After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. The two made their Broadway debut in Over the Top (191718). In 1976, Astaire played a supporting role, as a dog owner, in the cult movie The Amazing Dobermans, co-starring Barbara Eden and James Franciscus, and played Dr. Seamus Scully in the French film The Purple Taxi (1977). Unsplash. Year after year I kept doing that. His was a uniquely recognizable dance style that greatly influenced the American Smooth style of ballroom dance and set standards against which subsequent film dance musicals would be judged. [24], According to Astaire, "Ginger had never danced with a partner before Flying Down to Rio. He was stepfather to Eliphalet IV (known as Peter), the son of his first wife, Phyllis, and her first husband, Eliphalet Nott Potter III. Frederick Austerlitz Jr. He also helped raise her son from an earlier union. Web Fred Astaire born Frederick Austerlitz 10 Mey 1899 22 Juin 1987 wis an American dancer sangster an actorHe wis the maist famous stage movie an . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Astaire's father was born in Linz, Austria to Roman Catholic parents who had converted from Judaism.[1][9][10][11]. "[citation needed]. He remarked "Gene Kelly warned me not to be a damned fool, but I'd seen the things those kids got up to on television doing all sorts of tricks. Height 5' 9" (1.77 m) Mini Bio (1) Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz Austerlitz, a brewer. [31], Astaire's style of dance sequences allowed the viewer to follow the dancers and choreography in their entirety. At first, Astaire refused to answer. Astaire's mother dreamed of escaping Omaha by her children's talents. TV Shows. Astaire's career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Children: Ava Astaire-McKenzie, Fred Astaire Jr. Fred Astaire [biography] Fred Astaire, the quintessence of the song-and-dance man and a dancer who fused tap dance with ballet and ballroom, was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1899, the son of an immigrant Austrian brewery employee who was also a stage-struck amateur musician. "Fred Astaire does have a very particular style . His parents, Frederic E. and Ann Gelius Austerlitz, enrolled him in dancing school at age four to join his older sister Adele. Let's add the looks later. He continued to dance with new partner Barrie Chase for several Emmy Award-winning television specials throughout the 1950s and 60s, and he danced again on-screen in Finians Rainbow (1968) and for a few steps with Gene Kelly in Thats Entertainment, Part II (1976). His legacy at this point was 30 musical films in 25 years. Fred's father was born in Austria. "[16], As a result of their father's salesmanship, Fred and Adele landed a major contract and played the Orpheum Circuit in the Midwest, Western and some Southern cities in the US. Omissions? Dancing is a vertical interpretation of a horizontal intention. 1936) and Eliphalet (Peter) Potter IV (stepson), and a daughter Ava Astaire McKenzie . In the latter film, he began his highly successful partnership with Ginger Rogers, with whom he danced in 9 RKO pictures. I'm not embarrassed by the language itself, but it's embarrassing to be listening to it, sitting next to perfect strangers. As he swayed up to Niven's house, Niven accidentally turned on the sprinkler to his lawn, drenching the drunk star. In a recent profile for GQ, Oscar-nominated . [citation needed]. cf. Billman (p. 26) believes Astaire couldn't countenance the portrayal of his first wife, who suffered from a, Learn how and when to remove this template message, the most interesting, the most inventive, the most elegant dancer of our times, a genius a classical dancer like I never saw in my life, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Hall of Fame, "Fred Astaire (18991987) aka Friedrich Austerlitz", "The Religious Affiliation of Adele Astaire", "Frederick Austerlitz (1899-1987): An American with Austrian Roots", "Two-Step: 'The Astaires,' by Kathleen Riley", "Information on this footage in the Fred Stone Collection of the Broadway show Gay Divorcee (1933)", "A kaleidoscope of legs: Busby Berkeley's flamboyant dance fantasies", "For Michael Kidd, Real Life Is Where The Dance Begins", q:Fred Astaire#Singers and songwriters on Astaire, "About: Liberty's Musical Comedy Star of the Century! "[39], Rogers described Astaire's uncompromising standards extending to the whole production: "Sometimes he'll think of a new line of dialogue or a new angle for the story they never know what time of night he'll call up and start ranting enthusiastically about a fresh idea No loafing on the job on an Astaire picture, and no cutting corners. The producer of the AstaireRogers pictures, Pandro S. Berman, claimed he had never heard the story in the 1930s and that it only emerged years afterward. Finally, he would include a partnered romantic dance routine. On June 24, 1980, he married again to Robyn Smith. According to Biography, Robyn Smith was 45 years younger than Fred Astaire when they met and got married, and the couple enjoyed golf and watching movies together. Six out of the nine AstaireRogers musicals became the biggest moneymakers for RKO; all of the films brought a certain prestige and artistry that all studios coveted at the time. [13] He first met George Gershwin, who was working as a song plugger for Jerome H. Remick's music publishing company, in 1916. Kidd later recounted: "Technique was important to him. Although Fred refused dance lessons at first, he easily mimicked his older sister's steps and took up piano, accordion, and clarinet. In 2000, the following album was released as a tribute to him: "Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire". Since then, Robyn Astaire has notr remarried and works . She couldn't tap and she couldn't do this and that but Ginger had style and talent and improved as she went along. [citation needed], They split in 1932 when Adele married her first husband, Lord Charles Cavendish, the second son of the 9th Duke of Devonshire. They were parents to son Fred Astaire Jr. (b. January 21, 1936) and daughter Ava Astaire (b. $10 Million Fred Astaire Jr. Wiki Biography. Fred had dated - Phyllis Potter (1932-1954) - He was happily married to Phyllis Potter from July 12, 1933, until her death in 1954. Each featured Barrie Chase, with whom Astaire enjoyed a renewed period of dance creativity. Astaire was so bereaved that he wanted to shut down the picture and offered to pay the production costs out of his pocket. Astaire, Steps in Time, p. 8: "At the risk of disillusionment, I must admit that I don't like top hats, white ties and tails. He was amused by my piano playing and often made me play for him. Talking about his children, he has two sons Fred, Jr. (b. [76] One of his last requests was to thank his fans for their years of support. One would be a solo performance by Astaire, which he termed his "sock solo". The American Film Institute named Astaire the fifth-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood cinema in 100 Years 100 Stars. Personal Life. As he said in his autobiography, Steps in Time (1959), I have no desire to prove anything by it. He returned to make two more films with Rogers, Carefree (1938) and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939). With all the preparation completed, the actual shooting would go quickly, conserving costs. Let's Dance with Betty Hutton was on loan-out to Paramount. I just dance.. [citation needed], In 1978, he co-starred with Helen Hayes in a well received television film A Family Upside Down in which they played an elderly couple coping with failing health. [24]:23,26,61 Recently, film footage taken by Fred Stone of Astaire performing in Gay Divorce with Luce's successor, Dorothy Stone, in New York in 1933 was uncovered by dancer and historian Betsy Baytos and now represents the earliest known performance footage of Astaire. [35] Film critic Pauline Kael adopts a more neutral stance,[36] while Time magazine film critic Richard Schickel writes "The nostalgia surrounding RogersAstaire tends to bleach out other partners."[37]. 6162, "You're All the World to Me" originated (with different lyrics) as "I Want to Be a Minstrel Man" in the, Thomas, p. 135: "I'd love to have been able to do more with my music, but I never had the time. [24]:21 Irving Berlin considered Astaire the equal of any male interpreter of his songs"as good as Jolson, Crosby or Sinatra, not necessarily because of his voice, but for his conception of projecting a song. Caron remembered, "Fred used to sit down during a rehearsal and put his face in his towel and just cry. Despite their success, Astaire was unwilling to have his career tied exclusively to any partnership. Fred Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz (10 May 1899 - 22 June 1987), was an American dancer, singer and actor.He was the most famous stage, movie and television dancer of his day.. Life. He took up skateboarding in his late seventies and was awarded a life membership in the National Skateboard Society. ", Astaire made the comment in a 1980 interview on, The only other entertainer to receive this treatment at the time was, Coppola also fired Hermes Pan from the film. No, no, Ginger never cried. [12] Fritz was seeking work in the brewing trade and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where he was employed by the Storz Brewing Company. Astaire famously quipped: "Either the camera will dance, or I will. So they always cried. [24]:23,26 First, he insisted that a closely tracking dolly camera film a dance routine in as few shots as possible, typically with just four to eight cuts, while holding the dancers in full view at all times. I was always working on dance numbers. By age 14, Fred had taken on the musical responsibilities for their act. Working in collaboration with legendary choreographer Hermes Pan for his films with Rogers, Astaire eschewed the then-popular Busby Berkeley approach to filmed musicals and its emphasis on special effects, surreal settings, and chorus girls in ever-changing kaleidoscope patterns. I've just managed to live down one partnership and I don't want to be bothered with any more. After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6756 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960. You know, the most effective partner I ever had. 65 Copy quote. Birth Place: Omaha, Nebraska, United . One of the foremost entertainers of the twentieth centurysinger, actor, choreographer, and, of course, the most dazzling "hoofer" in the history of motion picturesFred Astaire was the epitome of charm, grace, and suave sophistication, with a . Astaire's older sister, Adele, was an instinctive dancer and singer early in her childhood. Instead, Astaire revolutionized the movie musical by simplifying it: solo dancers or couples were shot in full-figure, and dances were filmed with a minimum of edits and camera angles. ", (Thomas p. 301) Astaire was awarded a life membership in the National Skateboard Society (Satchell p. 221). He has appeared in three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: On August 23, 2019, he was honored with a day of his film work during the Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars. His mother was Helen Hay Whitney. Astaire also co-introduced a number of song classics via song duets with his partners. They would spend weeks creating all the dance sequences in a secluded rehearsal space before filming would begin. I didn't like some of the small-time vaudeville, because we weren't going on and getting better. Fred's mother was born in Nebraska, to David Geilus and Wilhelmine Klaatke, Lutheran immigrants from Germany. The Astaire Story later won the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1999, a special Grammy award to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance". Fred Astaire was born Frederic Austerlitz, Jr. on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA of Austrian Jewish (father) and German Jewish (mother) descent and was a dancer, singer and actor who was probably born on best known for appearing in a number of musicals alongside Ginger Rogers. But dance historian John Mueller believes that Astaire acted as the lead choreographer in his solos and partnered dances throughout his career. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz May 10, 1899 June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and television presenter. They followed up with several more shows. [citation needed], Astaire's retirement did not last long. He was successful both in vaudeville and on Broadway in partnership with his sister, Adele Astaire. In the second compilation, aged seventy-six, he performed brief dance linking sequences with Kelly, his last dance performances in a musical film. Astaire was always on the lookout for new steps on the circuit and was starting to demonstrate his ceaseless quest for novelty and perfection. Though Fred Jr. would later appear in 1969's "Midas Run" with his father, he put away his dance shoes for a life as a rancher in California. [49] He recorded his own "It's Just Like Taking Candy from a Baby" with Benny Goodman in 1940 and nurtured a lifelong ambition to be a successful popular song composer. In the movie The Towering Inferno (1974), he danced with Jennifer Jones and received his only Academy Award nomination, in the category of Best Supporting Actor. In it, he introduced Arlen and Mercer's "One for My Baby" while dancing on a bar counter in a dark and troubled routine. Kelly endured a 103-degree fever . The latter observation will be no news to the profession, which has long admitted that Astaire starts dancing where the others stop hoofing. She made everything work for her. Tiyatro ve sinema oyuncusu. This can lead to the completely misleading impression that Astaire merely performed the choreography of others. Fred's dances are not sexy, or at least not until the amazing meeting with Cyd Charisse in the '50s, when her near-total lack of interest in acting meshed, with a mysterious charge, with his . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). "[24]:16 As Astaire himself observed, "I've never yet got anything 100% right. Later in his career, he became a little more amenable to accepting the direction of his collaborators. Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz on May 10, 1899, in Omaha, Nebraska. Astaire started dancing on the stage with his sister Adle, and when she married he started a movie partnership with Ginger Rogers.After that, he danced with a succession of talented American dancers on . Fred Astaire Bio, wiki, Age, Career, Height, Weight, Family. "[24]:8 However, he was persuaded by the apparent public appeal of the AstaireRogers pairing. After the last RKO Astaire-Rogers film, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939), Astaire appeared with various other partners, such as Eleanor Powell, Rita Hayworth (whom Astaire cited as his favourite on-screen partner), and Lucille Bremer. Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, NE. Astaires run of classic MGM musicals ended with Silk Stockings (1957), after which his screen appearances were mostly in nondancing character roles. His next film for Paramount, Funny Face (1957), teamed him with Audrey Hepburn and Kay Thompson. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 - June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Those musicals' sequences were filled with extravagant aerial shots, dozens of cuts for quick takes, and zooms on areas of the body such as a chorus row of arms or legs. Find Fred Astaire Bio, Affair, Married, Wife, Net Worth. Phyllis Livingston Potter and Fred Astaire were married for 21 years before Phyllis Livingston Potter died, leaving behind her partner and 2 children.. The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. This episode marked the final time that he danced on screen, in this case with Anne Jeffreys. They began training at the Alvieni Master School of the Theatre and Academy of Cultural Arts. Several of their later RKO pictures featured the music of George and Ira Gershwin and on cold November mornings my grandmother could often be found in the kitchen looking for the coffee pot . He remarried to Robyn Smith on . Although he possessed a light voice, he was admired for his lyricism, diction, and phrasing[46]the grace and elegance so prized in his dancing seemed to be reflected in his singing, a capacity for synthesis which led Burton Lane to describe him as "the world's greatest musical performer". He acted in nine different roles in The Man in the Santa Claus Suit in 1979. Fred Astaire Jr. Born Country: United States. In a TCM mini-biography, MGM star Cyd Charisse talks about her career, in particular working with Gene Kelly in "An American in Paris" and with Fred Astaire . [2] He has received numerous accolades including an Honorary Academy Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award. Web Fred Astaire Jr. Fred astaire jr. wiki. Fred Astaire, original name Frederick Austerlitz, (born May 10, 1899, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.died June 22, 1987, Los Angeles, California), American dancer onstage and in motion pictures who was best known for a number of highly successful musical comedy films in which he starred with Ginger Rogers. [citation needed], Astaire and Rogers made nine films together at RKO: Flying Down to Rio (1933), The Gay Divorcee (1934), Roberta (1935, in which Astaire also demonstrates his oft-overlooked piano skills with a spirited solo on "I Won't Dance"), Top Hat (1935), Follow the Fleet (1936), Swing Time (1936), Shall We Dance (1937), Carefree (1938), and The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939). ", Astaire p. 65: "We struck up a friendship at once. On June 24, 1980, at the age of 81, he married a second time. Astaire's dancing was inspired by Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and John "Bubbles" Sublett. His dances are economical yet endlessly nuanced. Famously wore a necktie around his waist instead of a belt, an affectation he picked up from his friendship with actor. His perfectionism was legendary, but his relentless insistence on rehearsals and retakes was a burden to some. The end of the partnership was traumatic for Astaire but stimulated him to expand his range. In the summer of 1975, he made three albums in London, Attitude Dancing, They Can't Take These Away from Me, and A Couple of Song and Dance Men, the last an album of duets with Bing Crosby. The Astaires' daughter Ava Astaire (born 1942) remains involved in promoting her father's legacy. "[24]:18 Astaire further observed: Working out the steps is a very complicated processsomething like writing music. [68] Instead, he favored a breezy casual style of tailored sport jackets, colored shirts, and slacksthe latter usually held up by the distinctive use of an old tie or silk scarf in place of a belt. He retired temporarily in 1946 but returned to the screen in 1948 and appeared in a series of Technicolor musicals for MGM that, next to his films with Rogers, constitute his most highly regarded body of work. He always thinks he is no good. He was awarded an honorary Academy Award for his contributions to film in 1950, and he received a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in 1981. Became a father for the first time at age 36 when his first wife Phyllis Potter gave birth to their son, Became a father for the second time at age 42 when his first wife Phyllis Potter gave birth to their daughter, First wife Phyllis Potter (ne Phyllis Livingston Baker) passed away from lung cancer at age 46 while Astaire was filming. When their father lost his job, the family moved to New York City in January 1905 to launch the show business careers of the children. People think I was born in top hat and tails. "[23], Adele's sparkle and humor drew much of the attention, owing in part to Fred's careful preparation and sharp supporting choreography. It was Ava who . You have to think of some step that flows into the next one, and the whole dance must have an integrated pattern. The son of Austrian immigrant Frederic "Fritz" Austerlitz and his second generation Prussian-American wife Johanna "Ann" Geilus, Astaire developed into a frail and deeply serious boy, whom his mother urged into dancing classes at the local Chambers Dance Academy with the . But when it comes to selling records I was never worth anything particularly except as a collector's item. At seventy-eight, he broke his left wrist while skateboarding in his driveway. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Several compilations have been issued of Astaire songs from film soundtracks, but his best vocal recordings were those he undertook in the early 1950s with jazz combos led by pianist Oscar Peterson. Appeared in 4 films in a dramatic role, (No singing or dancing ) Notable performance as scientist Julian Osborne in the film "On The Beach" which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award For Best Supporting Actor but lost to Stephen Boyd. When his mother took sister Adele to New York in 1904 for professional . All except Ginger. "[24]:16. Fred Astaire was an American dancer, choreographer, singer, musician and actor, who revolutionised the American musical films. Fred Astaire . Fred Astaire was born as Frederic Austerlitz, Jr. on the 10th May 1899, in Omaha, Nebraska USA, of Austrian-Jewish (father) and German-Jewish (mother) descent, and He was a dancer, singer, and actor, who was probably best recognized for performing in a number of musicals, alongside Ginger Rogers. Astaire was reunited with Rogers in 1949 at MGM for their final outing, The Barkleys of Broadway, the only one of their films together to be shot in Technicolor. [citation needed], Astaire's last major musical film was Finian's Rainbow (1968), directed by Francis Ford Coppola. [3] Astaire's fame grew in films like Holiday Inn (1942), Easter Parade (1948), The Band Wagon (1953), Funny Face (1957), and Silk Stockings (1957). [citation needed], Free of the brother-sister constraints of the former pairing and working with new partner Claire Luce, Fred created a romantic partnered dance to Cole Porter's "Night and Day", which had been written for Gay Divorce. ", "Cheek to Cheek", and "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" in Top Hat (1935); "Let's Face the Music and Dance" in Follow the Fleet (1936); and "Change Partners" in Carefree (1938). His film oeuvre also includes the classics "Top Hat," "Funny Face . "Oh, I am playing Fred Astaire," Holland said at an event in London. I huvudrollerna ses Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Houseman, Craig Wasson och Alice Krige . Producer Amy Pascal recently said she wanted Holland to play Astaire, but Holland had yet to comment on the possibility until now. ", "Another Vanderbilt Break-up, and a Pretty Robyn Bobs Onto the Scene", "Astaire's Last Partner Copes With Life After Fred", "Robyn Smith, Trailblazing Jockey July 31, 1972", "Fred Astaire fans criticise 'bizarre' casting of Tom Holland in new biopic", Astaire's religious views incl. [citation needed], Soon after, Astaire, like the other remaining stars at MGM, was let go from his contract because of the advent of television and the downsizing of film production. Inducted into the International Tap Dance Hall of Fame in 2002 (inaugural class). In the movie, he appeared as himself dancing with Joan Crawford. Despite the many accolades for his unquestionable greatness, Astaire remained as modest and elegant as the characters he portrayed. And while George Gershwin was somewhat critical of Astaire's singing abilities, he wrote many of his most memorable songs for him. [66] He also had an interest in boxing and true crime. [26], According to Hollywood folklore, a screen test report on Astaire for RKO Radio Pictures, now lost along with the test, is reported to have read: "Can't sing. His second film with Hayworth, You Were Never Lovelier (1942), was equally successful. His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films and several television special . Their first act was called Juvenile Artists Presenting an Electric Musical Toe-Dancing Novelty. They had been married for 21 years before they got divorced. Owned Blue Valley Ranch, a Thoroughbred horse breeding farm in the San Fernando Valley. His most famous racehorse was Triplicate, winner of the 1946 Hollywood Gold Cup. [33], Dance commentators Arlene Croce,[29]:6 Hannah Hyam[34]:146147 and John Mueller[24]:8,9 consider Rogers to have been Astaire's greatest dance partner, a view shared[35] by Hermes Pan and Stanley Donen. Astaire choreographed this film alone and achieved modest box office success. Three Little Words with Vera-Ellen and Red Skelton was for MGM. [70][71], Astaire's life has never been portrayed on film. Fred Astaire Biography. Their dance routines, often in the midst of sumptuous Art Deco settings, were intricate tap or graceful ballroom numbers that served as sophisticated statements of romantic love. [on modern movies] They tend to overdo the vulgarity. His technical control and sense of rhythm were astonishing. Fred Astaire's second marriage would last up until Astaire's death in 1987 from pneumonia. He first saw Robyn Smith, who would become his second wife, when she was a jockey in a horserace. It featured a duet to Kern's "I'm Old Fashioned", which became the centerpiece of Jerome Robbins's 1983 New York City Ballet tribute to Astaire. His legs were insured for one million dollars. At one point, Astaire offered to return the award, but the Television Academy refused to consider it. He is particularly associated with Ginger Rogers, with whom . 3162 W. M.L.K, Jr Boulevard | Fayetteville, AR 72704 P: 479-332-5327 fayetteville@fredastaire.com Dance Crazy Inc. Corporate. Satchell pp. He subsequently performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV. Quotes By Fred Astaire Actors. I never used it as an outlet or as a means of expressing myself. Fred Astaire was an American dancer, choreographer, singer, musician and actor, who revolutionised the American musical films Fred Astaire - Choreographers, Birthday, Childhood - Fred Astaire Biography Also find Fred Astaire current Net worth as well as earnings . While all music and songs were known to be dubbed (recorded before filming), his tap dancing was dubbed also. In the musical revue Ziegfeld Follies (1945), Astaire danced with Gene Kelly to the Gershwin song "The Babbit and the Bromide", a song Astaire had introduced with his sister Adele back in 1927. Was close with Randolph Scott, David Niven, Clark Gable and Gregory Peck. Tom Holland has confirmed he is set to play Fred Astaire in an upcoming biopic, 13 years after landing his big break playing aspiring dancer Billy Elliot in the West End.. 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. from The Band Wagon (1953). Paperback. [24]:7 Astaire later clarified, insisting that the report had read: "Can't act. The Astaires broke into Broadway in 1917 with Over the Top, a patriotic revue, and performed for U.S. and Allied troops at this time as well. Although possessing a rather thin-toned tenor voice, Astaire received much praise from jazz critics for his innate sense of swing and his conversational way with a song. His second marriage on June 24, 1980 was to a jockey named Robyn Smith who was 45 years younger than him. While Three Little Words did quite well at the box office, Let's Dance was a financial disappointment. [50], In 1952, Astaire recorded The Astaire Story, a four-volume album with a quintet led by Oscar Peterson. He "over-dubbed" his taps - recording them live as he danced to the previously recorded taps. He starred in more than 10 Broadway and West End musicals, made 31 musical films, four television specials . Barrie Chase (1957-1961) Astaire won the Emmy for Best Single Performance by an Actor. Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 - June 22, 1987) was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer, musician and actor. Fred Astaire's 'request to never be portrayed on screen' resurfaces amid Tom Holland biopic news. On his return to RKO, he got fifth billing after fourth-billed Ginger Rogers in the 1933 Dolores del Ro vehicle Flying Down to Rio. Diana Hamilton , Other Works He described himself as nervous about singing with her, while she said she was worried about dancing with him.