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 him the nickname "Moaning Minnie" from her, had always been the dominant creative force. In 1937 Astaire began filming in England with Jack Buchanan and Maurice Chevalier but withdrew after two days. She later recalled: "Oh boy, if my brother Fred sees this—I'm gone". There is no known film record of Adele performing (aside from a clip lasting a few seconds), but she made eight audio recordings. During World War II, Astaire worked in London at the Red Cross's Rainbow Corner canteen. She wrote letters home for soldiers, writing and posting up to 130 letters in a single week. She