Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire

b. 1899 — d. 1987 (aged 88) Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Actor

Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz Austerlitz, a brewer. Fred 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. Date of Death 22 June 1987, Los Angeles, California (pneumonia)

Known For

The Gay Divorcee

The Gay Divorcee

Top Hat

Funny Face

The Towering Inferno

The Towering Inferno

Filmography

72nd Annual Academy Awards Pre-Show

72nd Annual Academy Awards Pre-Show

2000 Self Actor

Le cinéma dans les yeux

George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey

George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey

The 1982 Annual Vision Awards

Ghost Story

Ricky Hawthorne

Fred Astaire: Puttin' on His Top Hat

Fred Astaire: Puttin' on His Top Hat

1980 Self Actor

Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance

Fred Astaire: Change Partners and Dance

1980 Self Actor

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit

The Magic of Dance

The Magic of Dance

The 36th Annual Golden Globes Awards

The 50th Annual Academy Awards

A Family Upside Down

A Family Upside Down

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts

The 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

Bing Crosby: His Life and Legend

Bing Crosby: His Life and Legend

The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town

The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town

S.D. Kluger (narrator)

The Purple Taxi

The Purple Taxi

Dr. Seamus Scully

That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

The Amazing Dobermans

The Amazing Dobermans

Friars Club Tribute to Gene Kelly

47th Annual Academy Awards

The Lion Roars Again

The Lion Roars Again

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire: A Couple of Song and Dance Men

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire: A Couple of Song and Dance Men

1975 Self Actor

At Long Last Cole

1975 Self Actor

Merry Christmas, Fred, from the Crosbys

The 32nd Annual Golden Globe Awards

The 29th Annual Tony Awards

The Towering Inferno

The Towering Inferno

Harlee Claiborne

That's Entertainment!

That's Entertainment!

Just One More Time

Just One More Time

Fred Astaire Salutes the Fox Musicals

1974 Self Actor

The 1974 Annual Entertainment Hall of Fame Awards

Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra

Magnavox Presents Frank Sinatra

The Film Society Of Lincoln Center Annual Gala Tribute to Fred Astaire

Imagine

'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin

'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin

1972 Self Actor

Make Mine Red, White and Blue

1972 Self Actor

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

Narrator - S.D. Kluger

The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again

The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again

The Baltimore Kid

The 42nd Annual Academy Awards

The 42nd Annual Academy Awards

1970 Self Actor

Midas Run

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

Hollywood: The Selznick Years

Actor 'Dancing Lady'

Finian's Rainbow

Finian's Rainbow

Finian McLonergan

It Takes a Thief

It Takes a Thief

The Fred Astaire Show

The Fred Astaire Show

The World Premiere of 'Finian's Rainbow'

The 39th Annual Academy Awards

The 39th Annual Academy Awards

The 24th Annual Golden Globe Awards

The 37th Annual Academy Awards

The 37th Annual Academy Awards

Hollywood: The Great Stars

Hollywood: The Great Stars

The Notorious Landlady

The Notorious Landlady

Franklyn Ambruster

The 34th Annual Academy Awards

The 34th Annual Academy Awards

The 14th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

The Pleasure of His Company

The Pleasure of His Company

Biddeford 'Pogo' Poole

Alcoa Premiere

The 18th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Here's Hollywood

Here's Hollywood

Astaire Time

The 12th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

The 17th Golden Globe Awards

On the Beach

Premier Khrushchev in the USA

Premier Khrushchev in the USA

1959 Self Actor

Another Evening with Fred Astaire

Another Evening with Fred Astaire

The 11th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

The 30th Annual Academy Awards

The 30th Annual Academy Awards

An Evening with Fred Astaire

An Evening with Fred Astaire

Funny Face

Silk Stockings

The Oscar Levant Show

The Oscar Levant Show

1956 Self Actor

Daddy Long Legs

Daddy Long Legs

Jervis Pendleton III

The Band Wagon

The Belle of New York

The Belle of New York

Royal Wedding

The 23rd Annual Academy Awards

Three Little Words

Three Little Words

Let's Dance

The Barkleys of Broadway

The Barkleys of Broadway

Easter Parade

Blue Skies

Ziegfeld Follies

Ziegfeld Follies

Yolanda and the Thief

Yolanda and the Thief

Johnny Parkson Riggs

The Sky's the Limit

The Sky's the Limit

Fred Atwell aka Fred Burton

Holiday Inn

You Were Never Lovelier

You Were Never Lovelier

Screen Snapshots, Series 22, No. 10

You'll Never Get Rich

You'll Never Get Rich

Broadway Melody of 1940

Broadway Melody of 1940

Second Chorus

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle

Carefree

Shall We Dance

Peter P. Peters aka Petrov

A Damsel in Distress

A Damsel in Distress

Swing Time

Follow the Fleet

Follow the Fleet

Top Hat

Roberta

The Gay Divorcee

The Gay Divorcee

Flying Down to Rio

Flying Down to Rio

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