Fred Astaire Add to My Celebs Age 88 (passed away Jun. 22nd, 1987) Birthday May. 10th, 1899 Born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA Height 5' 9"

Fred Astaire's Main TV Roles Show Character(s) American Masters Fred Astaire The Hollywood Palace Singer (3) Here's Hollywood Fred Astaire Michael Parkinson's Greatest Entertainers (UK) Fred Astaire

Main Movie Roles 2007 - Chacun son cinema ou Ce petit coup au coeur quand la lumiere s'eteint et que le film commence 1985 - That's Dancing! 1985 - Cocoon 1981 - Ghost Story 1974 - The Towering Inferno 1968 - Finian's Rainbow 1959 - On the Beach 1957 - Silk Stockings 1957 - Funny Face 1955 - Daddy Long Legs 1953 - The Band Wagon 1952 - The Belle of New York 1951 - Royal Wedding 1950 - Three Little Words 1949 - The Barkleys of Broadway 1948 - Easter Parade 1945 - Yolanda and the Thief 1943 - The Sky's the Limit 1942 - Holiday Inn 1942 - You Were Never Lovelier 1941 - You'll Never Get Rich 1940 - Broadway Melody of 1940 1940 - Second Chorus 1939 - The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle 1938 - Carefree 1937 - Shall We Dance 1936 - Follow the Fleet 1936 - Swing Time 1935 - Roberta 1935 - Top Hat 1934 - The Gay Divorcee 1933 - Flying Down to Rio 1933 - Dancing Lady

NOTE: Complete List of Works can be found at IMDB


BIOGRAPHY:

The son of an Austrian immigrant, Fred Astaire entered show business at age 5. He was successful both in vaudeville and on Broadway in partnership with his sister, Adele Astaire. After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. Signed to RKO, he was loaned to MGM to appear in Dancing Lady (1933) before starting work on RKO's Flying Down to Rio (1933). In the latter film, he began his highly successful partnership with Ginger Rogers, with whom he danced in 9 RKO pictures. During these years, he was also active in recording and radio. On film, Astaire later appeared opposite a number of partners through various studios. After a temporary retirement in 1945-7, during which he opened Fred Astaire Dance Studios, Astaire returned to film to star in more musicals through 1957. He subsequently performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV.


TRIVIA:

• While all music and songs were known to be dubbed (recorded before filming), his tap dancing was dubbed also. He "over-dubbed" his taps - recording them live as he danced to the previously recorded taps.
• After _Blue Skies (1946)_ (qv), New York's Paramount Theater generated a petition of 10,000 names to persuade him to come out of retirement.
• Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 36-38. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.
• In the year 2000 the following album was released as a tribute to him: "Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire". All songs were performed by 'Stacey Kent' (qv).
• He and 'Ginger Rogers' (qv) acted in 10 movies together: _The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)_ (qv), _Carefree (1938)_ (qv), _Flying Down to Rio (1933)_ (qv), _Follow the Fleet (1936)_ (qv), _The Gay Divorcee (1934)_ (qv), _Roberta (1935)_ (qv), _Shall We Dance (1937)_ (qv), _The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)_ (qv), _Swing Time (1936)_ (qv) and _Top Hat (1935)_ (qv)
• Although he spend most of his childhood touring on the vaudeville circuit, he would occasionally settle down with his family and their neighbors and friends, who were almost all families of Austrian immigrants.
• Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in 'Madonna' (qv)'s song "Vogue"
• 'Don McLean (I)' (qv)'s song "Wonderful Baby" was written with Astaire in mind; Astaire reportedly loved the song, and recorded it for an album.

Fred Astaire Photos

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