Ginger Rogers Castle", but the serious plot and tragic ending resulted in the worst box-office receipts of any of their films. This was driven not by diminished popularity, but by the hard 1930s economic reality. The production costs of musicals, always significantly more costly than regular features, continued to increase at a much faster rate than admissions. Both before and immediately after her dancing and acting partnership with Fred Astaire ended, Rogers starred in a number of successful nonmusical films. "Stage Door" (1937) demonstrated her dramatic capacity, as the loquacious yet vulnerable girl next door, a tough-minded, theatrical hopeful, opposite Katharine Hepburn.
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Vaudeville, partnering with his older sister, Adele. He made his first movie in 1933, taking on a small role in the movie "Dancing Lady" starring Clark Gable and Joan Crawford. Rogers made her first appearance in a 1929 movie short, then made feature Pre-Code movies with Warner Brothers Pictures such as "42nd Street" and "Gold Diggers of 1933". Astaire and Rogers made their first pairing in a movie in 1933, "Flying Down to Rio", in which they had supporting roles; the main star was Dolores Del Rio. The film, released late in 1933, earned worldwide rentals of $1.5 million.