𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗔 𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗗 & 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦, 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗗𝗢𝗟 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛 𝗔𝗧 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗦𝗩𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘 𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗘 (𝗧𝗦𝗖)

 

By Rene Torres

Ginger Rogers was best remembered for being Fred Astaire’s dance partner. But those that lived through the WW II era also identified her for the work she did to support the war effort.

She was not wearing army boots or carrying a rifle and leading a charge. Instead, she used her movie star status performing for the USO and selling war bonds at rallies around the country.

Her contributions went beyond the stage. In 1940, she bought a 1000 acre ranch in Oregon, in which she lived with her mother for 50 years. The ranch also served as a dairy farm which supplied milk to the troops during the war years.

Ginger was responsible for raising millions of dollars as she performed throughout the country promoting the sale of war bonds. In 1942, McAllen, Harlingen and Brownville were on her itinerary as cities to visit.

The Rio Grande Valley was falling short on their September bond quota that is until it was announced that Ginger Rogers would be on stage.

War Bond Rally comes to Brownsville 

As her appearance drew closer, this city responded with an overwhelming jump in bond sales—Brownsville sales leaped to $10,000 just hours before her 3:00 p.m. debut. By the time the Hollywood star left the Valley, McAllen had sales of $90,000, Harlingen of $80,000 and Brownsville of 45,000.

Her appearance here at the junior college auditorium brought a crowd of 1,000 with school children getting an unofficial holiday to see the dancing star.

 While the adults of this city bought $25,000 worth of war bonds to see her—the children’s admission was a one dollar war stamp. 

Brownsville contributed another $10,000 during an auction of some of her personal items and autographed photographs.

When Ginger first arrived in Brownsville, she was greeted by a reception committee which included: Robin Pate, Mike Gilbert, Rufus Ransome, O.M. Longnecker Jr., and Ben Brite.

The bond rally began at 3:00 p.m. with Ben Brite, master of ceremonies, introducing the preliminary program to the star’s appearance that included performances by local talent.

Rogers takes the stage at 4:00 p.m.

The Hollywood star was welcomed with a thunderous roar from the crowd. The movie star was not scheduled to perform but rather to speak about supporting our troops by buying war bonds.

From the time she walked on stage until she left—she captivated the crowd with her enthusiasm and wisecracks. 

Wearing a glamorous green and white silk dress, white bag, gloves and shoes, Miss Rogers took the stage at 4:00 p.m. and talked for ten minutes.

After her brief presentation, she read a letter from an Australia soldier to his mother, which brought an immediate sound of silence throughout the auditorium.

A 15 year old Brownsville High School boy, who was in the audience on that memorable day, was Lee Dale Jones, who today we know as Dr. Jones. When Dr. Jones was recently asked what surprised him the most about Ms. Rogers, he said, “I had seen Ginger Rogers on the movie screen and to my surprise, when I saw her in person, she had a freckled face.”

Before she departed to her next appearance, Harlingen, an auction of her personal items was conducted that raised the level of excitement among those that had the extra bucks.

Mrs. Beth Schreiber paid $1,025 for the star’s compact and Hubert Hudson $1,000 for a bouquet she was wearing. 

Autograph pictures of herself went for $1,000 to Mrs. J.C. Bennett and Miss Mary Jo Eckstein. Mrs. Dean Porter paid $800 for a picture. Robin Pate Jr. and Miss Elizabeth Brown paid $500 each and Mrs. Thelma A. English got one for $400. Seventeen others bought autographed bonds of smaller denominations.

The crowd went into a “spasm of delight” when Ms Rogers lifted seven year old Lowell S. Laake over the floodlight on to the sage, and gave him her corsage on his bid of $800. 

But the item that brought the biggest admiration of affection was a green snood she was wearing over her blonde curls. There were many in the audience who were willing to buy it, and repeatedly urged her to sell it, but the star refused to part with it.

With Ginger Rogers’s appearance, Cameron Country’s goal $199,800 sale of war bonds for September was reached and surpassed. 

Ms. Rogers left the Valley by train and made several more appearances in Texas, before moving on to the west coast.

Image: 1942 Brownsville Herald ad of Ginger Rogers