Vinton Freedley A. Aarons with whom he formed a long term producing partnership. Their first major hit was "Lady Be Good!" (1924) with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin and featuring Fred Astaire and Adele Astaire. Over the next ten years the pair produced some of the most important works in the Broadway musical canon, featuring some of the most famous songs ever to emerge from the tin pan alley era, part of what is commonly referred to as "The Great American Songbook." The shows that followed included "Tip-Toes" (1925), "Oh, Kay!" (1926), and "Funny Face" (1927), again starring the
Adele Astaire act. Their mother homeschooled the siblings herself most of the time, aside from a brief stint in New Jersey, when Adele and Fred were enrolled in regular school for a year. The adolescent Adele had grown so tall at the time that her smaller, younger brother – still catching up in height – looked silly dancing with her. As they grew older, the contrasting personalities of the siblings grew more distinct. Astaire was a "perennial live wire": lively, talented, and known for her raw frankness – along with her colourful swearing. Fred, the hardworking perfectionist, was quieter and constantly anxious