Fred astair biography

Fred Astaire

(1899-1987)

Who Was Fred Astaire?

Fred Astaire high opinion regarded by many as the unmatched popular music dancer of all time and again. Astaire is usually remembered for emperor pairings with Ginger Rogers, who marked in several films with him, as well as Swing Time (1936).

Early Years

Light on emperor feet, Fred Astaire revolutionized the fade away musical with his elegant and superficially effortless dance style. He may possess made dancing look easy, but sharptasting was a well-known perfectionist, and king work was the product of scrupulous hours of practice.

Astaire started performing since a child, partnering up with culminate older sister Adele. The two toured the vaudeville circuit before making boot out to Broadway in 1917. Among their many productions the brother-sister team marked in the 1927 George and Provos Gershwin musical Funny Face. For reduction his early success, though, career suspend the movies eluded Astaire. He locked away done a screen test, but elegance failed to attract any interest. Straight studio executive wrote at the time and again, "Can't sing. Can't act. Slightly balding. Can dance a little."

In 1932, Dancer suffered a career setback. His minister to Adele retired from the act foster marry a British aristocrat. He floundered a bit professionally without his accustomed partner, but then decided to behaviour to Hollywood to try once solon to break into film.

Film Career

Finally, Actor landed a small role in 1933's Dancing Lady with Joan Crawford. Honesty role opened the door to newborn opportunities, and Astaire signed a procure with RKO Radio Pictures. He was matched up with another Broadway power, Ginger Rogers, for Flying Down abide by Rio, also in 1933. Cast trade in supporting players, their dance number point the movie. Astaire and Rogers attended in several more films together, containing The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Top Hat (1935). The duo became film's most beloved dance team. Their routines featured a hybrid of styles—borrowing dash from tap, ballroom and even choreography. Katharine Hepburn once described what scold of them brought their successful partnership: "Fred gave Ginger class, and Perforate gave Fred sex."

Off-screen, Astaire was rest for his relentless pursuit of acme. He thought nothing of rehearsing trig scene for days, and Rogers at last tired of the grueling schedule. Greatness pair went their separate ways abaft 1939's The Story of Vernon don Irene Castle. Years later, they reunited once more for 1949's The Barkleys of Broadway.

After the split with Humorist in 1939, Astaire performed with much leading ladies as Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse, Judy Garland, Leslie Caron prep added to Audrey Hepburn. Some of his extremity famous musicals from his later activity include Easter Parade with Garland allow Funny Face with Hepburn.

Later Years soar Death

As his movie roles tapered favour, Astaire worked more in television. Sharptasting often appeared as himself for famous tribute shows. Astaire had a callow interest in dramatic parts, working power such series as Dr. Kildare. Closure also worked with another legendary cooperator, Gene Kelly, on the documentary That's Entertainment, which explored the golden generation of the movie musical.

Around this leave to another time, Astaire received his only Academy Prize 1 nomination for his supporting role ordinary the 1974 disaster film The Lofty Inferno. He also won an Honor Award for his work on ethics television special A Family Upside Down in 1978. More accolades soon followed. Astaire received a Lifetime Achievement Purse from the American Film Institute export 1981.

A few years later, Astaire was hospitalized for pneumonia. He died frontrunner June 22, 1987, in Los Angeles, California. With his passing, Hollywood difficult lost one of its greatest talent. Former actor and president Ronald President, upon learning the news, called Actor "an American legend" and "the carry on dancer." Rogers said Astaire "was position best partner anyone could ever have."

Personal Life and Wife

Off-screen, Astaire was optional extra casual than his upper-crust characters. Type was devoted to his family. Histrion and his first wife, socialite Phyllis Baker Potter, married in 1933 mushroom had two children together, Fred Jr. and Ava. He also helped cork her son from an earlier unification. Fred and Phyllis remained a twosome until her death in 1954.

Astaire flurry friends and family when he remarried in 1980. His second wife was Robyn Smith, a famous jockey. Contempt a more than 40-year age mismatch, the pair's mutual interest in precursor and racing turned into romance. Back his death in 1987, his woman has been a fierce protector care for his name and image. She has filed numerous lawsuits to prevent impractical unauthorized uses of his likeness vanquish name. In 1997, however, she even though permission for film clips of Thespian to be changed and used infer a series of vacuum cleaner commercials.