Fred Astaire

2007-08-11T01:09:00.002+01:00

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to one of my all time favorite persons in show business,
Fred Astaire.
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Profile

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Birth name: Frederick E. Austerlitz
Born: May 10, 1899 (Taurus)
Birthplace: Omaha / Nebraska, United States
Died: June 22, 1987, Los Angeles / California, United States
Occupation(s): Actor, Singer, Dancer, Composer, Lyricist, Pianist, Drummer, Choreographer, Horse breeder
Years active: 1933 - 1981

Married: twice, first wife, Phyllis Livingston Potter, 1933 until her death in 1954 (died of cancer - aged 46)
Second wife: Robyn Smith, 1980 until his death in 1987
Children: two, Fred Jr., born in 1936 and Ava, born in 1942, and a stepson, Peter

Honors / Awards:
[ under construction ]

Notable hits:
[ under construction ]

Biography

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Fred Astaire

b: May 10, 1899, Omaha, NB, USA.
d: June 22, 1987, Los Angeles, CA, USA. (pneumonia)
nee: Frederick E. Austerlitz, Jr.

It is indeed curious, that an actor as famous as Fred Astaire, was completely unknown as a composer and lyricist. He was also unknown as a pianist and drummer. This son of an Austrian immigrant was already performing on vaudeville stages when he was just age 5. Both Fred and his sister, Adele, formed a successful team working first on the vaudeville circuits, and then in Broadway and London stage musicals. In 1932, sister Adele retired to marry, and Astaire went to Hollywood. He first signed to RKO Pictures, but was loaned to MGM to appear in the Joan Crawford film Dancing Lady. But, it was in his next film, RKO's Flying Down to Rio, that starring the voluptuous Lupe Velez, and her co-star Gene Raymond, that would launch Fred and a young starlet, Ginger Rogers, into film stardom. Fred and Ginger would go on to dance together in 9 RKO pictures, setting a level of dancing elegance and excellence perhaps never again achieved on the 'Silver Screen'. During these years he was also active in recording and radio. After Ginger, Fred later appeared opposite a number of different partners, in different studios, including Cyd Charisse, Rita Hayworth, and Leslie Caron. During 1945-'47, Fred was in temporary film retirement, during which he opened a chain of Astaire Dancing Schools. He did return to film making and starred in still more musicals through 1957. When he considered his age, he afterwards accepted only dramatic roles in film and TV.

Fred was twice married, first to Phyllis Livingston Potter on 12 July 1933. The marriage lasted till she died on 13 September 1954. The couple had 2 children, son Fred Jr. (born 1936), daughter Ava (born 1942). He next married Robyn Smith on 27 June 1980, and that marriage lasted till Fred's demise on 22 June 1987. Fred once told an interviewer "The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any (on screen)." Fred was buried in the same cemetary as his most famous dancing partner, Ginger Rogers.

A chronological listing of the songs that Fred wrote the Music or the Lyric includes:

"She's Got the War Bride Blues", 1919, with Roy Atwell.
"You've Such a Lot", 1923. lyric: Austin Melford, sung in London, UK, musical The Co-Optimists
"Shake Your Feet", 1927. lyric: Jock Whitney and Jim Altemus, for the musical revue Tappin' The Time
"Not My Girl", 1929. with Van Phillips. lyric: Desmond Carter, orig. recorded by Al Starita and his Boy Friends.
"More and More", 1930. with Richard Myers, lyric: Johnny Mercer.
"Blue Without You", 1931. co-composed with Jim Altemus, lyric: Mitchell Parish.
"I'll Never Let You Go", 1936. lyric: Dave Dreyer, and Jack Ellis
"I'm Building Up To An Awful Let-Down", 1936. lyric: Johnny Mercer. Tune managed to reach #4 on US charts.
"Just One More Dance, Madame", lyric: Dave Dreyer and Paul Francis Webster, 1936
"Tappin' The Time", 1936. lyric: Gladys Shelley
"Rise and Shine", 1936. lyric: Gladys Shelley
"Sweet Sorrow", 1940. lyric: Gladys Shelley; Later (1956) recorded by Buddy Bregman Orch.
"Just Like Taking Candy From A Baby", 1940. lyric: Gladys Shelley. Rec'd: 1940 Benny Goodman Orch.,
and 1956 Buddy Bregman Orch.
"If Swing Goes, I Go To", 1944. lyric: Fred Astaire. Fred rec'd the tune with Albert Sack Orch. in 1944.
The scene with Fred and the tune was cut from the MGM Film "Ziegfeld Follies".
"Oh, My Achin' Back", 1945. lyric: Willie Shore, and Morey Amsterdam. (Fred recorded it with Albert Sack's Orch.)
"Rhythmic Boogie Woogie", 1946. (for a dance routine in Paramount film Blue Skies)
"Piano Dance", 1950. composed with Tommy Chambers and Mason Van Cleave. (used as dance routine in
Paramount film Let's Dance)
"There's No Time Like The Present" 1952. lyrics: Walter Ruick; Rec'd: Buddy Bregman Orch.
"Hello, Baby", 1956. lyric: Moe Jaffe, and Walter Ruick,
"Lovely Melody", 1956. lyric: Gladys Shelley
"Calypso Hooray", 1956. lyric: Fred Astaire. Rec'd: Buddy Bregman Orch.
"The Afterbeat", 1959. words and music by Johnny Mercer and Fred Astaire.
"You Worry Me", 1962. lyric: Fred Astaire
"Girls Like You", 1962. Music with Tommy Wolf, lyric: Tommy Wolf.
"I Love Everybody But You", 1962. lyric: Fred and his daughter Ava (born 1942).
"Life Is Beautiful", 1974. lyric: Tommy Wolf.
"City of the Angels", 1974.lyric: Tommy Wolf.

Source: nfo.net

Pictures

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Click Pictures to enlarge

Picture from Book Cover Steps in Time

Freddie smoking and posing...

with Cyd Charisse 1953 in The Band Wagon

another picture from The Band Wagon

Fred around 1937

more pictures to follow soon...

Videos

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"I'll dig it" from Second Chorus

"Puttin' on the Ritz" from Blue Skies

"The shorty George" from You were never lovelier

"I'm putting all my Eggs in one Basket" from Follow the Fleet

"The Firecracker Dance" from Holiday Inn

More Videos to follow soon...

Quotations

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Quotes about Fred Astaire

"Dancers hate Fred Astaire. He gives us complexes because he is too perfect. . . When I first saw Mr. Astaire's movies, it was very discouraging. I thought everybody in America was that good. I felt, 'You're never gonna dance, kid.'"
Mikhail Baryshnikov, on the occasion of Fred's Life Achievement Award of the American Film Institute, 1981

"There is nobody like you, and while they say that every generation has its own style, your style reaches and delights us all." - President Ronald Reagan, on the occasion of Fred's Life Achievement Award of the American Film Institute, 1981

"There never was a greater perfectionist, there never was, or never will be, a better dancer, and I never knew anybody more kind, more considerate, or so completely a gentleman. I love Fred, John, and I admire and respect him. I guess It's because he's so many things I'd like to be and am not."
Bing Crosby, in a letter to John O'Hara

"Fred’s main concern in life was to make Adele look good. He understood the male 'supporting' role before it was a national mania. He fixed the dances so his sister would sparkle and shine. He was there to act as a kind of setting for the jewel of her talent." - Bill Adler in Fred Astaire, A Wonderful Life, 1987

...more quotes will follow soon ;-)

Miscellaneous

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... follows soon, maybe. ;-)

Guests

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Links

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This section is currently under construction

Fred Astaire - Dance on Air

Reel Classics

Fred Astaire Dance Studios