers, Irving Bacon, Marek Windheim, James Bell, John Gallaudet, Shelby Bacon, Joan Arnold, and Bob Crosby and His Orchestra

     Bing Crosby's beautiful voice and Fred Astaire's beautiful taps are a treat in this holiday classic. "White Christmas" being Bing Crosby's classic Christmas song was an Academy Award winner for Best Song, and also went on to be one of the biggest selling songs in history. Which is not surprising as it is well sung and well written. Crosby sang this song in four of his movies. Did you know that the set, and actor and composer were used twice. The set can be seen in White Christmas, with Bing Crosby as a main actor, with him singing White Christmas and Irving Berlin wrote songs for both films. You can also witness Fred Astaire doing a Drunk Tap in this movie, and guess what! He really was drunk. He had two drinks of bourbon before the first take was done, and then before every take after that he had one glass of bourbon. The take you saw in the movie was take SEVEN. Can you imagine, that would make it nine drinks of bourbon later and that makes it a real drunk dance. What a great day at work, huh? Can you imagine your boss asking you to have a drink before doing a task?

     Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire), and Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) are a famous three man group. Jim and Lila are a couple, at least Jim thinks so. And he asks Lila to marry him and move to the country and live a life of lazy. Lila has other plans. To keep on touring and with her other man, Ted. Jim's heart is broken, but he goes ahead and moves to the country by himself. He no longer wants to tour and most importantly, he is done working all the time. But boy is he wrong that living on a farm equals a lazy life. He works and hard! Jim soon realizes that he can turn his old barn into a nightclub, and the catch? Only to be open on Holidays, all Holidays. And he wants to hire a few people to sing and dance with him. So Jim goes to New York to ask Ted and Lila to come see him when it opens, but then also asks his old manager Danny (Walter Abel) to find him some great acts. Danny ends up running into a girl at a flower shop and gives her Jim's card. Her name is Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) and she ends up being an amazing girl and who happens to be what Jim needed. They quickly fall in love but all goes haywire when Ted the love blocker comes back into Jim's life. Will Linda leave Jim to go with Ted? There is promise with Ted, a life in Hollywood and Jim is just staying in the country. Find out by watching this Holiday classic today!!!