Fred Astaire was a talented dancer and performer, known for his work with Ginger Rogers in the 1930s. He had a vast body of work in film and television, was a perfectionist, and had a strong sense of staging and timing. Astaire’s partnership with Rogers captivated audiences during the Depression years, and he continued to dance in movies until 1970. He also opened a chain of dance studios and had two wives and two children. Astaire is remembered as a gentle family man and a vital force in American musicals.
Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was a dancer and performer, best remembered for his musical performances with Ginger Rogers in the 1930s. However, he was in a staggering amount of films and plays, contributing a huge body of work to the history of cinema. Astaire was an outstanding dancer and choreographer, as well as a perfectionist, constantly striving for the best dance moves and films with a focus on beautiful, eye-catching performances. He also appeared in numerous television specials in his later years and was honored by the Academy in 1950 for his significant contributions to Hollywood history.
Fred Astaire was the son of Austrian immigrants in New York City, and spent his childhood going to ballet school with his older sister Adele, who was also a talented dancer. The two performed at various stages of childhood, adopting the name Astaire during World War I and making it a household word along the East Coast. The Astaires danced together in numerous Broadway productions until 1932, when Adele retired.
His strong grounding in Broadway productions gave Fred Astaire an excellent sense of staging, timing and dance moves, which translated well into film when he hit Hollywood in 1932. Astaire felt he was being left out from romantic roles on Broadway due to his frequent performances with his sister, and was interested in expanding his career. He is signed to Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) Pictures. In 1933, he was cast with Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio, the first film in a partnership that would total ten popular and high-grossing musical films.
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers had a magic that worked well on screen and the two captivated American audiences during the Depression years of the 1930s. Astaire’s Tap and Ballroom shows with Rogers represented hours of painstaking work as he developed routines to showcase their skills and was very demanding on set, often requiring multiple takes of a scene until he was satisfied. By 1939, the couple felt the market for their films was exhausted and they separated.
Fred Astaire continued to dance in movies until 1970, when he felt he was no longer physically capable of performing difficult dance moves. He also played a number of straight roles, including Biddeford Poole in The Pleasure of His Company (1961). In addition, he opened a chain of dance studios in the United States, many of which still exist today teaching him his dance techniques.
During his lifetime, Fred Astaire had two wives. He was married to Phyllis Potter from 1933 until 1955, when she died of cancer, and to well-known ex-jockey Robyn Smith from 1980 until his death. Astaire had two children with Phyllis, Fred Junior and Ava. He is remembered as a gentle family man, who adored his children and hated his signature top hat and tail, much preferring casual attire. Fred Astaire was a vital force in American musicals and his influence continues to be felt today in the field of musical choreography.
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