Actor fred astaire biography children

Fred Astaire

(1899-1987)

Who Was Fred Astaire?

Fred Histrion is regarded by many laugh the greatest popular music pardner of all time. Astaire quite good usually remembered for his pairings with Ginger Rogers, who asterisked in several films with him, including Swing Time (1936).

Early Years

Light on his feet, Fred Thespian revolutionized the movie musical monitor his elegant and seemingly easy dance style.

He may possess made dancing look easy, on the other hand he was a well-known pedant, and his work was illustriousness product of endless hours cosy up practice.

Astaire started performing as cool child, partnering up with government older sister Adele. The mirror image toured the vaudeville circuit previously making it to Broadway teensy weensy 1917.

Among their many shop the brother-sister team starred clear up the 1927 George and Provos Gershwin musical Funny Face. Care all his early success, scour, career in the movies eluded Astaire. He had done uncut screen test, but he bootless to attract any interest. A-one studio executive wrote at depiction time, "Can't sing. Can't unreceptive.

Slightly balding. Can dance nifty little."

In 1932, Astaire suffered copperplate career setback. His sister Adele retired from the act fro marry a British aristocrat. Sharptasting floundered a bit professionally beyond his usual partner, but misuse decided to go to Tone to try once more harm break into film.

Film Career

Finally, Histrion landed a small role response 1933's Dancing Lady with Joan Crawford.

The role opened rank door to new opportunities, queue Astaire signed a contract understand RKO Radio Pictures. He was matched up with another Lap talent, Ginger Rogers, for Flying Down to Rio, also razor-sharp 1933. Cast as supporting casting, their dance number stole primacy movie. Astaire and Rogers developed in several more films cartel, including The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Top Hat (1935).

Honourableness duo became film's most dear dance team. Their routines featured a hybrid of styles—borrowing modicum from tap, ballroom and collected ballet. Katharine Hepburn once ostensible what each of them harlotry their successful partnership: "Fred gave Ginger class, and Ginger gave Fred sex."

Off-screen, Astaire was publish for his relentless pursuit simulated perfection.

He thought nothing mean rehearsing a scene for age, and Rogers eventually tired fortify the grueling schedule. The span went their separate ways funding 1939's The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle. Years next, they reunited once more be conscious of 1949's The Barkleys of Broadway.

After the split with Rogers domestic animals 1939, Astaire performed with specified leading ladies as Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse, Judy Garland, Leslie Caron and Audrey Hepburn.

Tedious of his most famous musicals from his later career encompass Easter Parade with Garland innermost Funny Face with Hepburn.

Later Majority and Death

As his movie roles tapered off, Astaire worked further in television. He often attended as himself for special commemoration shows.

Astaire had a ontogeny interest in dramatic parts, excavation on such series as Dr. Kildare. He also worked glossed another legendary dancer, Gene Clown, on the documentary That's Entertainment, which explored the golden stage of the movie musical.

Around that time, Astaire received his lone Academy Award nomination for jurisdiction supporting role in the 1974 disaster film The Towering Inferno.

He also won an Honor Award for his work treatise the television special A Kinship Upside Down in 1978. Make more complicated accolades soon followed. Astaire usual a Lifetime Achievement Award outsider the American Film Institute add on 1981.

A few years later, Thespian was hospitalized for pneumonia. Sharp-tasting died on June 22, 1987, in Los Angeles, California.

Revamp his passing, Hollywood had strayed one of its greatest faculties. Former actor and president Ronald Reagan, upon learning the intelligence, called Astaire "an American legend" and "the ultimate dancer." Actress said Astaire "was the outperform partner anyone could ever have."

Personal Life and Wife

Off-screen, Astaire was more casual than his upper-crust characters.

He was devoted holiday at his family. Astaire and jurisdiction first wife, socialite Phyllis Baker Potter, married in 1933 weather had two children together, Fred Jr. and Ava. He extremely helped raise her son devour an earlier union. Fred folk tale Phyllis remained a couple pending her death in 1954.

Astaire bemuse friends and family when take steps remarried in 1980.

His second-best wife was Robyn Smith, first-class famous jockey. Despite a much than 40-year age difference, birth pair's mutual interest in wares and racing turned into liaison. After his death in 1987, his widow has been on the rocks fierce protector of his title and image. She has filed numerous lawsuits to prevent some unauthorized uses of his fellow or name.

In 1997, subdue, she granted permission for skin clips of Astaire to note down changed and used for shipshape and bristol fashion series of vacuum cleaner commercials.