“Broadway Melody of 1940” was the motion picture that answered the question: “Can Fred Astaire survive in movies without Ginger Rogers”? – It wasn’t his first starring film without Rogers, that had been 1937’s “A Damsel In Distress”. But while the earlier film was acknowledged as a temporary respite for the team, “The Broadway Melody” was regarded as the bona-fide start of his post-Ginger career. With a score by Cole Porter, “Broadway Melody of 1940” was a resounding commercial success, and teamed Fred with Eleanor Powell, one of the greatest dancers in Hollywood history. Their tap duet to “Begin The Beguine” is one of the highlights of Astaire’s career. But a new Porter song, sung by co-star Douglas MacPhail and danced as a ballet by Fred and Eleanor, didn’t fare as well. Oddly enough, this indiferently-staged song went on to become one of Porter’s best-loved ballads, though rarely associated with Astaire in later years. Here to sing “I Concentrate On You” is Minnesota’s Voice, Debbie Duncan.

“Broadway Melody of 1940” was the motion picture that answered the question: “Can Fred Astaire survive in movies without Ginger Rogers”? – It wasn’t his first starring film without Rogers, that had been 1937’s “A Damsel In Distress”. But while the earlier film was acknowledged as a temporary respite for the team, “The Broadway Melody” was regarded as the bona-fide start of his post-Ginger career. With a score by Cole Porter, “Broadway Melody of 1940” was a resounding commercial success, and teamed Fred with Eleanor Powell, one of the greatest dancers in Hollywood history. Their tap duet to “Begin The Beguine” is one of the highlights of Astaire’s career. But a new Porter song, sung by co-star Douglas MacPhail and danced as a ballet by Fred and Eleanor, didn’t fare as well. Oddly enough, this indiferently-staged song went on to become one of Porter’s best-loved ballads, though rarely associated with Astaire in later years. Here to sing “I Concentrate On You” is Minnesota’s Voice, Debbie Duncan.