Fred Astaire

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Astaire, Fred (1899-1987), American dancer and actor, known for his graceful, sophisticated dance style and for his musical comedy films. Born Fred Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, Astaire appeared in vaudeville at the age of seven with his sister Adele. From 1917 to 1932 they were a noted Broadway dancing team, appearing in such musicals as Over the Top (1917), Lady Be Good (1925), and Funny Face (1927). After Adele Astaire retired from the stage, Fred Astaire began a career in films. His first film was Dancing Lady (1933). His films with the dancer Ginger Rogers, beginning with Flying Down to Rio (1933), include Roberta (1935), Top Hat (1935), Shall We Dance? (1937), and The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). Astaire and Rogers developed an elegant dance style, noted for its technical excellence and intimacy. Astaire's other films include Easter Parade (1948), with Judy Garland; Daddy Long Legs (1955), with Leslie Caron; Funny Face (1957), with Audrey Hepburn; and Silk Stockings (1957), with Cyd Charisse.
Perhaps the greatest popular dancer of his time, Astaire combined a technical mastery with a sense of ease and good humor. In 1949 his film work was recognized with a special Academy Award. The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences recognized Astaire with a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989. His autobiography is titled Steps in Time (1959).
Rogers, Ginger (1911-1995), American motion-picture actor, singer, and dancer, best remembered for her graceful ballroom dancing as the partner of Fred Astaire in classic musical comedies of the 1930s. Born Virginia Katherine McMath in Independence, Missouri, she began dancing professionally at the age of 14 and toured the vaudeville circuit until 1929, when she was cast as the second lead in the popular Broadway musical Top Speed. She began her film career while still starring on the New York City stage and in 1931 went to Hollywood, where she shot a series of minor co...