Preview
The premiere of Gay Divorce was given less than rave reviews by the critics and there were constant references to the absence of Adele. Cole Porter’s music, however, employed to great effect by Fred’s interpretation of ‘Night and Day’, earned the show a respectable Broadway run. The number established Fred as a romantic actor who could advance the main plot through the medium of dance. After the show closed, and having resolved the strong opposition of his mother to his marriage, Fred married Phyllis Potter in July 1933. Immediately afterwards he began his film career with a cameo appearance as himself in the MGM picture Dancing Lady, followed by his first pairing with Ginger Rogers as support players in RKO’s Flying Down to Rio. Fred’s last stage appearance occurred when he returned to London with his new wife to honour his contract to star in Gay Divorce.
Keywords: astaire; fred; adele; gay Divorce; cole Porter; ‘Night and Day’; phyllis Potter; rKO; hollywood
Chapter. 5586 words. Illustrated.
Subjects: dance
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