#an amazing actress and a powerhouse of a singer truly

[cerealbishh]

SOLEA PFEIFFER as Eurydice in Hadestown

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Lena Horne (Cabin in the Sky, Stormy Weather)— Incredibly talented biracial actress, singer, dancer, and activist (she did so much work towards integrating audiences). Because of the racism of the era, she rarely got to be the lead actress but filmmakers loved her so much that they would often create stand alone segments within a film to highlight her beautiful singing, knowing that these segments would ultimately be cut from the film by censors in areas that forbid films with Black performers. Also, she's just so wonderful in Cabin in the Sky as a gold-digger villain who is not the least bit subtle about her intentions. I would highly recommend checking out her work.

Jane Fonda (Barbarella, Sunday in New York, Barefoot in the Park)—Feminist icon, LGBTQ+ rights activist since the 70s, Civil Rights and Native American rights advocate, environmentalist… she really is THE woman ever

This is round 4 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Lena Horne:

Black American powerhouse singer and actor who faced all the usual bullshit that any BIPOC faced in vintage Hollywood and achieved legendary status anyway. Also a Civil Rights movement icon.

She was a gem

She was so beautiful and those dimples are amazing! Truly depressing how badly Hollywood treated her because she was black. I would love to have seen what she really could have been if they didn’t cast her in so many yikes roles. She’s got gorgeous eyes and that body! Her joyful smile makes happiness sexy!

Civil rights actress, singer, dancer, actress, she's got the whole package

Lena Horne was a wonderful singer and actress who largely starred in black cast musicals. While she had a lot of main stream success, she ultimately lost the lead role in showboat (a role she had played on the stage) to a white actress due to hollywood's prejudices. She was also blacklisted during the HUAC hearings, but she still managed to be hot be hot as fuck and have a career spanning decades, working with more well-known stars like Judy Garland in musicals, and working on stage and releasing albums when her hollywood career began to suffer.

Miss Horne became famous during a period of time when Hollywood had very few meaningful roles for people of color. Although she is more so known as a performer, she starred in two successful all black productions (Cabin in the Sky & Stormy Weather). If that wasn't enough, she also guest starred on the Muppets (Season 1, Episode 11)

Jane Fonda:

" I assume she's already been submitted but I gotta make sure. I think there's an element to movies like Barbarella or her segment of Spirit of the Dead of those having been directed by her husband, who famously made movies about her being hot, and the incredible costume design also helped, but good lord. Look at her"

"She was so pretty, dear lord! She was and still us stunning. She’s great at comedy and drama."

"Shes so hot im so gay for me i will let her hit me with hers car"

"Gorgeous and also still getting arrested at climate protests, which is sexy behavior"

"Watching her in Barefoot in the Park seriously made me, a straight woman, question things"

"PLEASE I LOVE HER SO MUCH"

"Her vibes in these movies are so interesting because she, the daughter of an Old Hollywood star, went on to make both poignant dramatic movies and the some of the silliest things you've ever seen but even in the silly space adventures and sexploitations there's always this undeniable gravitas to her. It's like she's able not to take herself very seriously but at the same time never stops having this grace and elegance and makes it all work together. And she's always been very politically active which is also sexy. Her famous mugshot is from 1970 so right at the cutoff mark but come on"

[dearkatherineplumber]

Mean Girls Review (2/9/20)

I saw Mean Girls this past Sunday and fell in love with the show (and Cady Heron).

The Set/Lighting

Everything about the set and lighting are perfect. The lighting during "More Is Better" with the stars? I can't. The lighting is just gorgeous and the set? Amazing. I love how the transitions happen and especially loved Cady's bedroom.

The Cast

Becca Petersen (Cady Heron): her portrayal of Cady is PERFECT! During "It Roars", I KNEW she was going to be phenomenal and she was. Such a talented actress and an amazing singer. She was also so incredibly kind at the stagedoor.

Renee Rapp (Regina George): HOLY! ACTUAL! CRAP! Renee is TWO YEARS OLDER than me and she is the epitome of talent and kindness (See also: belting queen). I loved her as Regina and I just about died during "Someone Gets Hurt" because of how great she is. But what really stood out to me was not only how sweet she was at the stagedoor to me, but how she interacted with the really young kids next to me. Renee took her time to ask them about the show and was so sweet. She's truly a gift to Broadway (and the world).

Krystina Alabado (Gretchen Wieners): absolutely amazing as Gretchen! Krystina makes Gretchen's character so dynamic and she was so kind at the stagedoor. I just loved her "What's Wrong With Me" and how she brings Gretchen to life :)

Kate Rockwell (Karen Smith): SHE! IS! SO! FUNNY! Kate had me laughing so hard during "Sexy". But beyond the humor, Kate makes Karen so real and deep. Kate is crazy talented!

Jake Swain (Aaron Samuels): SWING ALERT! Jake is so, SO good as Aaron! Swings are amazing and Jake is no different; truly a sympathetic and nuanced Aaron. Also, he was so patient at the stagedoor. Truly in awe of his talent and kindness.

Grey Henson (Damian Hubbard): so, so, so good! Grey is hilarious on stage and I love his Damian so much. Also a joy to interact with at the stagedoor :)

Barrett Wilbert Weed (Janis Sarkisian): I still cannot believe I saw her live. It's so weird to see someone you've watched on YouTube in real life on stage. She is a powerhouse and I got chills during some of her scenes. Absolutely loved her performance! (P.S. it's fiiiIIIIINNEEEE)

The ensemble: I can't separate the ensemble here because Mean Girls is what it is because of the cohesive ensemble. These actors dance and sing and act and roll around in desks and they do it was such poise and perfection that you are drawn to them. They truly embody the spirit of busy high schoolers. 10/10.

Overall Thoughts

This show has such fun music! Every song is a bop honestly.

The messages this show gives young girls? So, so important. It manages to discuss important themes in a comical manner. Such an important show.

The characters are so well written. They all have arcs that they follow and they are all so brilliantly human. I especially love Cady's character and how she changes throughout the show; spectacular writing.

I love this show and if you can see it, go!

[thesweatycollectiontyrant]

Most Demanding Female Roles in Musical Theatre

Hey everyone! I’m gonna be on vacation for the next few days, so I decided to do some shorter posts and queue them once a day while I’m gone! If you have suggestions on some shorter articles I could do on the go, feel free to send topics my way! I’m gonna do a male counterpart to this post, as well as articles for plays.

I’m going to begin that this is in my personal opinion. I’m gonna be just kinda going as I think. I will not be ranking these in any way. ALSO this will not only pertain to lead roles! I’ll be looking at everyone!

Let’s Do This

Rose Hovick in Gypsy

Described as the following: “bossy, demanding, horrific, monster,” this role is kind of a no-brainer when it comes to what is considered demanding. Many amazing women of the theatre have played this role: Ethel Merman, Patti LuPone, Tyne Daly, Angela Lansbury, Imelda Staunton, Bernadette Peters, and just this summer, Carolee Carmello and Beth Leavel. The role is fairly vocally demanding. She sings several of the songs and she has to have a strong belt. She doesn’t dance much, but what really kills the actress is the acting. Tyne Daly described it as “a prize fight”. The role is very demanding. You have to be more or less a ham onstage, age at least ten years over the course of the story, and go through the ache of losing your favorite daughter to seeing the one you settle for become a stripper. All onstage. The character is such a facade. She proclaims that she wants what’s best for her children while she lives vicariously through them. Rose is the prime example of what a stage mother really is. In the final moments of the show, Rose has a mental breakdown in “Rose’s Turn” envisioning herself performing in front of an audience, followed by Louise and her reconciling in the end.

Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale/Edith Bouvier Beale in Grey Gardens

Christine Ebersole originated the mammoth of a role in the screen-to-stage adaptation of the timeless documentary in a dual role, playing “Big Edie” in Act One and “Little Edie” in Act Two. One thing that makes this role demanding is that these people she’s playing were real people who know what these people did, looked like, and sounded like, and if it doesn’t meet expectations, they walk away unsatisfied. The acting in this role is different because of the switch between characters between acts, but the demand for both characters is still there. Big Edie is detrimental in Act One as she tears apart Little Edie’s dreams, then the actress plays Little Edie in Act Two as a woman in her fifties, who reluctantly takes care of her mother despite the hurt she harbors. The actress has to have great comic chops and the ability to impersonate Little Edie in particular. The actress also has to have a very versatile voice to match the elegant Soprano of Big Edie and the squawky timbre (which sweetens quickly) of Little Edie. This is truly a fantastic role.

Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza

This phenomenal woman decided to take her daughter on a trip to Italy, only to discover it wouldn’t be as much of a trip as it was a move. Margaret takes care of her daughter Clara, who is developmentally stalled. In a heartbreaking monologue in Act Two, Margaret explains that at Clara’s birthday party, they ordered a pony for her to play with and show her friends. Margaret went to answer the phone, and the second she wasn’t paying attention, the pony kicked Clara in the head, injuring her brain. Margaret, while in some cases overprotective, wants what’s best for her daughter. She goes through many journeys throughout the story. She watches her daughter grow up before her eyes, realizes the dissolve of her marriage, and ultimately joins a family. There are many asides and monologues that can be dug into and given meaning. This score is notably difficult. It’s filled with many high and low notes; Margaret’s range spans over two octaves (G3-G#5). Victoria Clark immortalized the role for all to see after it was professionally filmed and broadcast on PBS. Seeing a struggling middle-aged woman as the lead of a show isn’t often, and Adam Guettel’s show displays that platform with integrity.

The First Ladies in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

I did a post about this masterpiece of a flop last week. The actress who plays The First Ladies play the following roles: Abigail Adams, Eliza Monroe, and Julia Grant and Lucy Hayes (simultaneously). The actress must have strong Soprano chops, but also be a good character singer, especially for the tour de force, “Duet for One”. This is theatrically and vocally demanding. Bernstein gave us that. Praise.

Elle Woods in Legally Blonde

Some might say that this role is all fluff. I don’t agree. Elle is a vivacious human who thinks she knows what she wants, and discovers what she needs along the way. This role has to be a true triple threat, as you have to be able to sustain the demanding score, the constant energy, and multiple ensemble dance numbers. Elle is in almost every single song in the show. She has to dance her butt off. Not to mention that she also has to remain in the bubbly sorority girl archetype, but also becomes a stronger woman who begins to trust herself. It’s a very demanding role, and I don’t need blue hairs coming for me.

Diana Goodman in Next to Normal

Brought to life by one of my favorite actresses, Alice Ripley, Diana provides a story that shows her thoughts under a microscope. She suffers from Bipolar II Disorder that comes along with hallucinations of her deceased son, Gabe. Because of her struggle with mental illness, she pushes her daughter, Natalie, away and affects all those around her. What a woman has to go through as Diana is bare her soul. That role is truly for those who wish to leave it all on the stage. The role has a lot of belting in it, but ultimately is for a Mezzo. The range goes from Gb3-F#5 (yes, they’re enharmonic, but they’re written differently), so just on two octaves. Diana goes through several breakdowns throughout the show and ultimately leaves her family in hope that they will be better without her. This takes both a powerhouse actress and singer.

Cunegonde in Candide

This role has been performed by many actresses and singers, but. Cunegonde is the definition of elegant, but just a bit off her nut. She sings one of the most difficult musical theatre songs ever written, “Glitter and Be Gay” and has several duets with notes almost as high in “We Are Women,” “Oh, Happy We,” and “Make Our Garden Grow”. The score is incredibly difficult, so I would definitely say that this role is very demanding.

Margaret White in Carrie

Yes, I know this show was infamous for being kind of awful, but the place someone has to go to play this part is so dark that it’s scary. A woman like Margaret has clearly been abused of some sort. In fact, the book (I believe, it’s been a while since I’ve read it) reveals that Carrie was conceived by rape. It’s truly heartbreaking. This woman wants what is best for her daughter, even if she goes through some interesting ways to giver her that. The subtlety an actress has to have to not cross the line of making Margaret’s religion and motives borderline comical is great. The role seems very easy to make a caricature of Christian women over the area. The score in the revised version is quite difficult, calling for Margaret to be a Soprano who also has lower notes and some belting, although there’s plenty of room for stylistic choice! I’m just going off of the brilliance of Marin Mazzie. The role is quite demanding for anyone to step into.

Eva Peron in Evita

To play Eva Peron, a woman has to screlt her face off and sustain that for the entire night. The different places her voice would need to go is so vastly different. The range extends from E3-G5 without much of a break. The vocals are very demanding. Since I haven’t seen the show live and it’s *mostly* (?) thrusung, I’m not sure what all vigorous acting has to be done. But oh my Lord, the score is tough.

Trina in Falsettos

I don’t even know where to begin about this character. There’s very little dancing for the part, but there is just about everything you could think of in the other two departments. Her range spans two octaves, and she has to belt at the top of her range, but also have a nice an strong head voice throughout the show. The acting is very vulnerable. Trina is a person who has been exposed to a lot of hurt throughout her life. She goes through just about everything, and still comes out of it. This is a beautiful and heartbreaking role.

Veronica Sawyer in Heathers

The score in Heathers is pulsing with punk rock and 80s influences. Veronica is a very demanding part because of the plot points that happen to her. It’s a very interesting and complicated story that I don’t want to get into, but just know that this role is a whole step away from having the highest belted note in Musical Theatre history (A5), losing only to Jennifer Simard as Sister Mary Downy in Disaster!, who belts a B5. Veronica goes through a lot in this story, and is in most of the scenes in the show, and is also constantly singing and belting VERY high.

Dolly Gallagher Levi in Hello, Dolly!

I want to preface this with the fact that typically, this role is done by an older woman, so take that into circumstances. This role is loaded with stage time, comic timing, and singing. You have to have great comic chops, and depending on how you do it, one of three things with your singing voice: you can sing it in the original keys down the octave (which is the way it was originally done) which puts you as a super low Alto/Female Tenor, you can do it similar keys that Barbra Streisand did from the movie, taking the range to a Mezzo, or you can be a brave Soprano and sing it in the original Carol Channing keys, but sing everything up the octave. Any of the three are delightful. This is one of my favorite roles, and is TRULY demanding. The emotional journey (while not trolling Mr. Vandergelder) is beautiful for Dolly. She discovers so much about herself and what she becomes after she accepts Ephraim’s death and decides to move on with her life. It’s just sublime.

Effie Melody White in Dreamgirls

This is another role that would be very easy to make a caricature of. Effie is a troubled and talented woman. The role is very taxing vocally, and also the acting is very intense, especially in Act One. Effie truly has an amazing transformation from a misunderstood starlet to a confident woman. She doesn’t have a lot of time offstage until Act Two, and even then, she has an amazing solo.

Bess in Porgy and Bess

I don’t want to get into describing the heartbreak that this character goes through. Just know that there are a lot of traumatic events that happen to her and she still finds love (even though it ends different then you want). The score is incredibly demanding, even causing Broadway superstar Audra McDonald vocal problems. This is a fantastic role for an African-American Soprano who has great acting chops.

Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George

Bernadette Peters did this brilliant role on Broadway and it was broadcast to the world on PBS. The dual role that actually switches and then switches back once again is very theatrically and vocally demanding. The role is onstage most of the show and is just very alive and energetic throughout the show, even when she plays an old woman. The beautiful and poetic words that just flow everywhere have so much meaning. There’s quite a bit of range that spans through the show as well.

Celie Harris Johnson in The Color Purple

There is such a delicate presence for this role. Celie is like a cat. She starts out like a kitten that is hushed and silenced, but by the end she is a roaring lion that will speak for everyone to hear. I adore the resilience this character has. LaChanze possibly had a lot of pressure to be like the movie. Cynthia Erivo definitely made the role personal to her, and it showed. Celie is a demanding role because of her constant stage time and the relentless score. The character literally spans from an E3 to a G5 in ONE song. Oh my Lord. But what a role. It really is amazing. And demanding.

I’m sure there are some that people feel I left out, but be sure to message or let me know your thoughts on this!

[onaperduamedee]

Favorite Old Hollywood star?

Well, that is an unexpected but welcome ask. Thank you for asking!

I would say Eartha Kitt because she’s the most passionate, most talented, most beautiful, most curious, truest, strongest, wittiest, freest star, but I am not so sure she really qualifies as belonging to “Old Hollywood” as she was mostly a stage performer and the few films she made were in the late 50s, racist Hollywood be damned. Still, she was an incredible woman who had a tough start in life to say the least (she was illegitimate, mixed race, abandoned as a kid) and burnt so brightly through her art (raw talent: dancer, singer, actress, powerhouse, polyglot and curious of everything) and political commitment (against war, racism, for women, LGBT+ folks). She couldn’t have been anyone else but herself. We all need someone as confident and loving as Eartha Kitt in our life. Also this:

But if you mean among the big screen big names, probably Jean Arthur? She was an insanely versatile actress as well as a complicated woman. Everybody knows her for her films with Capra, where her gift for comedy really shines, but she was also a modern, warm and intelligent performer like there were few at the time. She was more from the silent stars generation, but truly soared in screwball comedies from the late 30s, at an age when most actresses would have been regarded as too old. She suffered from anxiety and, much like Garbo, escaped Hollywood as soon as she could, which was, fortunately for us, rather late in her career. Also, most likely, she was gay. Her personal life is rather heartbreaking to learn about because her insecurities made her absolutely miserable and sometimes made the life of others so, but, boy, was she an interesting and talented woman. 

If you have the opportunity to watch their performances or read up on them, please do, because they were both amazing in very different ways.

[vannadee37]

I have been watching The Voice on NBC and I am totally mesmerized by Jennifer Hudson and Miley Cyrus. Not only are these two young women vocal powerhouses, but they are both beautiful and have their own unique style. I typically only spotlight one woman in this monthly “Woman of Style” feature, except for when I featured my favorite looks from the Oscars and the Emmys. I know these two ladies may be a mismatched pair for this “Woman of Style” feature, but their passion for both their music and their fashion make them perfect to be featured together as this month’s “Women of Style”.

#gallery-0-7 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-7 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-7 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-7 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Jennifer first popped up on my radar when she was on American Idol in 2004. In 2006, she went on to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls, a role which also garnered her 28 other awards from film critics. She has appeared in other movies {including Sex and the City and The Secret Life of Bees} and had guest roles on several TV shows {including Smash and Empire}. She was the first Africa-American singer to grace the cover of Vogue. Her 2012 autobiography detailed her weight loss journey, and earlier this year, she released her fourth album, aptly named JHUD. I don’t think I would have considered myself a fan of JHud, although she has an amazing voice, but since watching her on The Voice, I am now a fan of hers.

Miley is most notably known in some circles as Hannah Montana, but in other circles she is known as the twerking, gyrating, child star Hannah Montana who went off into the deep end of trying to find herself. Those crazy years – between the first time she dated Liam Hemsworth {they reportedly broke up in mid-2013) to her now being “engaged” to Liam Hemsworth – were controversial and full of wild and crazy outfits, photos of her smoking a bong, and even some photos of her kissing another female. But Miley has returned to her roots, in a way, with her latest album, Malibu. She had a boho country style in her early years, followed by some wild/grunge/punk/way-out-there years. And although her style is still kind of “out there” at times, she also shows a toned-down style, which is a nice mix of her boho country style and wild side. Miley really is a natural beauty, and just like Jennifer, she has an amazing voice.

These two young women have so much more flair than I could put in today’s post, so go check out more of their unique, individual styles in any fashion magazine they may be featured in, or check them out on Pinterest. I could have literally lost myself in Pinterest looking at their photos!

Are y’all fans of Jennifer Hudson and/or Miley Cyrus? Leave a comment below and let me hear what you have to say about these two women of style!

Yours Truly, Vanessa

{Images borrowed from 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8}

Women of Style: JHUD and Miley I have been watching The Voice on NBC and I am totally mesmerized by Jennifer Hudson and Miley Cyrus.

[alwayssummerblog]

Super Bowl National Anthem

The Super Bowl is one of the most watched and highly anticipated events of the year. In preparation for the big day, millions of people line their couches with hot wings, chips and beer and invite groups of friends over to watch the game. Whether you watch for the epic football match or for its entertaining advertisements and halftime show, the super bowl is nothing short of something special.

It all begins with the performance of the National Anthem, a tradition that has been carried out by some of the greatest voices in music history. The song isn't easy to deliver, but there have been some pretty exceptional performances. This year the honor falls on country stud Luke Bryan and based on past performances, we know it'll be amazing!

To mentally prepare for Bryan’s rendition, we collected some of our favorite past Super Bowl anthem performances done by country stars. 

The Dixie Chicks (2003) As one of the few pop/country groups in recent memory to deliver the anthem, the trio hit some truly beautiful and mesmerizing harmonies in 2003.

Faith Hill (2000) We all know Faith Hill is a powerful vocalist and in 2000, Faith delivered one of the best Anthems in Super Bowl history. Joined by sign language specialists, the singer’s traditional delivery was awe-inspiring.

Garth Brooks (1993) No surprises here, one of country music’s leading men offered a solemn and thoughtful rendition in ‘93. Actress Marlee Matlin, joined him to perform the song in sync via American Sign Language.

Carrie Underwood (2010) Carrie Underwood sang a version of the anthem that only Carrie could truly deliver. Her calm and confident demeanor accompanied by some powerhouse vocals made for an awesome start to the 2010 Super Bowl.

Make sure to catch Bryan’s performance of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl LI on Sunday, February 5.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Lena Horne (Cabin in the Sky, Stormy Weather)— Incredibly talented biracial actress, singer, dancer, and activist (she did so much work towards integrating audiences). Because of the racism of the era, she rarely got to be the lead actress but filmmakers loved her so much that they would often create stand alone segments within a film to highlight her beautiful singing, knowing that these segments would ultimately be cut from the film by censors in areas that forbid films with Black performers. Also, she's just so wonderful in Cabin in the Sky as a gold-digger villain who is not the least bit subtle about her intentions. I would highly recommend checking out her work.

Ginger Rogers (Swing Time, Top Hat)—Look I’ll level with you, I’ve never seen her in a musical and I know that she’s an amazing dancer and she’ll be even hotter when I finally watch Top Hat but I’m not submitting her as a dancer I’m submitting her as an ACTRESS. Her comic timing is impeccable!!!!! She’s full to bursting with life and in every role she seems to be having FUN, you can practically feel the twinkle in her eye. With her natural warmth it’s like she’s letting you in on the joke, y’all get to have this fun together! Making me laugh is hot!!! [If you'd like to see Ginger dance, videos below the cut]

This is round 3 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Lena Horne:

64.media.tumblr.com

Black American powerhouse singer and actor who faced all the usual bullshit that any BIPOC faced in vintage Hollywood and achieved legendary status anyway. Also a Civil Rights movement icon.

She was a gem

She was so beautiful and those dimples are amazing! Truly depressing how badly Hollywood treated her because she was black. I would love to have seen what she really could have been if they didn’t cast her in so many yikes roles. She’s got gorgeous eyes and that body! Her joyful smile makes happiness sexy!

Civil rights actress, singer, dancer, actress, she's got the whole package

Lena Horne was a wonderful singer and actress who largely starred in black cast musicals. While she had a lot of main stream success, she ultimately lost the lead role in showboat (a role she had played on the stage) to a white actress due to hollywood's prejudices. She was also blacklisted during the HUAC hearings, but she still managed to be hot be hot as fuck and have a career spanning decades, working with more well-known stars like Judy Garland in musicals, and working on stage and releasing albums when her hollywood career began to suffer.

Miss Horne became famous during a period of time when Hollywood had very few meaningful roles for people of color. Although she is more so known as a performer, she starred in two successful all black productions (Cabin in the Sky & Stormy Weather). If that wasn't enough, she also guest starred on the Muppets (Season 1, Episode 11)

Ginger Rogers propaganda:

She needs no introduction! An undeniable powerhouse on the dancefloor, and no less talented an actress. I once watched a compilation of cinema's greatest dance scenes and one of her and Fred Astaire's dances was featured, and one of the talking heads said he pitied her for 'having to keep up with him' - or something to that effect. Bullshit, I cry. Ginger Rogers was his absolute equal, and underplaying her incredible skill is downright criminal. I want the 'Cheek to Cheek' sequence from Top Hat to be permanently burned into my memory.

"Backwards in high heels", as the saying goes (though the pedant in me must point out that she in fact spent her fair share of time leading or dancing side-by-side). One of the earliest twinkle-toed ladies of the silver screen, and in terms of acting/persona, her balance of wide-eyed cuteness and movie-star glamour has never quite been replicated.

we all know her beloved string of musicals with fred but ginger also has an extensive and varied non-fred filmography that she's great in! a few ginger moments that are important 2 me personally ginger singing “we’re in the money” in gold diggers of 1933, complete with a verse in pig latin bc this whole movie is kinda mocking the concept of anyone actually being in the money in 1933; ginger and una merkel singing a verse of “shuffle off to buffalo” in 42nd street, providing some statler & waldorf-esque commentary on newlyweds from the upper berth of a railway car (interesting that belly was apparently a risque word in 1933 - maybe its bc the lyric is innuendo-ing about out of wedlock pregnancies - and that panties was a term for men’s underthings!); a favorite fred & ginger number

Ginger Rogers could do everything! She could sing, dance and act. She was hilarious in comedies, moving in dramatic roles (she won an Oscar for Kitty Foyle in 1940) and absolutely gorgeous!

Listen, no shade to Fred Astaire at all, but she both kept up with him step for step and then later went on to WIN AN OSCAR FOR ACTING. (which he did not.) truly a double threat!!!

One of the best dancers in Hollywood! Her work with Fred Astaire is just incredible.

ONE LINE: "Everything Fred did, Ginger did backwards and in heels" AND THEYRE RIGHT! Rogers was a total dance badass, and a lot of movie buffs know the story, but the Never Gonna Dance number from Swing Time took almost 50 takes, and allegedly by the end of filming it her white shoes had been stained pink because her feet were bleeding. As a note, she looks crazy gorgeous in this number. Watching these two dance is insane. They match up to each other in a way my mom describes as "divine" and she's right. DANCE NUMBERS!

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off (Shall We Dance, 1937, dancing starts at 3:14, they're in ROLLERSKATES)

(Ginger Rogers is the hottest woman ever to live in this number. seeing this as a teenager altered my brain chemistry)

(also watch her feet and how she moves opposite Astaire in this one. We all know our boy Freddie had that precision demon but jesus christ Miss Rogers, let a girl live!)

Pick Yourself Up, Swing Time 1936 (Everyone's seen this one but by god you are going to see it AGAIN!)

Shall We Dance, 1937 (duet begins at 2:34)

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Roberta 1935 (There's just something about Ginger Rogers in a slick black dress man)

The Continental, The Gay Divorcee 1934

God she's MAGIC in this one.

Gay Divorcee's Ending Montage 1934

The infamous table and chairs spin happens at about 0:49. Pay CLOSE attention to her in this bc it looks like witchcraft and I feel lightheaded whenever I watch this movie bc shes THAT awesome.

She is a miracle to watch. Sorry for the sheer amount of clips. My entire family is like madly in love with Ginger Rogers.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Geraldine Fitzgerald (Three Strangers)—A good girl who played the sexiest bad girls.

Lena Horne (Cabin in the Sky, Stormy Weather)— Incredibly talented biracial actress, singer, dancer, and activist (she did so much work towards integrating audiences). Because of the racism of the era, she rarely got to be the lead actress but filmmakers loved her so much that they would often create stand alone segments within a film to highlight her beautiful singing, knowing that these segments would ultimately be cut from the film by censors in areas that forbid films with Black performers. Also, she's just so wonderful in Cabin in the Sky as a gold-digger villain who is not the least bit subtle about her intentions. I would highly recommend checking out her work.

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]

Geraldine Fitzgerald:

Lena Horne:

Black American powerhouse singer and actor who faced all the usual bullshit that any BIPOC faced in vintage Hollywood and achieved legendary status anyway. Also a Civil Rights movement icon.

She was a gem

She was so beautiful and those dimples are amazing! Truly depressing how badly Hollywood treated her because she was black. I would love to have seen what she really could have been if they didn’t cast her in so many yikes roles. She’s got gorgeous eyes and that body! Her joyful smile makes happiness sexy!

Civil rights actress, singer, dancer, actress, she's got the whole package

Lena Horne was a wonderful singer and actress who largely starred in black cast musicals. While she had a lot of main stream success, she ultimately lost the lead role in showboat (a role she had played on the stage) to a white actress due to hollywood's prejudices. She was also blacklisted during the HUAC hearings, but she still managed to be hot be hot as fuck and have a career spanning decades, working with more well-known stars like Judy Garland in musicals, and working on stage and releasing albums when her hollywood career began to suffer.

Miss Horne became famous during a period of time when Hollywood had very few meaningful roles for people of color. Although she is more so known as a performer, she starred in two successful all black productions (Cabin in the Sky & Stormy Weather). If that wasn't enough, she also guest starred on the Muppets (Season 1, Episode 11)

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Lena Horne (Cabin in the Sky, Stormy Weather)— Incredibly talented biracial actress, singer, dancer, and activist (she did so much work towards integrating audiences). Because of the racism of the era, she rarely got to be the lead actress but filmmakers loved her so much that they would often create stand alone segments within a film to highlight her beautiful singing, knowing that these segments would ultimately be cut from the film by censors in areas that forbid films with Black performers. Also, she's just so wonderful in Cabin in the Sky as a gold-digger villain who is not the least bit subtle about her intentions. I would highly recommend checking out her work.

Ann Blyth (Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, Red Canyon)—no propaganda submitted

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Lena Horne:

Black American powerhouse singer and actor who faced all the usual bullshit that any BIPOC faced in vintage Hollywood and achieved legendary status anyway. Also a Civil Rights movement icon.

She was a gem

She was so beautiful and those dimples are amazing! Truly depressing how badly Hollywood treated her because she was black. I would love to have seen what she really could have been if they didn’t cast her in so many yikes roles. She’s got gorgeous eyes and that body! Her joyful smile makes happiness sexy!

Civil rights actress, singer, dancer, actress, she's got the whole package

Lena Horne was a wonderful singer and actress who largely starred in black cast musicals. While she had a lot of main stream success, she ultimately lost the lead role in showboat (a role she had played on the stage) to a white actress due to hollywood's prejudices. She was also blacklisted during the HUAC hearings, but she still managed to be hot be hot as fuck and have a career spanning decades, working with more well-known stars like Judy Garland in musicals, and working on stage and releasing albums when her hollywood career began to suffer.

Miss Horne became famous during a period of time when Hollywood had very few meaningful roles for people of color. Although she is more so known as a performer, she starred in two successful all black productions (Cabin in the Sky & Stormy Weather). If that wasn't enough, she also guest starred on the Muppets (Season 1, Episode 11)

Ann Blyth: