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Fred Astaire is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Vocals and Choreographer American born on 10 may 1899 at Omaha (USA)

Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire
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Birth name Frederick Austerlitz
Nationality USA
Birth 10 may 1899 at Omaha (USA)
Death 22 june 1987 (at 88 years) at Los Angeles (USA)
Awards Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, singer, musician and actor.

His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films and several award-winning television specials and issued numerous recordings. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of Old Hollywood by the American Film Institute. He is best known as the dancing partner and on-screen romantic interest of Ginger Rogers, with whom he co-starred in a series of ten Hollywood musicals which transformed the genre.

Gene Kelly, another major innovator in filmed dance, said that "the history of dance on film begins with Astaire." Beyond film and television, many noted dancers and choreographers, including Rudolf Nureyev, Sammy Davis, Jr., Michael Jackson, Gregory Hines, Mikhail Baryshnikov, George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Madhuri Dixit, also acknowledged his importance and influence. Astaire ranks as the fifth greatest male star of Classic Hollywood cinema in AFI's 100 Years.

Biography

Politically, Astaire was a conservative and a lifelong Republican Party supporter, though he never made his political views publicly known. Along with Bing Crosby, George Murphy, Ginger Rogers, and others, he was a charter (founding) member of the Hollywood Republican Committee. He was churchgoing, supportive of American military action, and dismissive of the increasing open sexuality in movies of the 1970s.

Always immaculately turned out, he and Cary Grant were called "the best dressed actor[s] in American movies". Astaire remained a male fashion icon even into his later years, eschewing his trademark top hat, white tie, and tails (for which he never really cared) in favor of a breezy casual style of tailored sports jackets, colored shirts, cravats, and slacks—the latter usually held up by the idiosyncratic use of an old tie in place of a belt.

Astaire was married for the first time in 1933, to the 25-year-old Phyllis Potter (formerly Phyllis Livingston Baker; born 1908, died September 13, 1954), a Boston-born New York socialite and former wife of Eliphalet Nott Potter III (1906–1981), after pursuing her ardently for roughly two years, and despite the objections of his mother and sister. Phyllis's death from lung cancer, at the age of 46, ended 21 years of a blissful marriage and left Astaire devastated. Astaire attempted to drop out of the film Daddy Long Legs (1955), which he was in the process of filming, offering to pay the production costs to date, but was persuaded to stay.

In addition to Phyllis Potter's son, Eliphalet IV (known as Peter), the Astaires had two children. Fred, Jr. (born January 21, 1936), appeared with his father in the movie Midas Run but became a charter pilot and rancher instead of an actor. Their daughter Ava Astaire (born March 19, 1942; married Richard McKenzie) remains actively involved in promoting her late father's heritage.

His friend, David Niven, described him as "a pixie—timid, always warm-hearted, with a penchant for schoolboy jokes." Astaire was a lifelong golf and Thoroughbred horse racing enthusiast. In 1946 his horse Triplicate won the prestigious Hollywood Gold Cup and San Juan Capistrano Handicap. He remained physically active well into his eighties. At age seventy-eight, he broke his left wrist while riding his grandson's skateboard.



On June 24, 1980, he was married again, to Robyn Smith (born August 14, 1944), a jockey 45 years his junior, who rode for Alfred G. Vanderbilt II and was herself on the cover of Sports Illustrated on July 31, 1972.

Astaire died from pneumonia on June 22, 1987, at the age of 88. Shortly before his death, Astaire said: "I didn't want to leave this world without knowing who my descendant was, thank you Michael" - referring to Michael Jackson. He was interred in the Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Chatsworth, California. One last request of his was to thank his fans for their years of support.

Astaire's life has never been portrayed on film. He always refused permission for such portrayals, saying, "However much they offer me—and offers come in all the time—I shall not sell." Astaire's will included a clause requesting that no such portrayal ever take place; he commented, "It is there because I have no particular desire to have my life misinterpreted, which it would be."

Best films

The Towering Inferno (1974)
(Actor)
That's Entertainment! (1974)
(Actor)
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
(Thanks)
Easter Parade (1948)
(Actor)
Holiday Inn (1942)
(Actor)
Swing Time (1936)
(Actor)

Usually with

Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
(8 films)
Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
(6 films)
Ginger Rogers
Ginger Rogers
(18 films)
Mark Sandrich
Mark Sandrich
(8 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Fred Astaire (59 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Imagine
Imagine (2018)
, 1h10
Directed by John Lennon, Yoko Ono
Origin USA
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Fred Astaire, Vanessa Williams, Nathan Karl Kress, Dick Cavett
Roles Self
Rating72% 3.634083.634083.634083.634083.63408
The program consists mostly of "film promos" around the song selection, interspersed with occasional slices of Lennon and Ono's life together, and also fantasy and "gag" sequences. In one of these, a succession of men (ranging from Lennon and Ono's assistants to celebrities including Fred Astaire, Jack Palance, Dick Cavett, and even George Harrison) escort Ono over and over through a doorway; in another, John and Yoko lose each other on the Tittenhurst grounds, and go looking.
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, 1h33
Directed by Spike Lee
Origin USA
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Documentaire sur une personnalité
Actors Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Rosie Perez, David Byrne, Lee Daniels, Spike Lee
Roles Self (archive footage)
Rating73% 3.6886653.6886653.6886653.6886653.688665
Ce documentaire relate l'ascension du roi de la pop, Michael Jackson, à travers la création de son album solo historique, Off the Wall.
Bad 25
Bad 25 (2012)
, 2h3
Directed by Spike Lee
Origin USA
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors Michael Jackson, Spike Lee, Mariah Carey, Rubén Blades, Glen Ballard, Sheryl Crow
Roles Tony Hunter (archive footage)
Rating78% 3.936023.936023.936023.936023.93602
The film includes behind the scenes clips of the recording session of Jackson's seventh studio album, Bad. It also features various people that had worked with Jackson during the Bad era (1986–1989) talking about the production of the album and the tour, acting or starring in some of Jackson's Bad singles and music videos including Sheryl Crow who was the duet partner with Jackson on the Bad World Tour for "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", Siedah Garrett, the original duet artist, talks about her experience with Jackson and many others. There are also interviews with influenced entertainers and artists.
To Each His Own Cinema, 1h40
Directed by Claude Lelouch, Abbas Kiarostami, Amos Gitaï, Elia Suleiman, Nanni Moretti, Takeshi Kitano, Andreï Kontchalovski, Youssef Chahine, Roman Polanski, Wim Wenders, Chen Kaige, Raoul Ruiz, Olivier Assayas, Theo Angelopoulos, Michael Cimino, Wong Kar-wai, Manoel de Oliveira, Jane Campion, Alejandro González Iñárritu, David Lynch, Gus Van Sant, Atom Egoyan, Lars von Trier, Ken Loach, Walter Salles, David Cronenberg, Zhang Yimou, Bille August, Aki Kaurismäki, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Tsai Ming-liang, Raymond Depardon
Origin France
Genres Drama, Comedy
Actors Isabelle Adjani, Anouk Aimée, Antoine Chappey, David Cronenberg, Yosra El Lozy, Taraneh Allidousti
Roles (segment "Cinéma de Boulevard") (archive footage)
Rating66% 3.346823.346823.346823.346823.34682
35 réalisateurs d'origines très variées (25 pays différents) ont tous mis en scène un court métrage de 3 minutes, sur le thème de la salle de cinéma. Le film en regroupe 33 puisque les frères Coen et les frères Dardenne travaillent ensemble. Celui de David Lynch ne faisait pas partie du film mais a été présenté en ouverture du festival.
The Green Mile, 3h8
Directed by Frank Darabont
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Fantastic, Fantasy, Crime
Themes Medical-themed films, Prison films, Films about psychiatry, Films about capital punishment
Actors Tom Hanks, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Cromwell, Graham Greene
Roles Actor in 'Top Hat' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating85% 4.2552854.2552854.2552854.2552854.255285
In a Louisiana nursing home in 1999, Paul Edgecomb becomes nervous while watching the 1935 film Top Hat. He is with his elderly friend Elaine, who becomes concerned, and Paul tells her that the film reminded him of his past, when he was a prison officer in charge of death row inmates at the Cold Mountain Penitentiary during the summer of 1935. The scene shifts to 1935, where Paul works with fellow guards Brutus "Brutal" Howell, Harry Terwilliger, and Dean Stanton. Unlike the other guards, Paul is a very calm guard and is sympathetic with some inmates.
That's Entertainment! III, 1h53
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about films, Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Documentary films about cities, Musical films, Documentary films about films
Actors Gene Kelly, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Lena Horne, Howard Keel, Esther Williams
Roles (archive footage)
Rating74% 3.7387653.7387653.7387653.7387653.738765
Troisième volet de "Il était une fois Hollywood", "That's Entertainment III" nous propose un nouveau panorama de l'age d'or de la MGM mais aussi des chutes rarissimes, des séquences coupées lors de la sortie des films et des essais d'autres stars que celles qui furent finalement choisies.
Imagine: John Lennon, 1h40
Directed by John Lennon, Andrew Solt
Origin USA
Genres Musical theatre, Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, David Bowie
Roles Himself
Rating77% 3.8911253.8911253.8911253.8911253.891125
La vie du Beatle John Lennon vue à travers des interviews et des images d'archives inédites.
Cocoon
Cocoon (1985)
, 1h53
Directed by Ron Howard
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Science fiction, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Fantasy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Vieillesse, Films based on science fiction novels, Comedy science fiction films, Children's films, Films about extraterrestrial life, Films set in Atlantis
Actors Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg
Roles Himself, film clip from 'The Gay Divorcee' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating66% 3.34923.34923.34923.34923.3492
About 10,000 years ago, peaceful aliens from the planet Antarea set up an outpost on the planet Earth, on an island later known to mankind as Atlantis. When Atlantis sank, twenty aliens were left behind, kept alive in large rock-like cocoons at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Now a group of Antareans have returned to Earth to collect them. Disguising themselves as humans, they rent a house with a swimming pool, and charge the water with "life force" to give the cocooned Antareans energy to survive the trip home. They charter a boat from a local captain named Jack (Steve Guttenberg) who helps them retrieve the cocoons. Jack likes Kitty (Tahnee Welch), a beautiful woman from the team who chartered his boat. When he spies on her while she undresses in her cabin, Jack is shocked when he discovers she is an alien. After the aliens reveal themselves to him and explain what's going on, he decides to help them.
The Purple Rose of Cairo, 1h25
Directed by Woody Allen
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Themes Films about films, Philosophie
Actors Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello, Edward Herrmann, Dianne Wiest, Stephanie Farrow
Roles Jerry Travers (archive footage) (uncredited)
Rating76% 3.846963.846963.846963.846963.84696
Set in New Jersey during the Great Depression, the film tells the story of Cecilia, a clumsy waitress who goes to the movies to escape her bleak life and loveless, abusive marriage to Monk, whom she has attempted to leave on numerous occasions.
Ghost Story, 1h50
Directed by John Irvin
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Horror
Themes Ghost films
Actors Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., John Houseman, Alice Krige, Craig Wasson
Roles Ricky Hawthorne
Rating62% 3.1478053.1478053.1478053.1478053.147805
The plot is taken from the novel of the same name by Straub, but greatly changes and simplifies it.
The Man in the Santa Claus Suit, 1h44
Directed by Corey Allen
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Christmas films
Actors Fred Astaire, Gary Burghoff, John Byner, Bert Convy, Tara Buckman, Brooke Bundy
Roles Santa Claus
Rating64% 3.2404453.2404453.2404453.2404453.240445
The mysterious owner of a New York costume store (Astaire) sells Santa suits to three different men. He later shows up in various roles to help the men change their lives. (chauffeur, policeman, jeweler, hot dog vendor, taxi driver, floor walker, and choral director) Bob Willis (Burghoff) is a math teacher who is madly in love with a young fashion model and prominent figure in the disco scene, Polly Primer (Buckman). Polly, however, is already engaged to marry wealthy and handsome Rod Sanborn (Greenan). He hopes to impress her by showing up in a santa suit, but withdraws when he learns of Rod's marriage proposal to her. Polly is not sure to marry Rod and hints to Bob that she longs for being swept away by another guy, but Bob is too shy to act on it. Realizing he would lose her forever to Rod, he interrupts her at a fashion show and tells her he loves her. Polly then reveals having fallen in love with him ever since he first spoke about math, and she accepts his marriage proposal.
The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town, 50minutes
Directed by Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Animation
Actors Fred Astaire, Skip Hinnant, Billie Mae Richards, Laura Dean, Harvey Korman, Paul Frees
Roles S.D. Kluger (narrator) (voice)
Rating69% 3.48843.48843.48843.48843.4884
S.D. Kluger (From Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town and once again, voiced by Fred Astaire) returns as a train engineer, but still a mailman, to answer questions concerning the origins of the Easter Bunny while reading the children's letters, such as why eggs are painted for Easter and who made the first jelly beans and chocolate bunny.
The Purple Taxi, 1h55
Directed by Yves Boisset
Origin France
Genres Drama, Comedy-drama, Romance
Themes Transport films, Films about the labor movement, Films about automobiles
Actors Charlotte Rampling, Philippe Noiret, Peter Ustinov, Fred Astaire, Edward Albert, Agostina Belli
Roles Dr. Seamus Scully
Rating64% 3.2357453.2357453.2357453.2357453.235745
L'arrivée d'une jeune femme, Sharon (Charlotte Rampling), dans un petit village d'Irlande bouleverse le quotidien fait d'amitiés et de silence de Philippe Marchal (Philippe Noiret), qui s'est réfugié dans ce village après la mort de son fils, et de Jerry (Edward Albert), frère de Sharon, cadet d'une famille de milliardaires, exilé en Irlande par sa famille à la suite d'une sombre histoire. Dans ce pays sauvage, tout semble se dérouler paisiblement sauf quand surgit Taubelman (Peter Ustinov), personnage fantasque semblant connaître tout sur tout le monde, accompagné de sa ravissante et muette fille Anne (Agostina Belli) dont Jerry ne va pas tarder à tomber fou amoureux. Alors que Sharon est déterminée à découvrir qui est réellement Taubelman.