Match point: Decades of "it" couples

He may have been able to dance on walls and ceilings, but Fred Astaire is remembered best for dancing with Ginger Rogers. "He gives her class, and she gives him sex appeal," quipped Katharine Hepburn. Hollywood's famous dancing duo never scored an Oscar nomination for their film work, but together Fred and Ginger became the enduring symbol for a grand life beyond the Great Depression. These six couples followed with their own unique two-steps.

JOHN AND YOKO, 1960S
In late 1966, having designated The Beatles "more popular than Jesus," John Lennon met his irreverent equal in Yoko Ono. Her first word to this member of the Fab Four? "Breathe." So he did. And for the next decade, the couple took aim at stiff white-collar America. Lennon's fame mingled perfectly with Ono's bold performance art to create photogenic anti-war messages. While other celebs frolicked in Puerto Vallarta, Lennon and Ono brought the press along on their honeymoon. But instead of offering up rock 'n' roll debauchery, they chanted "Give peace a chance" -- and the world climbed into bed with them.

SONNY AND CHER, 1970S
Known as the "Me Decade," the '70s saw hipsters swaying to the tune of Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe." When CBS gave the couple their own show, viewers couldn't get enough of Cher's glamorous Bob Mackie gowns and kitschy torch ballads. The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour was the perfect showcase for Cher's acerbic wit -- often directed at Sonny masquerading as the hapless husband. Their power play reflected the rumbles of the sexual revolution, but at home Sonny was king. After discovering that 95 percent of "Cher Enterprises" belonged to Sonny -- and the other five to their lawyer -- Cher left to find her own spotlight in Hollywood.

KEN AND BARBIE, 1980S
Before Bratz, there was Barbie. Launched in 1959 by Ruth Handler, the doll was based on Lili, a German cartoon character. A few years later, Barbie got her own boy toy: Ken. Together they embraced consumer culture with a shiny accessory for every occasion: sports cars, swimming pools, campers and an endless supply of fabulous designer labels. In 1985, Day-to-Night Barbie reflected a new generation of women climbing the corporate ladder: her power suit could be transformed into a chic cocktail dress when turned inside out. Meanwhile, Ken embodied the decade's sensitive New Man. Rather than relying solely on his physical prowess (like action figures of the past), Ken's manly power lay in his unfailing ability to look good on the arm of his perfectly proportioned plastic princess.

More "it" couples on the next page