Biography

Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer, and singer. She had a prolific career in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the twentieth century. She made a total of 73 films, notably ten revolutionary musical films where she performed as Fred Astaire's partner. She also won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Kitty Foyle (1940). Rogers was a major movie star during the Golden Age of Hollywood and was ranked number 14 on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list of female stars of classic American cinema. After winning a 1925 Charleston dance contest that launched a successful vaudeville career, she gained recognition as a Broadway actress for her stage debut in Girl Crazy. This led to a contract with Paramount Pictures, which ended after five films. Rogers had her first successful film roles in 42nd Street (1933) and Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933). Subsequently, Rogers' nine films with Fred Astaire gave RKO Pictures some of its biggest successes, most notably The Gay Divorcee (1934), Top Hat (1935), and Swing Time (1936). But after two commercial failures with Astaire, she branched out into dramatic and comedy films. Her acting was well received by critics and audiences, and she became one of the biggest box-office draws and highest paid actresses of the 1940s. Rogers' popularity peaked by the end of the decade. She reunited with Astaire in The Barkleys of Broadway (1949), which was her last commercial success. Experiencing constant lack on success in the 1950s, she returned to Broadway the next decade when she played the lead role in Hello, Dolly!. More Broadway roles followed, along with her stage directorial debut in 1985 of an off-Broadway production of Babes in Arms. She also made television acting appearances until 1987. She died of a heart attack in 1995, at age 83.