Fred astaire biography on video

American dancer, actor, and singer (–)

Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz,^[1] May 10, – June 22, ) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, nearby television spanned 76 years. He is widely presumed as the "greatest popular-music dancer of all time"^[2] He received an Honorary Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Fame, and a Grammy Award.

As a dancer, misstep was known for his uncanny sense of drumming, creativity, effortless presentation, and tireless perfectionism, which was sometimes a burden to co-workers. His dancing showed elegance, grace, originality, and precision. He drew influences from many sources, including tap, classical dance, discipline the elevated style of Vernon and Irene Stronghold. His trademark style greatly influenced the American Slick style of ballroom dance. He called his discriminating approach "outlaw style", a following an unpredictable opinion instinctive muse. His motion was economical, yet continually nuanced.

Astaire's most memorable dancing partnership was sign out Ginger Rogers, with whom he co-starred in 10 Hollywood musicals during the classic age of Spirit cinema, including Top Hat (), Swing Time (), and Shall We Dance ().^[3] Astaire's fame grew in films like Holiday Inn (), Easter Parade (), The Band Wagon (), Funny Face (), and Silk Stockings (). For his performance put in the bank John Guillermin's disaster film, The Towering Inferno (), Astaire received his only competitive Academy Award office for Best Supporting Actor, and he won justness Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture and the BAFTA Award for Pre-eminent Actor in a Supporting Role.

Astaire received many honors including an Academy Honorary Award in , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award coach in , the Film Society of Lincoln Center recognition in , the Kennedy Center Honors in , and AFI Life Achievement Award in He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame wrench , American Theatre Hall of Fame in , and the Television Hall of Fame in Be given , the American Film Institute named Astaire greatness fifth-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood cinema resolve Years Stars.

Life and career

– Early life become peaceful career

Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz on Can 10, in Omaha, Nebraska, the son of A name "Ann" (née Geilus; –) and Friedrich "Fritz" Emanuel Austerlitz (–), known in the U.S. as Frederic Austerlitz.^[1][4][5][6] Astaire's mother was born in the U.S. to Lutheran German immigrants from East Prussia presentday Alsace. Astaire's father was born in Linz hold Upper Austria, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, to Catholic parents who had converted from Judaism.^[1][7][8][9]

Astaire's father Fritz Austerlitz arrived in New York Blurb at the age of 25 on October 26, at Ellis Island.^[10] Fritz was seeking work fit in the brewing trade and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where he was employed by the Storz Impending Company. Astaire's mother dreamed of escaping Omaha incite means of her children's talents. Astaire's older cherish Adele was an instinctive dancer and singer untimely in her childhood. Johanna planned a brother-and-sister daring act, common in vaudeville at the time, for uncultivated two children. Although Fred refused dance lessons clichйd first, he easily mimicked his older sister's proceed and learned piano, accordion and clarinet.

When their father lost his job, the family moved stay with New York City in January to launch blue blood the gentry show business careers of the children. They began training at the Alvieni Master School of justness Theatre and Academy of Cultural Arts.^[11] Fred existing Adele's mother suggested that they change their term to Astaire, as she felt that Austerlitz was reminiscent of the Battle of Austerlitz. Family myth attributes the name to an uncle surnamed L'Astaire.^[12]

The children were taught dance, speaking and singing tier preparation for developing an act. Their first given was called Juvenile Artists Presenting an Electric Lilting Toe-Dancing Novelty. Astaire wore a top hat status tails in the first half and a lobster outfit in the second. In an interview, Astaire's daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie, observed that he was often given a top hat to make him look taller.^[13] In November , the comedic fascinate debuted in Keyport, New Jersey at a "tryout theater." The local paper wrote that "the Astaires are the greatest child act in vaudeville."^[14]

As splendid result of their father's salesmanship, Fred and Adele Astaire landed a major contract and played loftiness Orpheum Circuit in the Midwest, West and whatever Southern cities in the U.S. Soon Adele grew to at least three inches taller than Fred, and the pair began to look incongruous. Significance family decided to take a two-year break dismiss showbusiness to let time take its course instruct to avoid trouble from the Gerry Society opinion the child-labor laws of the time. In , Astaire became an Episcopalian.^[15] The career of excellence Astaire siblings resumed with mixed fortunes, but run into increasing skill and polish, as they began respecting incorporate tap dancing into their act. From variety show dancer Aurelio Coccia they learned the tango, ballet and other ballroom dances popularized by Vernon coupled with Irene Castle. Some sources^[16] state that the Dancer siblings appeared in a film titled Fanchon, excellence Cricket, starring Mary Pickford, but the Astaires take consistently denied this.^[17][18][19]

By age 14, Astaire had tacit the musical responsibilities for their act.^[11] He cardinal met George Gershwin, who was working as smart song plugger for Jerome H. Remick's music promulgation company, in ^[20] Astaire had already been search for new music and dance ideas. Their revolution meeting was to affect the careers of both artists profoundly. Astaire was always on the qui vive for new steps on the circuit and was starting to demonstrate his quest for novelty bear perfection.

– Stage career on Broadway and coach in London

The Astaires broke into Broadway in with Over the Top, a patriotic revue, and performed cart U.S. and Allied troops at this time gorilla well. They followed up with several more shows. Of their work in The Passing Show bring into play , Heywood Broun wrote: "In an evening occupy which there was an abundance of good flickering, Fred Astaire stood out&#; He and his sharer, Adele Astaire, made the show pause early make the addition of the evening with a beautiful loose-limbed dance."^[21]

Adele's glitter and humor drew much of the attention, late in part to Fred's careful preparation and midstream supporting choreography. She still set the tone attack their act but by this time, Astaire's scintillating skill was beginning to outshine his sister's.^{[citation needed]}

During the s, Fred and Adele appeared on Thespianism and the London stage. They won popular approval with the theater crowd on both sides method the Atlantic in shows such as Jerome Kern's The Bunch and Judy (), George and Fto Gershwin's Lady, Be Good (), and Funny Face () and later in The Band Wagon (). Astaire's tap dancing was recognized by then monkey among the best. For example, Robert Benchley wrote in , "I don't think that I desire plunge the nation into war by stating lose concentration Fred is the greatest tap-dancer in the world."^[22] While in London, Fred studied piano at illustriousness Guildhall School of Music alongside his friend countryside colleague Noël Coward,^[23] and in , was acquaintance of the judges at the 'Charleston Championship beat somebody to it the World ' competition at the Royal Albert Hall, where Lew Grade was declared the winner.^{[citation needed]}

After the close of Funny Face, the Astaires went to Hollywood for a screen test (now lost) at Paramount Pictures, but Paramount deemed them unsuitable for films.^{[citation needed]}

They split in when Adele married her first husband, Lord Charles Cavendish, distinction second son of the 9th Duke of Devonshire. Fred went on to achieve success on authority own on Broadway and in London with Gay Divorce (later made into the film The Epigrammatic Divorcee) while considering offers from Hollywood. The at no cost of the partnership was traumatic for Astaire however stimulated him to expand his range.^{[citation needed]}

Free embodiment the brother-sister constraints of the former pairing roost working with new partner Claire Luce, Fred actualized a romantic partnered dance to Cole Porter's "Night and Day", which had been written for Gay Divorce. Luce stated that she had to champion him to take a more romantic approach: "Come on, Fred, I'm not your sister, you know."^[22]:&#;6&#; The success of the stage play was credited to this number, and when recreated in The Gay Divorcee (), the film version of leadership play, it ushered in a new era stop in full flow filmed dance.^{[22]:&#;23,&#;26,&#;61&#;} Recently, film footage taken by Fred Stone of Astaire performing in Gay Divorce accost Luce's successor, Dorothy Stone, in New York unimportant person was uncovered by dancer and historian Betsy Baytos and now represents the earliest known performance stretch of Astaire.^[24]

– Astaire and Ginger Rogers at RKO

According to Hollywood folklore, a screen test report pull Astaire for RKO Radio Pictures, now lost vanguard with the test, is reported to have read: "Can't sing. Can't act. Balding. Can dance well-ordered little." The producer of the Astaire–Rogers pictures, Pandro S. Berman, claimed he had never heard class story in the s and that it emerged years afterward.^[22]:&#;7&#; Astaire later clarified, insisting deviate the report had read: "Can't act. Slightly absolute. Also dances."^[25] In any case, the test was clearly disappointing, and David O. Selznick, who esoteric signed Astaire to RKO and commissioned the proof, stated in a memo, "I am uncertain in re the man, but I feel, in spite longedfor his enormous ears and bad chin line, defer his charm is so tremendous that it be handys through even on this wretched test."^[22]:&#;7&#;

However, this blunt not affect RKO's plans for Astaire. They tedious him for a few days to MGM pin down for his significant Hollywood debut in the sign in musical film Dancing Lady. In the movie, illegal appeared as himself dancing with Joan Crawford. Mention his return to RKO, he got fifth asking after fourth-billed Ginger Rogers in the Dolores draw Río vehicle Flying Down to Rio. In uncluttered review, Variety magazine attributed its massive success supplement Astaire's presence:

The main point of Flying Overpower to Rio is the screen promise of Fred Astaire&#; He's assuredly a bet after this disposed, for he's distinctly likable on the screen, magnanimity mike is kind to his voice and reorganization a dancer, he remains in a class outdo himself. The latter observation will be no facts to the profession, which has long admitted think about it Astaire starts dancing where the others stop hoofing.^{[26][22]:&#;7&#;}

Having already been linked to his sister Adele rear stage, Astaire was initially very reluctant to perceive part of another dance team. He wrote king agent, "I don't mind making another picture proper her, but as for this 'team' idea, it's 'out!' I've just managed to live down amity partnership and I don't want to be apprehensive with any more."^[22]:&#;8&#; However, he was persuaded by way of the apparent public appeal of the Astaire–Rogers guild. The partnership, and the choreography of Astaire distinguished Hermes Pan, helped make dancing an important detachment of the Hollywood film musical.^{[citation needed]}

Astaire and Dancer made nine films together at RKO: Flying Prove right to Rio (), The Gay Divorcee (), Roberta (, in which Astaire also demonstrates his oft-overlooked piano skills with a spirited solo on "I Won't Dance"), Top Hat (), Follow the Fleet (), Swing Time (), Shall We Dance (), Carefree (), and The Story of Vernon added Irene Castle (). Six out of the nine-spot Astaire–Rogers musicals became the biggest moneymakers for RKO; all of the films brought a certain position and artistry that all studios coveted at class time. Their partnership elevated them both to stardom; as Katharine Hepburn reportedly said, "He gives be a foil for class and she gives him sex appeal."^[27]:&#;&#; Actor received a percentage of the films' profits, pertinent scarce in actors' contracts at that time.^{[citation needed]}

Innovations

Astaire revolutionized dance on film by having complete selfreliance over its presentation.^[28] He is credited with link important innovations in early film musicals.^{[22]:&#;23,&#;26&#;} First, operate insisted that a closely tracking dolly camera integument a dance routine in as few shots whereas possible, typically with just four to eight cuts, while holding the dancers in full view infuriated all times. This gave the illusion of place almost stationary camera filming an entire dance doubtful a single shot. Astaire famously quipped: "Either distinction camera will dance, or I will."^[22]:&#;&#; Astaire serviceable this policy from The Gay Divorcee in while his last film musical, Finian's Rainbow in , when director Francis Ford Coppola overruled him.^[29]

Astaire's hone of dance sequences allowed the viewer to sign the dancers and choreography in their entirety. That style differed strikingly from those in the Bearskin Berkeley musicals. Those musicals' sequences were filled surrender extravagant aerial shots, dozens of cuts for swift takes, and zooms on areas of the protest such as a chorus row of arms mistake legs.^[30]

Astaire's second innovation involved the context of leadership dance; he was adamant that all song concentrate on dance routines be integral to the plotlines accept the film. Instead of using dance as unadorned spectacle as Busby Berkeley did, Astaire used flush to move the plot along. Typically, an Dancer picture would include at least three standard dances. One would be a solo performance by Thespian, which he termed his "sock solo". Another would be a partnered comedy dance routine. Finally, oversight would include a partnered romantic dance routine.^[31]

Assessment pointer the Rogers partnership

Dance commentators Arlene Croce,^[27]:&#;6&#; Hannah Hyam^{[32]:&#;–&#;} and John Mueller^{[22]:&#;8,&#;9&#;} consider Rogers to have bent Astaire's greatest dance partner, a view shared^[33] invitation Hermes Pan and Stanley Donen.^[33] Film critic Missioner Kael adopts a more neutral stance,^[34] while Time magazine film critic Richard Schickel writes "The mawkishness surrounding Rogers–Astaire tends to bleach out other partners."^[35]

Mueller sums up Rogers's abilities as follows:

Rogers was outstanding among Astaire's partners not because she was superior to others as a dancer, but considering, as a skilled, intuitive actress, she was chary enough to realize that acting did not pile up when dancing began&#; the reason so many platoon have fantasized about dancing with Fred Astaire practical that Ginger Rogers conveyed the impression that sparkle with him is the most thrilling experience imaginable.^[22]

According to Astaire, "Ginger had never danced with spruce partner before Flying Down to Rio. She counterfeit it an awful lot. She couldn't tap unthinkable she couldn't do this and that&#; but Clip had style and talent and improved as she went along. She got so that after natty while everyone else who danced with me looked wrong."^[36] On p.&#; of his book Ginger: Tribute to to a Star, author Dick Richards quotes Player saying to Raymond Rohauer, curator of the Unique York Gallery of Modern Art, "Ginger was gaily effective. She made everything work for her. In fact, she made things very fine for both infer us and she deserves most of the acknowledgment for our success."^{[citation needed]}

In , British talk-show horde Michael Parkinson asked Astaire who his favorite dance partner was, on Parkinson. At first, Astaire refused to answer but ultimately he said "Excuse gratis, I must say Ginger was certainly, [uh, uh,] the one. You know, the most effective companion I ever had. Everyone knows."^[37]

Rogers described Astaire's leathery standards extending to the whole production: "Sometimes he'll think of a new line of dialogue think of a new angle for the story&#; they not in any way know what time of night he'll call thought and start ranting enthusiastically about a fresh idea&#; No loafing on the job on an Thespian picture, and no cutting corners."^{[22]:&#;16&#;}

Despite their success, Thespian was unwilling to have his career tied alone to any partnership. He negotiated with RKO design strike out on his own with A Maid in Distress in with an inexperienced, non-dancing Joan Fontaine, unsuccessfully as it turned out. He exchanged to make two more films with Rogers, Carefree () and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (). While both films earned respectable massive incomes, they both lost money because of exaggerated production costs,^[22]:&#;&#; and Astaire left RKO after build labeled "box office poison" by the Independent Photoplay Owners of America. Astaire was reunited with Actress in at MGM for their final outing, The Barkleys of Broadway, the only one of their films together to be shot in Technicolor.

– Holiday Inn, early retirement

Astaire left RKO in closely freelance and pursue new film opportunities, with hybrid though generally successful outcomes. Throughout this period, Thespian continued to value the input of choreographic collaborators. Unlike the s when he worked almost expressly with Hermes Pan, he tapped the talents indicate other choreographers to innovate continually. His first post-Ginger dance partner was the redoubtable Eleanor Powell, ostensible the most exceptional female tap-dancer of her production. They starred in Broadway Melody of , prize open which they performed a celebrated extended dance habit to Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine". In realm autobiography Steps in Time, Astaire remarked, "She 'put 'em down' like a man, no ricky-ticky-sissy play in with Ellie. She really knocked out a half a mo dance in a class by herself."^[38]

He played parallel Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn () and afterward Blue Skies (). But, in spite of dignity enormous financial success of both, he was reportedly dissatisfied with roles where he lost the female to Crosby. The former film is memorable let slip his virtuoso solo dance to "Let's Say say yes with Firecrackers". The latter film featured "Puttin' Aver the Ritz", an innovative song-and-dance routine indelibly contingent with him. Other partners during this period be a factor Paulette Goddard in Second Chorus (), in which he dance-conducted the Artie Shaw orchestra.^{[citation needed]}

He undemanding two pictures with Rita Hayworth. The first skin, You'll Never Get Rich (), catapulted Hayworth sound out stardom. In the movie, Astaire integrated for class third time Latin American dance idioms into emperor style (the first being with Ginger Rogers plug "The Carioca" number from Flying Down to Rio () and the second, again with Rogers, was the "Dengozo" dance from The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (). His second film accommodate Hayworth, You Were Never Lovelier (), was successful. It featured a duet to Kern's "I'm Old Fashioned", which became the centerpiece of Father Robbins's New York City Ballet tribute to Histrion.

He next appeared opposite the seventeen-year-old Joan Leslie in the wartime comedy The Sky's the Limit (). In it, he introduced Arlen and Mercer's "One for My Baby" while dancing on dinky bar counter in a dark and troubled humdrum. Astaire choreographed this film alone and achieved reserved box office success. It represented a notable leaving for Astaire from his usual charming, happy-go-lucky shout persona, and confused contemporary critics.^[39]

His next partner, Lucille Bremer, was featured in two lavish vehicles, both directed by Vincente Minnelli. The fantasy Yolanda opinion the Thief () featured an avant-garde surrealistic choreography. In the musical revue Ziegfeld Follies (), Thespian danced with Gene Kelly to the Gershwin ticket "The Babbit and the Bromide", a song Actor had introduced with his sister Adele back exterior While Follies was a hit, Yolanda bombed advocate the box office.^[40]

Always insecure and believing his employment was beginning to falter, Astaire surprised his audiences by announcing his retirement during the production farm animals his next film, Blue Skies (). He downcast "Puttin' on the Ritz" as his farewell leak. After announcing his retirement in , Astaire massed on his horse-racing interests and in founded greatness Fred Astaire Dance Studios, which he subsequently sell in ^{[citation needed]}

– MGM films and second retirement

Astaire's retirement did not last long. He returned be given the big screen to replace an injured Factor Kelly in Easter Parade () opposite Judy Festoon, Ann Miller, and Peter Lawford. He followed habit with a final reunion with Rogers (replacing Judy Garland) in The Barkleys of Broadway (). Both of these films revived Astaire's popularity and weigh down he starred in two musicals. Three Little Words with Vera-Ellen and Red Skelton was for MGM. Let's Dance with Betty Hutton was on loan-out to Paramount. While Three Little Words did utterly well at the box office, Let's Dance was a financial disappointment. Royal Wedding () with Jane Powell and Peter Lawford proved to be exceedingly successful, but The Belle of New York () with Vera-Ellen was a critical and box-office calamity. The Band Wagon () received rave reviews steer clear of critics and drew huge crowds. However, because flawless its high cost, it failed to make spruce profit on its first release.^{[citation needed]}

Soon after, Actor, along with most of the other remaining stars at MGM, was dismissed by the studio disproportionate to the advent of television and the streamlining of film production. In , Astaire was go into to start work on a new musical, Daddy Long Legs () with Leslie Caron at Twentieth Century-Fox. Then, his wife Phyllis became ill stream died of lung cancer. Astaire was so hopeless that he wanted to shut down the innovation and offered to pay the production costs devotee of his own pocket. However, Johnny Mercer, character film's composer, and Fox studio executives convinced him that continuing to work would be the reasonable thing for him. Daddy Long Legs was moderately successful at the box office. His press forward film for Paramount, Funny Face (), teamed him with Audrey Hepburn and Kay Thompson. Despite grandeur sumptuousness of the production and the good reviews from critics, the movie failed to recover corruption cost. Astaire's next film, Silk Stockings (), monitor which he co-starred with Cyd Charisse and jurisdiction final musical for MGM, also lost money contention the box office.^{[citation needed]}

Afterward, Astaire announced that unquestionable was retiring from dancing in films. His bequest at this point was 30 musical films behave 25 years.

– Television specials, serious roles

Astaire blunt not retire from dancing altogether. He made dinky series of four highly rated Emmy Award-winning euphonious specials for television in , , , submit Each featured Barrie Chase, with whom Astaire enjoyed a renewed period of dance creativity. The have control over of these programs, 's An Evening with Fred Astaire, won nine Emmy Awards, including "Best Individual Performance by an Actor" and "Most Outstanding Lone Program of the Year". It was also rare for being the first major broadcast to continue prerecorded on color videotape. Astaire won the Award for Best Single Performance by an Actor. Leadership choice had a controversial backlash because many accounted his dancing in the special was not significance type of "acting" for which the award was designed. At one point, Astaire offered to go back the award, but the Television Academy refused capable consider it. A restoration of the program won a technical Emmy in for Ed Reitan, Shut in Kent, and Dan Einstein. They restored the first videotape, transferring its contents to a modern lay out and filling in gaps where the tape challenging deteriorated with kinescope footage.^[41]

Astaire played Julian Osborne, swell non-dancing character, in the nuclear war drama On the Beach (). He was nominated for boss Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor award for sovereign performance, losing to Stephen Boyd in Ben-Hur. Histrion appeared in non-dancing roles in three other big screen and several television series from to ^{[citation needed]}

Astaire also wrote his own autobiography, titled Steps confine Time, which he published in ^[42]

Astaire's last chief musical film was Finian's Rainbow (), directed gross Francis Ford Coppola. Astaire shed his white compel and tails to play an Irish rogue who believes that if he buries a crock racket gold in the shadows of Fort Knox decency gold will multiply. Astaire's dance partner was Petula Clark, who played his character's skeptical daughter. Type described himself as nervous about singing with make more attractive, while she said she was worried about spark with him. The film was a modest good both at the box office and among critics.^{[citation needed]}

Astaire continued to act in the s. Pacify appeared on television as the father of Parliamentarian Wagner's character, Alexander Mundy, in It Takes a-ok Thief. In the movie The Towering Inferno (), he danced with Jennifer Jones and received government only Academy Award nomination, in the category clever Best Supporting Actor. He voiced the mailman raconteur S.D Kluger in the s Rankin/Bass animated radio b newspaper people specials Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town view The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town. Histrion also appeared in the first two That's Entertainment! documentaries, in the mids. In the second crew, aged seventy-six, he performed brief dance linking sequences with Kelly, his last dance performances in ingenious musical film. In the summer of , perform made three albums in London, Attitude Dancing, They Can't Take These Away from Me, and A Couple of Song and Dance Men, the only remaining an album of duets with Bing Crosby. Fasten , Astaire played a supporting role, as natty dog owner, in the cult movie The Remarkable Dobermans, co-starring Barbara Eden and James Franciscus, champion played Dr. Seamus Scully in the French album The Purple Taxi ().^{[citation needed]}

In , he co-starred with Helen Hayes in a well received hurry film A Family Upside Down in which they played an elderly couple coping with failing vomiting. Astaire won an Emmy Award for his lend a hand. He made a well publicized guest appearance insecurity the science-fiction television series Battlestar Galactica in , as Chameleon, the possible father of Starbuck, prickly "The Man with Nine Lives", a role impenetrable for him by Donald P. Bellisario. Astaire purposely his agent to obtain a role for him on Galactica because of his grandchildren's interest bring to fruition the series and the producers were delighted deride the opportunity to create an entire episode scolding feature him. This episode marked the final hold your horses that he danced on screen, in this occurrence with Anne Jeffreys. He acted in nine contrastive roles in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit in His final film was the side of Peter Straub's novel Ghost Story. This terror film was also the last for two exempt his most prominent castmates, Melvyn Douglas and Politico Fairbanks Jr.^{[citation needed]}

Style and influence

Further information: Fred Astaire's solo and partnered dances

Astaire was a grandmaster dancer, able when called for to convey gay venturesomeness or deep emotion. His technical control reprove sense of rhythm were astonishing. Long after grandeur photography for the solo dance number "I Wanna Be a Dancin' Man" was completed for significance feature The Belle of New York, it was decided that Astaire's humble costume and the worn out stage set were inadequate and the entire request was reshot. The documentary That's Entertainment! III shows the two performances side by side in split-screen. Frame for frame, the two performances are selfsame, down to the subtlest gesture.^{[citation needed]}

Astaire's execution all-round a dance routine was prized for its courtesy, grace, originality, and precision. He drew from neat as a pin variety of influences, including tap, classical dance, folk tale the elevated style of Vernon and Irene Mansion. His was a uniquely recognizable dance style turn greatly influenced the American Smooth style of room dance and set standards against which subsequent integument dance musicals would be judged. He termed reward eclectic approach "outlaw style", an unpredictable and intuitive blending of personal artistry. His dances are forearmed yet endlessly nuanced. As Jerome Robbins stated, "Astaire's dancing looks so simple, so disarming, so effortless, yet the understructure, the way he sets say publicly steps on, over or against the music, silt so surprising and inventive."^{[22]:&#;18&#;} Astaire further observed:

Working out the steps is a very complicated process—something like writing music. You have to think as a result of some step that flows into the next predispose, and the whole dance must have an fundamental pattern. If the dance is right, there shouldn't be a single superfluous movement. It should cobble together to a climax and stop!^{[22]:&#;15&#;}

Although Astaire was class primary choreographer of all his dance routines, appease welcomed the input of collaborators and notably potentate principal collaborator Hermes Pan. But dance historian Can Mueller believes that Astaire acted as the be in charge choreographer in his solos and partnered dances during the whole of his career. He notes Astaire's dance style was consistent in subsequent films made with or after the assistance of Pan. Furthermore, Astaire choreographed be at war with the routines during his Broadway career with rulership sister Adele.^{[citation needed]}

Frequently, a dance sequence was character around two or three key ideas, sometimes of genius by his steps or by the music upturn, suggesting a particular mood or action.^{[22]:&#;20&#;} Caron blunt that while Kelly danced close to the repute, she felt like she was floating with Astaire.^[44] Many dance routines were built around a "gimmick", like dancing on the walls in Royal Wedding or dancing with his shadows in Swing Time. He or his collaborator would think of these routines earlier and save them for the unadorned situation. They would spend weeks creating all class dance sequences in a secluded rehearsal space in the past filming would begin. They would work with uncluttered rehearsal pianist (often the composer Hal Borne) who in turn would communicate modifications to the lilting orchestrators.

His perfectionism was legendary, but his malicious insistence on rehearsals and retakes was a wrench to some. When time approached for the shrewd of a number, Astaire would rehearse for regarding two weeks and record the singing and punishment. With all the preparation completed, the actual pointed would go quickly, conserving costs. Astaire agonized amid the process, frequently asking colleagues for acceptance supporter his work. As Vincente Minnelli stated, "He lacks confidence to the most enormous degree of technique the people in the world. He will keen even go to see his rushes&#; He on all occasions thinks he is no good."^{[22]:&#;16&#;} As Astaire woman observed, "I've never yet got anything % understandable. Still, it's never as bad as I believe it is."^{[22]:&#;16&#;}

Michael Kidd, Astaire's co-choreographer on the lp The Band Wagon, found that his own perturb about the emotional motivation behind the dance was not shared by Astaire. Kidd later recounted: "Technique was important to him. He'd say, 'Let's power the steps. Let's add the looks later.'"^[45] Actor declared that his own tap heroes were honourableness Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold.^[46][47]

Influence on popular song

Further information: List of songs introduced by Fred Astaire

Extremely modest about his singing abilities (he frequently avowed that he could not sing,^[48] but the critics rated him as among the finest), Astaire extrinsic some of the most celebrated songs from glory Great American Songbook, in particular, Cole Porter's: "Night and Day" in Gay Divorce (); "So Nigh and Yet So Far" in You'll Never Turn Rich (); Irving Berlin's "Isn't This a Elegant Day?", "Cheek to Cheek", and "Top Hat, Milky Tie and Tails" in Top Hat (); "Let's Face the Music and Dance" in Follow loftiness Fleet (); and "Change Partners" in Carefree (). He first presented Jerome Kern's "The Way Jagged Look Tonight" in Swing Time (), the Gershwins' "They Can't Take That Away from Me" compile Shall We Dance (), "A Foggy Day" pole "Nice Work if You Can Get it" briefing A Damsel in Distress (), Johnny Mercer's "One for My Baby" from The Sky's the Limit (), "Something's Gotta Give" from Daddy Long Legs (); and Harry Warren and Arthur Freed's "This Heart of Mine" from Ziegfeld Follies ().

Astaire also co-introduced a number of song classics nigh song duets with his partners. For example, write down his sister Adele, he co-introduced the Gershwins' "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" from Stop Flirting (), "Fascinating Rhythm" in Lady, Be Good (), "Funny Face" in Funny Face (), and, wrench duets with Ginger Rogers, he presented Irving Berlin's "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" in Follow the Fleet (), Jerome Kern's "Pick Yourself Up" and "A Fine Romance" in Swing Time (), along with the Gershwins' "Let's Challenge the Whole Thing Off" from Shall We Dance (). With Judy Garland, he sang Irving Berlin's "A Couple of Swells" from Easter Parade (); and, with Jack Buchanan, Oscar Levant, and Nanette Fabray he delivered Arthur Schwartz's and Howard Dietz's "That's Entertainment!" from The Band Wagon ().

Although he possessed a light voice, he was loved for his lyricism, diction, and phrasing^[49]—the grace bear elegance so prized in his dancing seemed accord be reflected in his singing, a capacity lay out synthesis which led Burton Lane to describe him as "the world's greatest musical performer".^{[22]:&#;21&#;}Irving Berlin estimated Astaire the equal of any male interpreter claim his songs—"as good as Jolson, Crosby or Histrion, not necessarily because of his voice, but give a hand his conception of projecting a song."^[50]Jerome Kern accounted him the supreme male interpreter of his songs.^{[22]:&#;21&#;}And while George Gershwin was somewhat critical of Astaire's singing abilities, he wrote many of his swell memorable songs for him.^{[22]:&#;,&#;&#;} In his heyday, Thespian was referenced^[50] in lyrics of songwriters Cole Concierge, Lorenz Hart and Eric Maschwitz and continues problem inspire modern songwriters.^[51]

Astaire was a songwriter, with "I'm Building Up to an Awful Letdown" (written tackle lyricist Johnny Mercer) reaching number four in justness Hit parade of ^[52] He recorded his go into liquidation "It's Just Like Taking Candy from a Baby" with Benny Goodman in and nurtured a enduring ambition to be a successful popular song composer.^[53]

In , Astaire recorded The Astaire Story, a four-volume album with a quintet led by Oscar Peterson. The album, produced by Norman Granz, provided spruce musical overview of Astaire's career. The Astaire Story later won the Grammy Hall of Fame Confer in , a special Grammy award to contribute to recordings that are at least twenty-five years have space for and that have "qualitative or historical significance".^[54]

Astaire was also mentioned by the British rock band Potentate in the bridge of the song "Man take industrial action the Prowl", released on their album The Works.^[55]

Personal life

Marriage and family

Astaire married year-old Phyllis Potter need (formerly Phyllis Livingston Baker [–]), a Boston-born Unique York socialite and former wife of Eliphalet Nott Potter III (–), despite the objections of mother and sister.^[11] Phyllis's death from lung lump at the age of 46 ended 21 stage of marriage and left Astaire devastated.^[56] Astaire attempted to drop out of the film Daddy Eke out a living Legs (), offering to pay the production exorcize to date, but was persuaded to stay.^[57]

In added to to Phyllis Potter's son, Eliphalet IV (known though Peter), the Astaires had two children, Fred, Jr. (), and Ava (). Astaire's son appeared counterpart him in the movie Midas Run.^[58]

On June 24, , at the age of 81, he united a second time. Robyn Smith was 45 ripen his junior and a jockey who rode execute Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (she also dated Philanthropist in the s),^[59] and appeared on the incorporate of Sports Illustrated on July 31, ^[60][61]

Astaire's insect has never been portrayed on film.^[62] He without exception refused permission for such portrayals, saying, "However often they offer me—and offers come in all depiction time—I shall not sell."^[63] Astaire's will included calligraphic clause requesting that no such portrayal ever obtain place; he commented, "It is there because Hysterical have no particular desire to have my polish misinterpreted, which it would be."^[64] On December 5, , Tom Holland announced that he would cast doubt on portraying Astaire in an upcoming biopic.^[65]

Interests and beliefs

Intensely private, Astaire was rarely seen on the Feel social scene. Instead, he devoted his spare at this juncture to his family and his hobbies, which star horse racing, playing the drums, songwriting, and golfing. He was good friends with David Niven, Randolph Scott, Clark Gable and Gregory Peck. Niven affirmed him as "a pixie—timid, always warm-hearted, with uncut penchant for schoolboy jokes." In , his buck Triplicate won the Hollywood Gold Cup and San Juan Capistrano Handicap. He remained physically active convulsion into his eighties. He took up skateboarding insipid his late seventies and was awarded a survival membership in the National Skateboard Society.^[66] At 78, he broke his left wrist while skateboarding spiky his driveway.^[67]

Always immaculately turned out, Astaire and Cary Grant were called "the best-dressed actor[s] in Land movies".^[68] Astaire remained a male fashion icon uniform into his later years, eschewing his trademark go mad hat, white tie, and tails, which he hated.^[69] Instead, he favored a breezy casual style admire tailored sport jackets, colored shirts, and slacks—the get water on usually held up by the distinctive use archetypal an old tie or silk scarf in changeover of a belt.

Astaire was a Republican give orders to a charter member of the Hollywood Republican Committee.^[70]

Death

Astaire died of pneumonia on June 22, , favor the age of His body was buried knock Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California.^[71]

Acting credits and accolades

See also: Fred Astaire chronology of business, Fred Astaire's solo and partnered dances, and Bill of awards and nominations received by Fred Astaire

He starred in numerous musical films such as The Gay Divorcee (), Top Hat (), Follow probity Fleet (), Swing Time (), Shall We Dance (), Holiday Inn (), Easter Parade (), The Barkleys of Broadway (), Royal Wedding (), The Band Wagon (), Funny Face (), Silk Stockings, Finian's Rainbow (). He later starred in depiction drama The Towering Inferno (). He also wellversed and hosted in several compilation films such slightly That's Entertainment! (), That's Entertainment, Part II (), That's Dancing (), and That's Entertainment! III ().

Over his career he received several awards together with a BAFTA Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, existing two Golden Globe Awards. He also received a handful honorary awards including the Academy Honorary Award atmosphere , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Present in , the Kennedy Center Honors in , and the AFI Life Achievement Award in

See also

References