Happy 2010, Y'all!!!!

...from all the folks here at Gingerology! The best picture for this 'reflective' post was the one above, which is the 'initial' G-ology 'banner' picture (and STILL one of my favs!)

Well, as I reflect on the past half-year of G-ology's existance, now is a good time to say thanks to all of you who have contributed and/or followed this blog...when I started it, did not really know what I would end up doing with it, or how I could keep posting new stuff concerning Ginger. But it has been a lot easier than I thought, with a lot learned, and much more to discover!

And the coolest part is that there are so many of "y'all" out there who are into 'the Golden Era' of cinema, including Ginger movies! It is kind of a 'commitment' for me at this point to keep the VKM info rolling along, and I have no problems with that! I am also learning a LOT about other great movies, actors and actresses from your blogs, all of which just ROCK! It is because we CARE about keeping the memories of this era alive that this 'community' is strong! So, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!

Well, before I start to sound TOO much like a politician, hope the new year works out well for everyone...2009 was overall a pretty rough one, economic-wise, anyway. If we just 'Keep It Gingery', maybe things will improve for 2010... hey, MAYBE "Hat Check Girl" will finally be unearthed!!!

AAANNNDDD, I am also kicking around some 'new' ideas for the blog... the 'biggest' of which will be a "This Day In Gingerology" feature, which is hopefully self-explanatory. I have quite a few entries for it so far, but will most likely not have every day filled... yet, anyway...

Also, wanting to put a 'jukebox' deal on the site, but with Ginger tunes EXCLUSIVELY... that is also a 'work in progress'.

And, any feedback is GREATLY appreciated - what do YOU want to see more of in G-ology? I may set a poll up here pretty soon asking that question.

Anyway, Y'all be safe tonight (sure most folks are already out partying! I am hanging out with the wife and kids, which is the BEST spot for me!), have fun, and see you next year!!!

Your Gingerologist,

VKMfan

...yet another reminder!

...42nd Street is next, 12/29, at 8:45 am Eastern...hope that y'all catch this one, too, if you haven't already... Ginger is 'Anytime Annie' Lowell... an 'ok' role, as far as size and quantity...she has a neat part along with Una Merkel singing 'Shuffle Off to Buffalo'... and has brief 'one-liners' throughout the movie... it's overall an interesting movie - I also like Joan Blondell, so that's a bonus... Ruby Keeler does ok in this one, too, of course...
Anyway, hope y'all catch it! This is the last Ginger movie presented by TCM in 2009, BTW...

...a movie reminder...

...'Once Upon a Honeymoon' appears on TCM tomorrow (12/28) at 2 pm Eastern...If you haven't seen it, G-ology highly recommends it... the pairing of Ginger with Cary Grant is pretty magical - of course Ginger just radiates in this one...although, to me, her hair color kinda 'fluctuates' throughout, it seems...but hey, I'm not complaining... the movie itself also has a pretty neat plot - set in WWII before the US involvement. 'cloak and dagger' type stuff... but also some funny scenes, romantic ones, and of course, being a war movie, some intense ones throughout...

For those who record, please note that this one clocks in at JUST under two hours - 116 minutes... DVD recorders (mine, anyway) defaults to a two hour recording max - so just FYI.

AND, if you don't get TCM, Warner Brothers 'archive' series has come out with this one, which I actually purchased (even tho I taped it from TCM a while back...yeah, I'm a hopeless case concerning the ways of G-ology...) - the archive DVD is pretty clean, but no 'extras' at all.

At any rate, hope y'all get to see it - it's an 'essential' VKM movie!

VKMfan

Merry Christmas, Y'all...

...from all the good folks here at Gingerology... and hope all other holidays and observances which you may partake in this time of year have been / will be special for you as well!

Will have some posts coming up pretty soon - just trying to get 'final preps' ready for the 25th... in the meantime, will be working on some 'new' ideas for the blog - and your input will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your support! And remember -
Keep It Gingery!!!

VKMfan

...A Reminder...

...that TCM has some Ginger going on tomorrow!

Actually, it is director George Stevens 'day'; "Swing Time" is on at 11:00 Eastern, followed a bit later by "Vivacious Lady" at 2:15 Eastern (there is another Stevens directed movie airing between these)...he directed both of those, and got to know Ginger quite well...that lucky dawg!

Also, at 6:00 Eastern, the documentary "George Stevens - A Filmakers' Journey" airs - There are evidently some Ginger moments within it, since it always pops up on Ginger movies being shown...honestly I have not seen it, but REALLY plan to tape it tomorrow...

Hope y'all can watch! VKMfan

P.S. - A BIG Gingerology welcome to our newest follower, Zoe! Please feel free to comment on anything occurring on this blog - we are big on gabbing-yakking, etc... Thanks for following! VKMfan

...Ginger Trivia, Round Six (a.k.a.,"What's in a Name?")

Greetings, one and all!!!

Sorry it has been awhile since the last post...been busy with the typical holiday issues, as it seems everyone else is...but we are almost completed! Hope you have had success in finding what you were looking for!

Well, this is a 'milestone' post for G-ology...#50! So, I figured I would try to combine two of the more popular aspects of this blog for the special occasion...Trivia, along with Ginger Pix!!!

The topic of this round of trivia deals with names (maiden names, 'aliases', etc...) generally for characters Ginger played, but one or two 'real life' questions as well. As usual, DO NOT look at the Comment Section until you are ready for the answers, because that is where they are... the pictures match the question, or at least I hope so...Good Luck!


QUESTION ONE: What was Roxie Hart's maiden name?

QUESTION TWO: What was Linda Keene's (Shall We Dance) actual name?

QUESTION THREE: What was Irene Castle's (The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle) maiden name?

QUESTION FOUR: What was Susan Applegate's (The Major and The Minor) middle name?

QUESTION FIVE: What was Dolley Madison's (Magnificent Doll) maiden name?

QUESTION SIX: What was Carol Corliss' (In Person) "incognito" name (first and last)?

QUESTION SEVEN: What was Lela Rogers' maiden name?

QUESTION EIGHT: What was "Anytime" Annie's (42nd Street) last name?

QUESTION NINE: What was the only movie Ginger made that she did not have a 'real' name, but just referred to by a 'nickname'?

QUESTION TEN: There are nine movies where Ginger's character has their first name and last name start with the SAME first letter...name as many as you can (4 is fair, 5 or more quite good, over 5 excellent...) - note - "Anytime Annie" does not count, since "Anytime" is not a proper noun... and PS, Question Six is a mulligan, just to get you started...

See Comment section for the answers....

Thanks!

VKMfanHuey

---

...Just a note...

...to VOTE! If you haven't yet, jump over to Jen's 'Gingermania!' site...she has a poll which deals with which Ginger movie is the best, in chronological order...currently on the 'first half' of 1933 movies...so check it OUT!!! Only a few hours left to VOTE!!!

VKMfanHuey

PS - sorry about the lack of a link...seems like whn I try to put a link on here, it fritzes out... just Google 'Gingermania' - it is the one with the address 'gingerrogersfilms.blogspot.com' ...thanks, JW

...HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAUREN!!!

...she is a devout Gingerologist... everyone please join me in celebrating Miss Lauren's 19th Birthday - today, December 4th!!!

And, if you haven't yet, go check out her blogs...she has three that I am aware of...

The Ginger List

Grayscale

Vintage Fashion Book

...she knows folks who actually had meetings with Ginger! And she has mondo stories and pics concerning Ginger and other cool stuff! Truly a professional blogger!

...Weird stuff from L.A. (Sorry, Lauren)...

...I am not a fan of 'South Park' at all - and this reinforces that fact - the show had some episode where they declared it 'Kick a Ginger Day' ('ginger' is evidently a 'derogatory' name for red-headed folks...???) - well, these kids actually organized this at their school in L.A., and the following link describes the results...pretty sad state of affairs:

www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-ginger-beating,0,999291.story

...of course, I guess this sick story is at best 'coincidental' to the topic of Our Miss Ginger, but my mom actually told me about this (she wanted me to post about it, so...here you go, Ma...), and she was mad they used the term 'Ginger' to mean someone who is weak, and more specifically, redheaded folks who are 'profiled' as being weak, which is quite ignorant, IMHO... Well, Ginger was definitely a redhead, but was DEFINITELY not weak... nope.

Anyway, just an 'FYI' deal, which really again has little to do with VKM...


AAANNDDD, a big 'G-ology' welcome to our newest follower (#20!!!), 'Pink Champagne'!!! Neat 'handle'! ...Ginger was a 'tee-totaller', but if she would have drunk anything, it would have most definitely been pink champagne for 'Pinky'!!! Please feel free to comment on anything posted, as we like to 'jaw' on here!!! Glad to have you aboard!!!

JWalker

'Blurb' about Flying Down to Rio...

..in today's edition of 'Parade' magazine, which is a weekly 'periodical' that is included in many Sunday newspapers around the country.
I'm sure there is probably an 'e-link' to this Q&A on Parade's website, but I just scanned it in for your instant perusal.
It would have been cool if they could have expounded a bit on the method used to create the effect...but it is just cool to see Ginger and Fred's Pic in a current edition of something.

Oh, P.S. - a BIG welcome to Jamie, Gingerology's newest follower! Glad to have you aboard - and PLEASE feel free to throw in your 'two cents' on any and all topics!

Sincerely, JWalker

Happy Thanks'ginger', Y'all...

...Hello, all! Just wanting to wish all of you Gingerologists out there a festive, yet reflective Thanksgiving weekend! DON'T FORGET the Ginger/Fred-a-thon begins at 4:30 am on Thursday Morning!
Of course, when this season rolls around each year, I can't help but be reminded of that beguiling Turkey Day we all shared at VKM's place back in '37...I'm sure you all remember it as fondly as I...


Of course, her digs in Beverly Hills was the only place large enough to accomodate us all comfortably...and of course she was ever the gracious host... this picture captures the color palette from that era, in that everything was 'pastel' in nature...that is why 'colorized' films have those 'mild' hues... global warming has made colors more intense...

Her entry foyer contained these large sculpture-type objects, of large white horses with dudes with pointy hats riding them... she seemed to be very proud of those, for whatever reason... and she loved to greet her guests in a very fashionable and engaging manner, whilst posing in front of these horses...she looked fabulous, natch...

Of course, being in motion pictures, she always eagerly documented any gathering with her camcorder...I believe this was an early Sony model, which ran on kerosene... unfortunately, the film itself was comprised of asbestos and DDT, and was thus eventually confiscated and destroyed by fringe groups which could best be described as 'lacking in patriotism'...

Well, of course the main reason for our convergence was the Great Thanksgiving Feast, which Ginger was so famous for... and as expected, the presentation was stunning...the table setting was immaculate, totally perfect in every way... I honestly could not find a picture of her table setting, however, so I opted to include this photo of her setting on a table...which honestly is far more stunning than any arrangement of china and silverware one could muster...

Ginger was such a great hostess...promptly delivering all of the scrumptious dishes she had lovingly prepared to the table with lightning speed and unparalleled grace, never letting her guests want for anything... and all this whilst in high heels, and if not totally backwards, at least in directions which were not of a typical nature, even for VKM...

After we had all gormandized to the verge of lunacy, Ginger swiftly cleared the table and summoned us to her famous ice cream fountain, where she held court over the frozen delicacies...hey, does anyone remember what flavor was Ginger's fav? I think it was pistachio... ...notice how she effortlessly changes outfits between each phase of the serving schedule...as well as hairstyles; remember, these photos were all taken on the SAME DAY!!! They just don't make ladies like that anymore, y'all...well, present company excluded, of course...heh heh...

Well, by then we all had to somehow get moving around to burn off some calories or else perish, so VKM broke out her racket, cracked open a new can of Wilsons and hit the court... Ginger didn't soft shoe when it came to tennis, and she waxed anyone foolhardy enough to find themselves across the net from her. I still have a few round divots on my forehead where she cranked out a few backhands at me...she would have been lethal with a graphite racket...

Well, after the tennis whuppins were administered by our otherwise gracious host, it was getting to be early evening, and folks were starting to make their 'final rounds' for goodbyes, was so good to see you again, let's do lunch, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera... and Ginger was kinda ready to start getting the house back in order, I could tell... she knew how we tended to 'linger' at her place well after the event proper was over (especially me...), hence she was getting a bit 'concerned', as the picture above shows... but still a graceful hostess, as usual...

But before anyone could get away, I grabbed my trusty Kodak Brownie and snapped a few group pictures for posterity...I'm sure y'all remember posing for this one - it's kinda neat going back and picking out which one is which...but heck, y'all know which one you are in this pic... Let's see, there's Lauren, Beth, Jennifer, Maggie, Juliette, Amanda, Maria, Arianna, Winona, Alex, Betsy, Fioraon, Mirriam, Kate, Nicole, Sarah, Kori and of course, Ginger... hmmmm, looks like a few of y'all were missing in this particular pic - I think a couple of y'all cut out early to go on over to Barbara Stanwyck's shindig that evening...didn't Tom drive some of y'all over there in his straight-eight Packard?

Well, after everyone else had left, as usual, I was still hanging around (Miss Stanwyck did not invite me to her shindig - she honestly just didn't like me at all... and just because she caught me rummaging thru her garbage cans a few times...) Ginger was a bit frazzled by my tenacity, but at the same time somehow touched that I was still there (she was such a patient lady...) But, she had to leave right then and there for Chicago for a week, regarding some movie, play, etc... never a sedentary moment for that lady, THATS for sure... she said I could have the remainder of the turkey carcass for sustanance, and I could stay out in her pool house, which was very generous of her... of course, that's when I parlayed the situation into becoming her full-fledged cabana boy just a few weeks later, fetching ice cream for her and her guests, while being allowed to converse with her every once in a while... such a perfect occupation... the only possible way it would have been better was if I was actually on the payroll... but you guys did a great job helping me out financally, with all the USO shows y'all put on... which is what Thanksgiving is all about, right?

Well, I hope this recollection of that wonderful day back in '37 has given you a warm, sentimental feeling...and implores you to make the most of the impending Turkey Day, in order to have more great memories for the years to come...

Have a great and safe weekend, y'all!!!

Huey - VKMfan - Gingerologist

Thanks, AC!!!

...For the 'great read' honor, as well as all the kind words regarding my facination for all things Ginger! (man - you have me pegged, no doubt! :-] )
It is nice to know what I dig up for the blog is of some entertainment and maybe even informative value to folks out there... and I hope it keeps rolling along. I just don't see me letting up much on G-ology anytime soon, since Ginger is just such a cool topic, and the more you learn about her, the more you want to learn.
And thanks, AC, for your killer blog, which inspires me to work on G-ology to make it of interest!

Thanks Again!!! VKMfan

Thanks, Gingerella!

...for bestowing a award upon my humble little blog! It is cool to know that folks are interested in Ginger, and hopefully I can keep the blog rolling... I will not grow weary of the subject matter, trust me, y'all... :-)
Well, as a part of this, there are some questions I must answer...I try to have fun with these, and provide 'whumsical' replies... so, check the first comment, where the Q's and A's are located, just in the interest of 'space saving'.
Thanks again, Gingerella! and also to all the other followers of Gingerology!

JWalker - VKMfan

..."THE" Roxie Hart...

...OK, y'all, I just read that the Broadway run of Chicago will have a new lead for Roxie Hart...ready? It's...Ashlee Simpson. A very interesting choice - but she actually was in a 'Chicago' run in London a bit back, so who knows - she might be pretty good with it.
But, somehow, I just don't see the pure 'Roxie Moxie' coming from Ms. Simpson... but hope to be proved wrong...
There have been quite a few actresses over the years take on this role, and honestly, haven't seen any, except for 'snippets' of the 2002 movie 'Chicago'...Renee Zellweger seems to make a pretty good Rox... but, for the record, the only Roxie Hart in this blogosphere is the one just below this text, y'all...

...yup, that's the only Roxie I know... ...sigh...

KIG - VKMfan

...Another Reminder...

...about tomorrow morning's KILLER double feature on TCM, "Rafter Romance" (9am Eastern) and "20 Million Sweethearts" (10:15am Eastern)... both of these are 'must-haves' for VKMfans...trust me!

Ginger Trivia, Round Five...

...Haven't had one of these in a bit, so here we go... this one is specifically regarding Ginger and Fred movies only, in anticipation of the G&F Thanksgiving Marathon on TCM ... some are pretty easy, some not so... again, if any 'questionable' questions (or redundant redundancies, for that matter...) arise, please post and discuss... and, the answers will be placed in the comment section, so DON'T hit the comments until you want ALL the answers!!! The phrase 'G&F' will be used exclusively below for 'Ginger and Fred'...

Question ONE: What is the longest G&F movie, running-length-wise?

Question TWO: What is the shortest G&F movie, running-length-wise?

Question THREE: How many movies did Ginger make between "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle" (1939) and "The Barkleys of Broadway" (1949)? (WITHOUT looking at the list on the right!!!)

Question FOUR: Which five G&F movies did Ginger's buddy (yeah, right) Mark Sandrich direct?

Question FIVE: (a softball...) Which G&F movie is Ginger's favorite?

Question SIX: In "Carefree", how many TOTAL shots did Amanda Cooper fire with various shotguns?

Question SEVEN: Which five G&F movies does Eric Blore appear in?

Question EIGHT: Which actor and actress were originally slated to be the Barkleys?

Question NINE: What song from a G&F movie won the very first Best Song Academy Award?

Question TEN: This one is a bit shaky, so feel free to reply (think I am correct, tho...) ...What is the only G&F movie where they are not already married, not getting married, or not readily apparent that they are going to get married?

...A reminder...

EDIT - just making sure you are aware the time shown is EASTERN, not central... will probably just keep it that way, since all of TCM's schedules default to Eastern time. thanks, and sorry for the confusion...JW

...Tender Comrade will be on TCM tomorrow, on Veteran's Day, appropriately. It is best described as a 'Stage Door' arrangement of a bunch of ladies living in a house whilst their dudes are off at war, and they are doing the 'Rosie the Riveter' deal.

I enjoyed this one, and Ginger is devastating as usual in it... but there was some 'controversy' about this one when it came out, citing 'underlying communist dialogue'... in fact, it was said to have been 'toned down' quite a bit before Ginger would even do it. I didn't really get all that much 'communistic' philosophy from it, but you can gauge it yourself...

In any event, it is an interesting one - but be sure to have hankies handy... there are some parts that prompt the ol' tear ducts... well, I was a bit choked up at the end... again, it takes a REAL man to admit THAT, ladies!!!

VKMfan

...Back from Baltimore...

...Hi y'all!

Had a 'good' time in Baltimore...well, as good a time as you can have while working... but a pretty neat town, what I saw of it, anyway...

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween! It was pretty cool that while driving to Baltimore on Halloween, we were routed 'off the beaten path' by MapQuest, and ended up passing thru an old town in Virginia with literally hundreds of folks out trick-or-treating...for some reason that art has been lost in my neck of the woods, so it was a cool experience for me, even just passing thru...

Well, as expected, I did have some 'VKM withdrawal' while away... so when I got back, asked my daughter to pick out a Ginger to watch...she chose 'It Had To Be You'...probably not my first choice, but still sounded better than whatever I was watching on vacation...and it may have been a good time to watch it. It really isn't THAT bad, and, even tho the plot is a bit weird, has some funny spots in it...of course, Ginger is gorgeous thruout, as usual... so overall, that one is growing on me.

Well, just thinking of some post topics for the next few days... will work something out shortly... any suggestions welcomed.

AND, a big G-ology welcome to 'ShabbyChicDiva'!!! Please feel free to comment!

Well, just some assorted things...

...first, hope y'all got to watch 'Follow the Fleet' early this morning... I honestly did not...but I figure most of y'all are pretty familiar with that one anyway... :-)

...second, as for the poll! Fifth Avenue Girl was a close winner! I was glad to see each entry get multiple votes....each one was pretty cool in their own way. Thanks for all the input and votes...hope to have another poll going soon.

...third, I will be heading out of town this Saturday for a week...unfortunately, I am not as 'totally portable' as most of y'all in regards to e-mail, texting, etc... so will probably not have much activity on the G-ology Blog for a bit... although I will try to sneak something in!

...fourth, a big G-ology welcome to our newest follower, Blondie! You should have no problems fitting in here, since EVERYONE here seems to prefer the blonde Ginger to the 'dark-haired' Ginger... welcome aboard!

...fifth, after thinking about it, I won't be back before 'Primrose Path' airs on 11/5, so y'all be sure to catch that one...it's a bit different for Ginger, but she does well in a dramatic role...really was her 'warm-up for Kitty Foyle, IMHO...

anyway, that's it... for now.

Hope everyone has a cool Halloween!

Until a bit later,
JWalker - Huey Ham - PG Giza - Sonny - Petrov

...THANK YOU, MARIA!!!!

...For the AWESOME new header pic! It was kinda tough to change up from the 'Original' G-ology header pic, which will always be a favorite (will still be my avatar...) - but the new one is another favorite of mine (Gin just looks angelic in this one...), and now in killer color by Maria of the 'Let Yourself Go' blog...
If you are a Ginger / Fred fan, do yourself a favor and follow that site...Maria has done an outstanding job of adding color to some great pics!

...also, I will probably be 'wrapping up' the results of the first G-ology Poll in a day or so, when I can give it sufficient time... It was good to know each entry got significant votes, which helped me to feel better that I picked some of the best ones...

BTW...Late Entry for Best Poster...

...My little girl drew this one a year or so ago... it is my personal fave!

Now, which movie is this one from, and what routine? [ I think "Frend" in a kilt kinda gives it away... :-) ]

..Last Call for VOTES...

..Last Call for VOTES...

...Just a Reminder..

...Gold Diggers of 1933 occurs tonight on TCM - 7:00 Central Time. It's a pretty cool movie if you haven't seen it, but make sure to catch the first 5 minutes or so, which is the TRUE 'gold'... :-)

...The First EVER Gingerology POLL!!!!

...hey, everyone else is doing it, so why not here at G-ology?

SO, the poll topic is as follows:

Of the five choices to follow, pick what you think is the best movie poster from a Ginger movie - the five chosen happen to be my personal faves... in other words, I would seriously consider hanging any of these on the ol' wall... (well, heck, ANY Ginger pic / poster will garner that honor, but these are to me are amongst the 'coolest'...)

Two things to keep in mind whilst voting:

ONE: The poster DESIGN is the main criteria here... how it captures the 'essence' of the movie, and generally how 'Gingery' it is!!! It should NOT be solely based on "this is my favorite VKM movie"... also, to a point, anyway, how well the poster image actually resembles Ginger...think these are all pretty well done...some others not appearing here are really not, unfortunately...

TWO: Yes, I know...there are no GandF posters here, primarily because there are so DANG many variations of them, you could do a separate poll on any single movie from the series!!! So, could be a future poll, maybe?

OK... that's it... the 'poll' spot is on the top right of the blog...you can vote for more than one.... so, vote, vote, vote!!! Jwalker...

VKMfan

OK...went over to TCM a few minutes ago...

...well, the website, not the 'brick-and-mortar' building... sifted down to 'Hat Check Girl', and left a review...which, of course, was REALLY a 'plea' to TCM, hoping they will show it, IF they have it... not sure if there will be a response or anything, but worth a shot, right?

...Not that clear a picture from 'Stage Door', but definitely a Hat I would like to Check!!!

...Hey, if y'all want to throw your two cents in as well, here is the specific link to HCG... just go to 'post a review' about halfway down the right side of the page:

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=77456&atid=7269

and, just above the place to place a 'review' (i.e., 'plea'), there is a spot to vote for this movie to be released on DVD...which REALLY gets the gears in the mind to grinding, since they can consider it for DVD, then... they must HAVE IT!!!!

GINGEROLOGISTS UNITE!!!

...Keep it Gingery...

...Ginger is a Rockstar...

VKMfan.............OUT.

...BIG NEWS!!!

HALLELULAH!!!

Warner Brothers has FINALLY released "Perfect Strangers" on DVD!!! (Think they may be reading our stuff over here??? if so...Thanks, cool WB folks!!! ...Now, not to push it, but..Hat Check Girl is sorely needed, y'all!!! :-) )

Here is the link:

http://www.wbshop.com/Perfect-Strangers-+EST-MOD/1000120156,default,pd.html?cgid=ARCHIVENEW

...Keep in mind that these DVDs are 'bare bones' releases - just the movie, no extras or scene selections... but this is a big one, as far as Gingerologists go, since for whatever reason, this one has been a tough one to find... it might not be a very good movie, but, if Ginger is in it, I'm there!!!

And, for any of the newer folks on the site, please be aware there are other Ginger movies available in this WB archive series - 'Tom, Dick and Harry', 'Once Upon a Honeymoon', 'Weekend at the Waldorf', and 'Having a Wonderful Time'... plus mucho other old movies of interest...

...I'd say it was a good day! (dancing a hole into the floor...)

Jwalker - VKMfan - PG Giza... :-)

PS... Sorry, but as you probably guessed, this is a 'Region One' DVD ONLY... sad to say. Wish they would make it a 'Universal DVD' (Region zero, I believe)... Since these are somewhat 'limited' as to sales, I would just think there would not be much of an issue regarding piracy... would probably make more making it available to all against any loss from 'copying'... oh well, hope everyone can obtain this one in some manner!
JW

Ginger Trivia, Round Four...

OK...another rousing installment of your favorite internet questionaire, "GingerTrivia"... As usual, all Q and A's are up for discussion as to their accuracy... and, as a new 'twist', I will post the answers in the comments for this post...so, DON'T OPEN THE COMMENTS UNTIL YOU WANT THE ANSWERS! I actually 'moved' the answers from the previous trivia posts into the comment areas - mainly because it was getting a bit 'unwieldy' in the corner down there...
Here we go...good luck!!! JW

--------------

Question ONE: What year did Ginger win the Texas State Charleston Championship? (bonus if you know the exact date...)

Question TWO: In what city did Ginger marry her first husband, Jack Culpepper?

Question THREE: Which Ginger and Fred movie was originally to be in color, but deemed 'too expensive' by RKO?

Question FOUR: What is the name of the river which runs through Ginger's property near Bedford, Oregon?

Question FIVE: What classic fairy tale did Ginger make a spoken-word recording of in 1944 for Disney?

Question SIX: Who was standing off-set when Ginger sang "They All Laughed" in "Shall We Dance?", and whom Ginger said was her "audience of one"?

Question SEVEN: How many Ginger movies were in color? (bonus if you can name them...) ***EDIT 11/24/09*** Actually, my daughter has pointed out one we ALL missed... 'The Confession' (AKA 'Quick, Let's Get Married) was in color, too... So, add one to the answer in the comments... Thanks, VKMfan

Question EIGHT: Where is Ginger Rogers Road?

Question NINE: What Ginger movie has its final scene in her actual RKO dressing room?

Question TEN: The rehearsals for what Broadway musical saw Ginger dance with Fred for the first time?

...Just a reminder...

...Our miss Kitty will be on TCM at 5:00 CST today (10-1-09).

Sure everyone has Kitty Foyle in their collection, but...it is almost is an obligation to watch it when it is shown...unfortunately, I have other things happening, so y'all please say hey to Kitty for me... :-)

Jwalker - VKmfan - PG Giza

...just an 'extra' pic...

...the last pic from the previous post - here's another one form that 'session'... maybe a little less 'come hither' look, but still very beautiful! ...you know, this is from some other movie, not Follow the Fleet... I am pretty sure of it...man - see, I should KNOW this stuff!!!

...Just some of my Favorite Photos...

Well, I was just thinking... I really have not just posted photos just for the sake of posting photos in a while, if ever... so, here goes! I tried to post some of my faves you may have not seen - others I'm sure you have... but either way, here you go... it's so cool to me how DIFFERENT she looks from picture to picture, yet how devastatingly beautiful she is in each!!! Well, I won't clutter it up with any captions or anything - they pretty much speak for themselves!!!

More to Come... VKMfan (PG Giza) (Huey) (jwalker) :-)

Quick Note...

There is a cool poll over on Gingermania! - what is your favorite 1930 Ginger movie?

Here is a 'link' (hopefully):

http://gingerrogersfilms.blogspot.com/

Now, GO VOTE!!!
JW

Ginger Trivia, Round Three...

Hopefully I am not in Ginger's doghouse for the long wait between posts... but she IS beautiful when angry, no? (actually, she just looks kinda...bored in this pic... but beautiful nevertheless!!!)

...I returned to work last Tuesday, after about a week, and things were quite backed up... not THAT bad, but enough to command the bulk of my time... as a result, G-ology has been dormant for a few days... BUT NO MORE! It is back with a vengeance, or at least hopefully more entertaining facts concerning our Miss Rogers, as we submit another installment of "Ginger Trivia!" And, as always, if anything is 'questionable' please open the floor for discussion regarding the issue... :-) And, the answers are, as always, just below the 'Master Movie List' on the right side of this page...

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QUESTION ONE: How many times did Ginger appear SOLO on the cover of Life magazine?

QUESTION TWO: What department store chain hired Ginger in the early 1970's as a "Traveling Fashion Consultant"?

QUESTION THREE: How tall was Ginger? (not counting the high heels she did everything backwards in!) - within an inch either way.

QUESTION FOUR: Which movie (inexplicably) dubbed in another female singer for Ginger?

QUESTION FIVE: What year did Lela Rogers Die?

QUESTION SIX: What was the first movie Ginger made outside "The Continental" (pun intended)United States?

QUESTION SEVEN: What movie did Ginger turn down where she would have played Jimmy Stewart's love interest, and which is now arguably Stewart's most famous movie?

QUESTION EIGHT: Ginger used to use this word at the end of many of her autographs, and also uses it as the ending thought of her biography. What is it?

QUESTION NINE: Ginger was one of "WAMPA'S Baby Stars of 1932". What is "WAMPA" an acronym for?

QUESTION TEN: Sad finish to this round, but... in what cemetery (name and city) is Ginger buried?

Reminder...

..."Weekend at the Waldorf" will be shown at 3:00 Central time tomorrow on TCM...
PLEASE NOTE: If you plan on 'burning' a DVD of it, keep in mind it is just OVER 2 hours in length... so the recording setting you use needs to be...well, over two hours! (I learned this the (sorta) hard way when I attempted to transfer it from VHS to DVD... I am 'old school' - anything on TCM is 'taped', then 'burned'... it's an arduous process, but worth the effort to ensure proper redundancy regarding copies of VKM features... so I have the whole movie, but 'wasted' a blank DVD...)
It is a pretty good movie - has multiple plot lines going on, and they jump back and forth in a pretty fair pattern, which makes the movie move along pretty well - does not really seem like a 2-hour movie. The Ginger role is nice - she plays a famous actress / stage star (a stretch, huh? :-] ) and there are some cool Ginger moments - there is also a pretty good 'plot line' with Lana Turner, also.

Ginger Trivia, Round Two...

Ok, here's the second installment of Ginger Trivia... as before, please comment on any discrepancies, as the sources may or may not be '100%' - although I tried to find at least two different sources for each question...Good Luck! And remember, no peeking! (answers below the Movies List on the right side of the page.)

QUESTION ONE: "Flying Down to Rio" was Fred Astaire's second 'major' motion picture; it was Ginger's _______.

QUESTION TWO: What movie is generally considered as Ginger's favorite as a 'fan', but not one she actually appeared in?

QUESTION THREE: It is pretty obvious that Ginger made more movies for RKO Studios (32) than any other studio; Which studio is in second place as far as Ginger movies go?

QUESTION FOUR: Regarding Question Three, what is the third place studio for Ginger films?

QUESTION FIVE: Pretty easy for VKM buffs, but... What movie did Ginger's Mom, Lela, appear in along side Ginger?

QUESTION SIX: Who was Ginger married to for the shortest of her five marriages?

QUESTION SEVEN: Who was Ginger married to for the longest of her five marriages?

QUESTION EIGHT: Most Gingerologists are quite familiar with the phrase, "Ginger did everything Fred did...backwards and in high heels!" But, who is credited with this phrase, and where did it first appear?

QUESTION NINE: What year was Ginger the highest paid woman in the U.S. ($250,000.00), as well as the 8th-highest paid person overall in the U.S.?

QUESTION TEN: What Ginger outfit from what movie has been (and hopefully still is) on display at the Smithsonian Institute?

Baby is HERE!!!

...Just letting my fellow Gingerologists know that my little boy has finally entered the world!




Vital Stats:

Born 9-3-09 - 7:22 a.m. CST
Weight - 10 lbs, 3 oz. (BTW...that's quite a big baby!!!)
Height - 22 inches

Mom and son are both doing very well... as well as big sister and ol' dad...

Thanks for all the kind words, and hope to be getting back in the swing (time) of things soon!


- jwalker

...The Great Ice Cream debate has started in earnest...

OK... first of all, go over to Lauren's Blog, The Ginger List, where she has set up a 'survey'...as to what YOU think Ginger's favorite flavor of ice cream was... vote and discuss over there!
I just posted the only picture I remember of her with anything that resembled ice cream, although it may just be a shake...but even that may indicate her 'preferred flavor'...of course, the B/W photo only reveals the concoction she is partaking in is most likely NOT chocolate...
Of course, any info / photos one may have is welcome, but again, go over to Lauren's for the 'Main Discussion' concerning this topic of MAJOR importance... REALLY!!!
Thanks, JW

Ginger Trivia, Round One...

OK - hope this challenges y'all out there... trivia regarding our Miss Rogers!

The answers to these are posted WAY below the 'movie list' on the right-hand side of the blog...now, y'all COULD 'Google' or 'Wiki' (if allowed in your area), but what is the challenge in THAT, I ask you?

Hope this will be an enriching experience for all...and please, if any discrepancies arise, feel free to comment - as a lot of these are derived from various and sundry locations on the world-wide web, thus open for review...

Good Luck! JW

Question ONE: How old was Ginger when she married Jack Culpepper, her first husband?

Question TWO: What was Ginger's first movie in color, and in what year?

Question THREE: What year did Ginger place her hands and feet in the cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theater?

Question FOUR: Before show business got her, Ginger originally planned to enter what profession?

Question FIVE: Where does Ginger place on the American Film Institute's list of "100 Greatest Screen Legends - Actresses"? (Within 3 spots either way...)

Question SIX: What actress did Ginger replace in the role of "Mama Jean" in 1965's "Harlow"?

Question SEVEN: From 1934's "The Gay Divorcee" onward, Ginger reeled off 20 consecutive movies for her home studio, RKO. What studio broke that streak, with what movie, and in what year?

Question EIGHT: What was Ginger's first film made in Hollywood, and in what year?

Question NINE: What was Ginger's first film for RKO (known as RKO-Pathe at the time)?

Question TEN: Ginger first appeared with blonde hair in what movie?

TCM Picks It Up a Bit in November...

...Well, maybe Mr. Turner is listening (see list on the right) - there are a few 'different' ones being shown in November - including '20 Million Sweethearts' and 'Primrose Path'... I think a lot of us have those, but still good to see TCM mixing it up a bit... looks like Thanksgiving will be spent with Ginger and Fred! That's pretty cool...
Now, just in case Ted IS reading this...a liitle 'subliminal message' for him... ...showHatCheckGirlshowHatCheckGirl... ...showSapfromSyracuseshowSapfromSyracuse... ...showQueenHighshowQueenHigh... :-]

P.S. - A few of the times seemed 'out of order', so thay may be subject to change... the 'Main' November TCM schedule is not listed yet, these were just picked off of 'Ginger's Page' on TCM...

Just Watched: Young Man of Manhattan

...Well, have been a bit busy the last few days, but have gotten in a few more movies - figured I would run through my take on 'Young Man of Manhattan' - Ginger's FIRST role in a 'major' movie, at the ripe old age of eighteen (not far from most of y'all, LOL!). Overall, Ginger's character (Puff Randolph) is basically a 'third wheel' to newlyweds Toby McLean (Norman Foster) and Ann Vaughn (Claudette Colbert), who are both newspaper writers.

Ginger, circa 1930...

Puff basically 'shoehorns' her way into Toby's life and coerces him to go 'partying' with her on several occasions, even though she is aware he is married (hmmm...not a 'typical' Ginger role...) Strangely enough, Ann and Puff have a few conversations, and Ann seems to not only be OK with Toby accompanying Puff around town, but even seems to encourage it... well, in the beginning, anyway...

Meanwhile, Ann has been advancing quite nicely in her profession (which is quite the contrary to Toby, who is just ekeing out a living), but as a result, she has to spend more time at work, thus more time with her boss, who obviously has designs on her.
Well, that's probably as far as I will go - keep the loose ends for whoever hasn't seen this one yet...
While Ginger is in a 'peripheral' role in this one, she did get in what would be now called a 'catch phrase': "Cigarette me, big boy!" Ironically, she notes in her book that she did not smoke - other than 'trying' it once as a child - and thus had to 'learn' on the set, and of course she became "sick as a dog."
She also had a cute song scene, "I Got It, But It Don't Do Me No Good", where she sits at the piano singing, but really not sure if she is playing or not... that would be a nice 'confirmation' if anyone knows...
Ginger is just so CUTE in this one - as a 'flighty flapper', quite the 'spoiled' type, but somehow still likeable...
Overall, this movie is pretty cute, and has some memorable moments for Ginger's 'debut'... thus, this is one every VKM fan should have, if only for that reason!

The 'Other' 'VKM Blonde' Picture...

...Here you go... Look in Webster's under the definition of 'cute', and this picture should be right next to it... otherwise you have a bogus dictionary, my friend!

...Just a Friendly Reminder...

...that 'Having Wonderful Time' is airing on TCM at 6:00 am eastern, 5:00 am central tomorrow morning (8/19)... sure most of y'all have seen it, but, if not, it is a pretty neat movie, with some nice Ginger scenes...her best line: "...I'm a FIEND!!!!" Just too cool.

Just Watched: Tales of Manhattan (1942)

'Tales of Manhattan' is a series of 'short stories' centered around a 'cursed' topcoat... seems that everytime someone gets ahold of this coat, it ultimately is bad news for its owner...who then tosses it, only to land in the hands of the next unfortunate soul, and thus, begin a new 'tale'...
Now, being BRUTALLY honest, I only watched the first two 'tales'...because Ginger is in 'Tale #2', and once it is over, well... (Don't laugh...I have read some of y'all's stuff about 'fast forwarding' thru 'non-Ginger' scenes...why waste precious time? :-] ). And, Rita Hayworth is in 'Tale #1', which definitely serves as a nice 'opening act'...she looks very much the way she did in 'Gilda'...so no problems there...
Anyway, on to VKM! She is fixing to get married (challenge: try to name a VKM movie where she isn't about to get married / divorced / remarried...etc...maybe some of the 'late 40's and newer, but... Just saying...) -and the fellow she is marrying (Cesar Romero) gets into a 'jam', due primarily to the topcoat... well, it is up to his 'Best Man' - played by Henry Fonda, to get him out of hot water with Ginger. It's really not an overly 'involved' tale, but it is pretty cute, although you can obviously see where it is going... and VKM with Henry Fonda work well together, if somewhat briefly.
As for Ginger - MAN! Talk about an 'Uber-flip' for the hair (brunette)...I guess that is what that style is called - basically the typical 40's 'war-time' curl hairdo (I always think of the Andrews Sisters for some reason... you know.... "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy?" "of Company 'B' ?" No? ...I bet Juliette knows that... if she ever comes down from the mountain... :-] ) ...ANYWAY, just looking at it, it is maybe, just maybe, a bit...much... BUT, and maybe I am a bit 'biased' (NO! really?), but, on Ginger, it really just... ROCKS! TOTALLY! I can't describe it, but it is just very fetching on her - to me, it restored some 'confidence' to my pick for brunette VKM on Beth's poll.... Cool, Cool, Cool. ok. ...Oh, Did I mention her hair was Cool? ok. She is wearing a nice gray suit, nothing flamboyant, but sharp and nicely tailored, as usual... probably one of the few Ginger movies where she only has one outfit!
As for her 'character' in this one, obviously there isn't enough time to 'fully' develop a charcter, so she basically plays 'straight Ginger', with no accent or overt 'quirkyness'... and the roles where she generally has her 'normal' personality really are my favorites - like she may well have been in 'real life'...
Also, some KILLER close-ups of VKM.... almost defies description! Just intensely beautiful...
So, sounds like this one is well in the 'upper crust' of the catalouge, no? Well, sure... but it is kind of hard to put a 'partial VKM' movie towards the top, even though the 25 or so minutes Ginger is in it, would, IMHO, stack up well to any other 25-minute scene she has ever done...therefore, it's in the top third... I guess I need to actually get a REAL ranking going, eh?

Hope this helps out... and please feel free to comment! JW

Ginger's Blonde years - 1931 - 1939ish

...Well, the public has spoken on Beth's poll, quite loudly... 9 out of 10 Gingerologists agree... Blonde!!! Which is really quite hard to argue with...(I think I was just playing 'Devil's Advocate' for the 'underdog' choice of Brunette...still like it tho...) but, there is no doubt blonde is best for Ginger.
As such, the goal here is to give 'Blonde' the same treatment I gave to 'Brunette' years a few days ago, along with a few of my favorite VKM blonde pics heretofore not seen on this blog (and believe me, there are MANY more pics where those came from!!!).

Ginger's original hair color, circa 1930, was described by VKM herself as "...a deep chestnut with a touch of henna. Under my mother's supervision, a touch of Egyptian Red was added...". However, for Ginger's first movie with RKO-Pathe (later RKO Radio pictures), "The Tip-Off", producer Charles Rogers (no relation to Ginger) wanted Ginger's hair to be 'lighter'. The hairdresser decided that meant 'blonde' - and thus the beginning of VKM Light! But not without a bit of motherly resistance... Lela Rogers, Ginger's mom, was less than enthusiastic about the change. "Mother was so furious she was ready to sue everyone!" But, after a few intense days of 'negotiating' between Lela and the studio heads, the Blonde Ginger was starting to catch on, even with Lelee... and Ginger was generally pleased with the change from the get-go.

Ginger's career was off and running, and over the next few years, basically doing short contracts with different studios, made many movies, including a staggering nine in 1933 alone... of those, one of what would be many memorable 'blonde' VKM roles, "Gold Diggers of 1933", was that of 'Fay Fortune' performing "We're in the Money" - the 'extreme' close-up in the 'pig latin' stanza was one of many great 'blonde' moments (meant in a GOOD way!) that Ginger would contribute to the world.

Of course, 1933 also heralded the teaming of Ginger with Fred... in which she would remain as a blonde throughout the 'initial' nine movie series (with obviously some variance in 'tone' from time to time... ranging from 'strawberry' to 'platinum') - thus making 'Ginger Blonde' iconic, and quite hard to argue with, on any level. Of course, some moments in the series really seemed to place her in the 'red-haired' category, such as certain scenes in "The Castles" and as implied in the tune at the end of "Swing Time"... but is most likely what is now known as 'strawberry blonde'.

Ginger stated that "...I believed the (blonde) color softened my expression and enhanced my looks..."; no doubt it does allow her beautiful eyes to stand out more, as well as her full lips - which just made her that much more devastating in black and white.

Ginger remained some shade of blonde until "Primrose Path" in 1940, when she 'switched' to 'brunette'; she would remain 'non-blonde' until roughly 1943, when she 'lightened' back up for the movie "Tender Comrade". She would generally remain blonde to the end of her movie career, as well as the 'documented' bulk of her Broadway career.

As mentioned in the 'brunette' post, each Ginger hair color seemed to work to great effect for whatever role she was in, and she pulled off both styles in grand fashion, IMHO. While she made some great movies as a 'brunette', one cannot argue that, 70+ years later, even the most 'unknowledgeable' folks out there with regards to Ginger will most likely note that "she's a blonde"... and I guess that ultimately puts the debate to rest, friends.

...Interesting article on 'Tameside Hippodrome'...

...This one is in Beth's neck of the woods... looks like a 100+ year old theatre in England may be in its final days...sad.
The VKM angle? check out about halfway down the page, under 'The Golden Age of Cinema'...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8163000/8163355.stm

Ginger's 'Non-Blonde' years: 1940 - 1942ish

Well, now for something completely different... well, it's still about VKM, of course...
Just some 'info' regarding what we will refer to as the 'non-blonde years' for Ginger, which, in terms of movie milestones, anyway, began with the release of "Primrose Path" in 1940 and ended with the release of "Tender Comrade" in 1943. Of course we are only considering the second 'non-blonde' era for VKM, as she did not go 'blonde' originally until her sixth 'feature' film, 1931's "The Tip-Off".

Ginger states in her book that, for Primrose Path, where she portrays a poor teenager, "...I dyed my hair brunette, which I thought more appropriate for my character." Thus, for all intents and purposes, we can now confidently refer to this time frame as the 'brunette years' for Ginger.

She wanted her darkened locks to be a 'surprise' to moviegoers when "Primrose Path" came out, but during its production, the L.A. premiere of "Gone With the Wind" took place - of course she HAD to go to that, right? So she was fitted with a 'turban', thus concealing the 'do in public.
For her next feature, "Lucky Partners", she dyed it even darker - to the point that the execs at RKO were a bit worried that the fans were going to demand 'blonde' Ginger... but shooting had begun, and by the time 'Ginger Dark' had been captured on celluloid for a second time, no major objections were readily apparent from the masses.

Then the role that 'solidified' her 'non-blonde' image...It is hard to picture 'Kitty Foyle' as having any other hair color...as Ginger put it, "After I had digested the script, I concluded that Kitty couldn't possibly be a blonde. She was the daughter of a proud Irishman, and had to look and act like one. dark hair, blue eyes, a quick wit, and a stinging tongue..." It was a bit lighter than in 'Lucky Partners', but still well in the 'brunette' range.
After Kitty, Ginger made five more 'brunette' movies, before eventually popping the top on the peroxide bottle again: "Tom, Dick and Harry" in 1941, "Roxie Hart" in 1942 (one of my personal faves - she is just SO different in it... yes, ditzy, but with ATTITUDE! a major difference from the 'just ditzy' role in "It Had to be You"...right, Beth? :-]), "Tales of Manhattan" in 1942, "The Major and the Minor" in 1942 (another fave), and "Once Upon a Honeymoon" in 1942.

Needless to say, this period was the apex of her popularity, thus demanding the question, "Was Ginger more famous as a blonde or a 'non-blonde'?"

The world may never know... but it is fun to debate!