Some of the information is Boop-Oop-a-Dooping full of SPOILERS. Boop-Oop-a-Doop!
Virginia Katherine McMath
| Ginger Rogers |
|---|
| Ginger Rogers | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Name |
Ginger Rogers |
Ginger Rogers (born July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was a Golden Age of Hollywood actress, dancer, and singer. Rogers grew up in Kansas City after being born in Independence, Missouri. When she was nine years old, her family relocated to Fort Worth, Texas. She won a Charleston dance competition in 1925, which helped establish her lucrative vaudeville career.
In 1928, German conductor, composer, vaudeville performer, and recording artist "Paul Ash" had a three-week engagement at the Paramount Theatre in New York City[1] alongside a young Ginger Rogers, whose career was just getting started.
Ash told Rogers that it would be a good idea, if she did impersonations and or took on the "baby-talk" persona of Helen Kane the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" Girl.[2] Ash discovered Peggy Bernier in 1926, who originated the baby-talk style a decade after singer Irene Franklin. This style was then used by Ash's next discovery Helen Kane, possibly imitating Bernier. Kane responded to Ginger Rogers using this gimmick by claiming ownership and or origination, and stated that Rogers was her "only" successor.
At the age of 18, in Rogers' earliest film appearances she took on the role of a baby-doll type characters similar to Helen Kane.[3] In her debut Night In A Dormitory she sang "Why Can't You Love That Way" and "I Love A Man In A Uniform" in a baby voice.
Again in a baby voice in the musical short Office Blues she sang "Why Can't We Get Along" and "Dear Sir". In her solo for "Why Can't We Get Along" she scats "La-Da-Da-Da-Dum," La-Dum-La-Dum," and "La-Da-Da-Dah".
In the 1930 film Young Man of Manhattan, she played the role of a rich 16-year-old flapper girl. Her character had a very important role in the film and in a baby voice Rogers sang "Good and Plenty Of" and "I've Got It" (But It Don't Do Me No Good), another song that was covered by Helen Kane. After appearing in the film, Rogers' catchphrase, "cigarette me, big boy" became a popular 1930s phrase.
Young Man of Manhattan was followed up by Queen High. In Queen High directed by Fred Newmeyer, Rogers sang a baby-talk song "Brother Just Laugh It Off". She was paired up with Jack Oakie in her second big film The Sap from Syracuse. Oakie was best known for his chemistry with Helen Kane. In that film Rogers sings "How I Wish I Could Sing a Love Song" and she interjects a "La-Da-Da-Doo" into the song.
According to a 1930 article by Fanny the Fan writer of Over the Teacups, the Paramount Publix officials threw a party for Helen Kane the night she made her first appearance at the Paramount since she went into the movies.
The party was held at the Park Central Hotel about midnight, and guests were warned that they were expected to dive into the swimming pool during the course of the evening. Fanny stated, "Helen looked much thinner and prettier, but I confess I was more interested in Ginger Rogers than I was in the guest of honor."
Fanny was much impressed by Ginger Rogers in Young Man on Manhattan and tried to lead a conversation gently back to Marie Dressler. Fanny stated that Ginger was really a darling, just nineteen, and the youngest nineteen she had ever saw. She had a long talk with her mother while Ginger was dancing with Jack Oakie. Fanny was sure that Ginger didn't have any good sense which she has, her mother would keep her level-headed.
Fanny went on to say that some of the prettiest girls she has ever seen worked as extras in Dangerous Nan McGrew, babbling on and found out how many of the pretty girls were chorus girls in Heads Up. And that if you thought that Helen Kane wasn't an emotional actress, you could go down to the courthouse where Kane was appearing. Helen's feelings were hurt over a manufacturer prying into her private affairs that she did nothing but crying scenes on the witness stand. "Maybe Helen Kane will lose some weight worrying, I suggested hopefully." stated Fanny the Fan.
Rogers continued to use the baby-doll flapper persona in films such as Follow the Leader released in 1930 and Honor Among Lovers in 1931. In The Tip-Off, Rogers portrayed a character nicknamed Baby Face, there she spoke in a more deeper voice. In the film to follow Carnival Boat, she reverted to singing in a baby voice and sang "How I Could Go For You".
In 1933, Rogers changed her hair and dress style and ditched the Helen Kane persona, the same year she was named the WAMPAS Baby Stars, sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers.
Other notable WAMPAS stars included Lupe Vélez, Clara Bow, Janet Gaynor, Fay Wray, Dolores del Rio, Dolores Costello, Mary Astor, Joan Crawford, Loretta Young, Jean Arthur and Joan Blondell.
Rogers was famously paired with Fred Astaire during this time, and the two later became iconic for their dance sequences.
Quotes
- Ginger Rogers: "I don't want to go into Paul Ash's act, as a matter of fact..." (1937)
- Ginger Rogers: "Well, I was supposed to take the place of Helen Kane." (1937)
- Ginger Rogers: "You remember what a sensation she was with her 'Boop-Boop-a-Doop' routine." (1937)
- Ginger Rogers: "Naturally, it was a tough spot to follow." (1937)
- Ginger Rogers: "But I finally went in. Sang two songs and said some allegedly funny things." (1937)
Death
- Rogers died of a heart attack on April 25, 1995, at the age of 83, at her Rancho Mirage home.
Trivia
- Like most Helen Kane impersonators, a great example being Babe Kane, Rogers never actually used the "Boop-Boop-a-Doop" but alternative scat-singing. The "Boop" itself "alternatively" originates from general scatting, which popularly originated at African-American nightclubs during the 1920s. This kind of singing technique was used earlier by Black entertainers such as Gertrude Saunders, Florence Mills, Baby Esther Jones, Mae Barnes, Baby Cox, Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and his sister Blanche Calloway, Clarence Williams and his wife Eva Taylor.