Fred Astaire (May 5, 1899 - June 22, 1987), born Frederick Austerlitz, was
an American film and Broadway ballroom dancer and actor. He is particularly associated with
Ginger Rogers, with whom he made many films.
“Astaire” was a name taken by him and his sister Adele for their vaudeville act when they were
about 5 years old. It is said to have come from an uncle surnamed “L’Astaire”. During the
1920s, Fred and Adele appeared on Broadway, splitting in 1932 when she got married.
Famously, a studio screen test report on Astaire read simply: "Can't sing. Can't act. Slightly
balding. Can dance a little." In the opinion of millions of fans of his popular films,
Astaire could actually dance quite a bit. His singing voice was weak, yet Cole Porter wrote
a number of songs especially for him.
With his new partner, Ginger Rogers, and choreographer, Hermes Pan, Astaire helped make
dancing an important element of the Hollywood film musical. His films with Rogers included
The Gay Divorcee (1934, Top Hat (1935) and Carefree (1938). In his long career, he teamed up
with other stars, notably with Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn (1942) and Blue Skies (1946). After
retiring in that year, he soon returned to the screen to replace the injured Gene Kelly in
Easter Parade (1948) (opposite Judy Garland) and for The Band Wagon (1953) with Cyd Charisse.
Having given up dancing, Astaire continued to act, appearing in films such as On the Beach
(1959), Finian's Rainbow (1968), and The Towering Inferno (1974).
Fred Astaire died in 1987 from pneumonia and was interred in the Oakwood Memorial Park
Cemetery in Chatsworth, California.
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