Popular Screen Reunion

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19825, 30 December 1938, Page 13

Popular Screen Reunion

ASTAIRE AND GINGER ROGERS

] OOKING over the history of motion pictures—both silent and talking, it is doubtful if a film “team” lias ever reached the popularity enjoyed by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Their reunion in “Carefree” is a direct result of public demand to see them together again after a period of individual appearances. When the studios first planned the making o'f “Carefree,” Pandvo S. Berman, production executive, told newspapers that the studio was in receipt of letters from all over the world asking for this screen reunion. The present popularity of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers is a fine tribute to the determination and talent of two young artists. Ginger Rogers, it will be recalled, started by playing very small parts in musicals, about the time that “42nd Streef’ was produced. The parts were small, but, thanks to Ginger’s enthusiasm, they were far from being in-

significant, and, although on the screen for a matter of minutes, she managed to register sufficient impression to be earmarked for a career that subsequently followed. On the other side of the partnership, Fred Astaire started his movie career with a role in “Dancing Lady,” starring Joan Crawford. He, too, was able to impress those who mattered, for in a short space of time the studio gave to Ginger and Astaire the important part of the “dance team” in “Flying Down to Rio,” in which Dolores del Rio and Gene Raymond appeared.