Fred Astaire
Born: 1899-05-10 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Died: 1987-06-22
Known For: Acting
Biography
Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, singer, actor and choreographer. He is widely regarded as the most influential dancer in the history of film. Born as Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 10, 1899, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz, a brewer, he entered show business at age 5. He was successful in vaudeville and on Broadway as well as in London's West End together with his sister Adele, a partnership that lasted 27 years. After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. Signed to RKO, he was loaned to MGM to appear in Dancing Lady (1933) before starting work on RKO's Flying Down to Rio (1933). In the latter film, he was teamed with Ginger Rogers, with whom he worked in 9 RKO pictures. Astaire later appeared opposite a number of partners, including Cyd Charisse, Rita Hayworth, Vera-Ellen and Barrie Chase. Astaire remained active well into old age, starring in musicals through 1968, and also performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV. Throughout his career, he was also active in recording and radio. He died of pneumonia on June 22, 1987 in Los Angeles.
Filmography
2025
- Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
2019
- Sid & Judy as Self (archive footage)
2018
- La La La as Various Roles (archive footage)
2017
- Fred Astaire donne le 'la' as Self (archive footage)
- Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire as Self (archive footage)
2015
- Perspectives: For the Love of Fred Astaire as (archive footage)
2014
- Bing Crosby: Rediscovered as Self (archive footage)
- Sem Título #1: Dance of Leitfossil as Self (archive footage)
2013
- Talking Pictures as Self (archive footage)
2010
- Astaire and Rogers Sing the Great American Songbook as Self (archive footage)
2009
- 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year as Self (archive footage)
- Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression as Self (archive footage)
- Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing as (archive footage)
2006
- Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm as Various / Self (archive footage)
- "All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After as Archive Footage
2005
- Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon' as Self (archive footage)
- Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again as Self (archive footage)
- Easter Parade: On the Avenue as Self (Archive Footage)
2003
- Cole Porter in Hollywood: Satin and Silk as Self (archive footage)
- Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
- Complicated Women as Self (archive footage)
2000
- Hollywood Musicals of the 40's as Self (archive footage)
1998
- Doris Day: It's Magic as Self
- A Bing Crosby Christmas as Self (archive footage)
1994
- That's Entertainment! III as (archive footage)
1993
- Audrey Hepburn: Remembered as Self (archive footage)
1991
- The Fred Astaire Songbook as Self (archive footage)
1990
- You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story as Self (archive footage)
- Dance Crazy in Hollywood as Various Roles (archive footage)
1988
- Rain Man as Self (archived footage)
1987
1985
- Cocoon as Character in film clip from 'The Gay Divorcee' (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Purple Rose of Cairo ... (Thanks)
- George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey as Self
- That's Dancing! as Self (archive footage)
1984
- Going Hollywood: The '30s as (archive footage)
1982
- Showbiz Goes to War as (archive footage)
1981
- Ghost Story as Ricky Hawthorne
1980
- Fred Astaire as Self
1979
- The Man in the Santa Claus Suit as Santa Claus
1978
- Battlestar Galactica as Chameleon / Captain Dimitri
- The Kennedy Center Honors as Self
- A Family Upside Down as Ted Long
1977
- The Purple Taxi as Dr. Seamus Scully
- The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town as S.D. Kluger (narrator) (voice)
1976
- The Amazing Dobermans as Daniel Hughes
- Hooray for Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- That's Entertainment, Part II as Self - Co-Host / Narrator
1975
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? as Self (archive footage)
- The Lion Roars Again as Self
1974
- Dinah! as Self
- The Towering Inferno as Harlee Claiborne
- That's Entertainment! as Self - Host / Narrator
1973
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
- The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli as Self (archive footage)
1972
- Imagine as Self
- S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin as Self
- Hollywood: The Dream Factory as Self (archive footage)
1970
- Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town as S.D. Kluger (voice)
- The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again as The Baltimore Kid
1969
- Midas Run as John Pedley
1968
- The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
- It Takes a Thief as Alister Mundy
- The World Premiere of 'Finian's Rainbow' as Self
- The Fred Astaire Show as Self - Host
- Finian's Rainbow as Finian McLonergan
1964
- Paris When It Sizzles ... (Vocals)
1963
- Hollywood and the Stars as Self (archive footage)
1962
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- The Notorious Landlady as Franklyn Ambruster
- Flashing Spikes as Narrator
1961
- The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- Dr. Kildare as Joe Quinlan
- The Pleasure of His Company as Biddeford 'Pogo' Poole
- Alcoa Premiere as Self - Host
1960
- Astaire Time as Self - Host
1959
- On the Beach as Julian Osborn
- Another Evening with Fred Astaire as Self
1958
- An Evening with Fred Astaire as Self
1957
- Funny Face as Dick Avery
- Silk Stockings as Steve Canfield
1956
- The Steve Allen Show as Self - Recipient
- Cinépanorama as Self
- Stars of Cabaret as Self (archive footage)
1955
- Daddy Long Legs as Jervis Pendleton III
- MGM Parade as actor 'Broadway Melody of 1940' (archive footage) (uncredited)
1953
- The Oscars as Self
- The Band Wagon as Tony Hunter
- General Electric Theater as J. Willingham Bardley
1952
- The Belle of New York as Charlie Hill
1951
- Royal Wedding as Tom Bowen
1950
- What's My Line? as Self
- Let's Dance as Donald Elwood
- Three Little Words as Bert Kalmar
1949
- The Barkleys of Broadway as Josh Barkley
- The Emmy Awards as Self
1948
- The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- Easter Parade as Don Hewes
1946
- Blue Skies as Jed Potter
1945
- Ziegfeld Follies as Fred Astaire / Raffles / Tai Long / Gentleman
- Yolanda and the Thief as Johnny Parkson Riggs
1944
- Twenty Years After as (archive footage)
1943
- The Sky's the Limit as Fred Atwell (Fred Burton)
1942
- Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10) as Self
- You Were Never Lovelier as Robert Davis
- Holiday Inn as Ted Hanover
1941
- Second Chorus as Danny O'Neill
- You'll Never Get Rich as Robert Curtis
1940
- Broadway Melody of 1940 as Johnny Brett
1939
- The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle as Vernon Castle
1938
- Carefree as Tony Flagg
1937
- Shall We Dance as Petrov
- A Damsel in Distress as Jerry Halliday
1936
- Follow the Fleet as Bake Baker
- Swing Time as Lucky Garnett
1934
- The Gay Divorcee as Guy Holden
1933
- Flying Down to Rio as Fred Ayres
- Dancing Lady as Fred Astaire