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The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Theatrical Poster
Directed by	H. C. Potter
Produced by	George Haight
Written by	Story: Irene Castle Screenplay: O. Hammerstein II Dorothy Yost Richard Sherman
Starring	Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers Edna May Oliver Walter Brennan
Music by	Robert Russell Bennett
Cinematography	Robert de Grasse
Editing by	William Hamilton
Distributed by	RKO Pictures
Release date(s)	March 29, 1939 (USA)
Running time	93 minutes
Language	English
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is an American biographical musical comedy, released in 1939 and directed by by H.C. Potter.^[1]

The 1939 movie is based on the stories "My Husband" and "My Memories of Vernon Castle," by Irene Castle. The movie was adapted by Oscar Hammerstein II, Dorothy Yost and Richard Sherman.

Irene Castle acted as advisor to this film, and constantly disagreed with the director as to details of costuming and liberties taken with their lives. She scored one direct hit, however: when informed that white actor Walter Brennan was to play their faithful servant Walter, she was dumbfounded: the real Walter was Black.^[2]

The film stars Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver, and Walter Brennan.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Footnotes 4 External links

The film tells of novice dancer Irene Foote (Ginger Rogers) who convinces vaudeville comic Vernon Castle (Fred Astaire) to give up slapstick in favor of sophisticated ballroom dancing.

With the help of agent Maggie Sutton (Edna May Oliver), the Castles hit their peak of fame and fortune with their dancing in the immediate pre-World War I years.

When Vernon is called up to the military, Irene stays behind and makes patriotic movie serials to aid the war effort.

However, Vernon is killed in a training accident, leaving Irene to carry on alone in the business.

• Fred Astaire as Vernon Castle
• Ginger Rogers as Irene Castle nee Foote
• Edna May Oliver as Maggie Sutton
• Walter Brennan as Walter Ash
• Lew Fields as Lew Fields
• Etienne Girardot as Papa Aubel
• Janet Beecher as Mrs. Foote
• Rolfe Sedan as Emile Aubel
• Leonid Kinskey as Artist
• Robert Strange as Dr. Hubert Foote
• Douglas Walton as Student Pilot
• Clarence Derwent as Papa Louis
• Sonny Lamont as Charlie, Tap Dancer
• Frances Mercer as Claire Ford
• Victor Varconi as Grand Duke

• The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle at Rotten Tomatoes.
• The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle at the Reel Classics web site; contains spoilers.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Flying Down to Rio (1933) • The Gay Divorcee (1934) • Roberta (1935) • Top Hat (1935) • Follow the Fleet (1936) • Swing Time (1936) • Shall We Dance (1937) • Carefree (1938) • The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) • The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)