Ginger Rogers George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Fred Astaire was hired to help the dancers with their choreography. Her appearance in "Girl Crazy" made her an overnight star at the age of 19. Rogers' first movie roles were in a trio of short films made in 1929—"Night in the Dormitory", "A Day of a Man of Affairs", and "Campus Sweethearts". In 1930, she was signed by Paramount Pictures to a seven-year contract. Rogers soon got herself out of the Paramount contract—under which she had made five feature films at Astoria Studios in Astoria, Queens—and moved with her mother to Hollywood. When she
Ginger Rogers the importance of her faith throughout her career. Rogers' mother died in 1977. Rogers remained at the 4-Rs (Rogers' Rogue River Ranch) until 1990, when she sold the property and moved to nearby Medford, Oregon. The City of Independence, Missouri, designated the birthplace of Ginger Rogers an Historic Landmark Property in 1994. On July 16, 1994, Ginger and her secretary Roberta Olden visited Independence, Missouri to appear at the Ginger Rogers' Day celebration presented by the city. Ginger was present when Mayor Ron Stewart affixed an Historic Landmark Property plaque to the front of the house where she was born