Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire: Hollywood’s Greatest Dance Duo

The dance partnership’s 10 movies spanned 16 years during Hollywood’s Golden Era.

Penny Carrol (Ginger Rogers) swings with Lucky Garnett (Fred Astaire), in “Swing Time.” MovieStillsDB

When one thinks of famous dance partnerships, several couples come to mind, but none like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. With a partnership spanning 16 years and producing 10 hit movies, no couple has ever tripped the light fantastic so successfully on the silver screen.

Rogers and Astaire first appeared together in the 1933 musical “Flying Down to Rio.” While they weren’t the leads in this film, their fancy footwork made them an instant hit, and RKO Radio Pictures featured them in eight more films.