Thank you, Lily. Now, Ginger was ...
That is a good idea, Lily.
People, take our quiz and find out which movie star you are--a snippy one or a nice one.
Question 1: Are you a nice person?
A. Yes. Nothing in the world can get me mad.
B. I'm mostly nice but sometimes you have to get mad.
C. I'm MAD! Always!
Lily!
Question 2: What is your favorite drink?
A. Milk
B. Milk shake
C. Diet Coke
Enough, Lily. This is supposed to be educational. Next question.
Question 3: How poor were you growing up?
A. Poor, poor, poor - Not even a dime for lunch. I dropped out of school in 6th grade. My dad was a milkman and he got sick so I danced to pay the doctor bills.
B. A little bit poor, but OK. My mom was a Marine and wrote scripts for movies.
C. Lots of overloaded credit cards.
Lily!
Question 4: Which star did you get to marry in the movies?
A. Dick Powell
C. Nobody
Lily! I'm only a teenager!
Question 5: If they wanted you to be the star of A musical, would you take the role?
A No, of course not. Other people deserve it more.
B. YES. Right now. Give me the part.
C. Um … Is there really a part?
Question 6: How long did you want to keep being a star?
A. Movies are fun but I want something more--to be a mom--and to play golf.
B. Always. I love, love making movies or being in plays. I'm never going to stop. Do you have another part for me?
C. Um …
Question 7: How many commercials did you make?
A. Oh, you know, sometimes the movie studio made you make commercials to keep yourself popular but I never wanted to make them. I made this one for fur coats.
B. So many! I made one for Max Factor, and Lux Soap, but I also made them for Royal Crown (RC) Cola, Doublemint gum, Dodge cars, DeSoto cars, Royal Gelatin, Lustre-Net Hair Spray, Lady Baltimore Luggage, Auto-Lite car batteries, D MOJUD Magic Motion Pantyhose, Royal Chocolate Pudding, Italian Airlines, Columbia Records, JC Penny's …
C. Did someone ask?
That's the end of our quiz. So how did you do?
If you answered A, you are Golden-hearted Ruby Keller.
If you answered B, you are Snippy Ginger Rogers.
Ignore that people. I'm not in the quiz.
Here's more complete bios of our two snip and not snip stars:
Ruby Keeler Dancing in 42nd Street
Ruby Keller was a famous tap dancer. Her dancing looks heavy to us because it is the hoofer style of dancing. She starred in many of the films that are called backstage musicals. She would fall in love with Dick Powell, no matter whether he played a rich man pretending to be poor, the "juvenile" (the actor who played the youngish parts), or the producer of the show. She quit show business to be a Mom and play golf.
Right, Lily!
Ginger Roger being Snippy in 42nd Street
Ginger Rogers is most famous for dancing with Fred Astaire. She won an Academy Award for Kitty Foyle playing a woman who loses the man she loves and then chooses a nicer one. Lily and I like her most in comedies. Her best are Bachelor Mother, Major and the Minor, and Vivacious Lady. She made 73 films, and starred on Broadway.
Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Dancing Together
So what did you answer, Lily?
You surprise me all the time, Lily.