Fred Astaire
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self (archive footage)
1962
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Guest
1961
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee /Presenter
1944
Series
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Series
Dr. Kildare
Joe Quinlan
1961
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Fred Addams
1963
Series
Omnibus
1967
Series
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
The Steve Allen Show
Self
1956
Series
Dinah!
Self
1974
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Film '72
Self
1971
Series
Battlestar Galactica
Chameleon / Captain Dimitri
1978
Series
It Takes a Thief
Alister Mundy
1968
Series
It Takes a Thief
Alistair Mundy (voice) (uncredited)
1968
Series
Cinépanorama
Self
1956
Series
MGM Parade
actor 'Broadway Melody of 1940' (archive footage) (uncredited)
1955
Series
MGM Parade
Performer in 'Ziegfeld Follies'
1955
Series
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978
Series
Alcoa Premiere
Self - Host
1961
Series
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
1973
Series
Talking Pictures
Self (archive footage)
2013
Film
The Towering Inferno
Harlee Claiborne
1974
Series
The Emmy Awards
Self
1949
Film
Holiday Inn
Ted Hanover
1942
Series
General Electric Theater
J. Willingham Bardley
1953
Series
General Electric Theater
Paul Ashcroft
1953
Film
Funny Face
Dick Avery
1957
Film
Top Hat
Jerry Travers
1935
Film
Ghost Story
Ricky Hawthorne
1981
Film
Royal Wedding
Tom Bowen
1951
Film
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
Film
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
Roberta
Huck Haines
1935
Series
Hollywood and the Stars
Self (archive footage)
1963
Film
On the Beach
Julian Osborn
1959
Series
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self
1987
Film
Swing Time
Lucky Garnett
1936
Film
Sid & Judy
Self (archive footage)
2019
Film
That's Entertainment!
Self - Host / Narrator
1974
Film
The Notorious Landlady
Franklyn Ambruster
1962
Film
Ziegfeld Follies
Fred Astaire / Raffles / Tai Long / Gentleman
1945
Film
The Band Wagon
Tony Hunter
1953
Film
Audrey Hepburn: Remembered
Self (archive footage)
1993
Film
Easter Parade
Don Hewes
1948
Film
Dancing Lady
Fred Astaire
1933
Film
The Gay Divorcee
Guy Holden
1934
Film
Silk Stockings
Steve Canfield
1957
Film
Shall We Dance
Petrov
1937
Film
Flying Down to Rio
Fred Ayres
1933
Film
Follow the Fleet
Bake Baker
1936
Film
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
S.D. Kluger (voice)
1970
Film
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Film
That's Entertainment, Part II
Self - Co-Host / Narrator
1976
Film
The Barkleys of Broadway
Josh Barkley
1949
Film
You'll Never Get Rich
Robert Curtis
1941
Film
You Were Never Lovelier
Robert Davis
1942
Film
Finian's Rainbow
Finian McLonergan
1968
Film
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
The Baltimore Kid
1970
Film
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Satin and Silk
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
The Fred Astaire Songbook
Self (archive footage)
1991
Film
Showbiz Goes to War
Self (archive footage)
1982
Film
Daddy Long Legs
Jervis Pendleton III
1955
Film
That's Dancing!
Self (archive footage)
1985
Film
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
Self
1985
Film
Carefree
Tony Flagg
1938
Film
The Amazing Dobermans
Daniel Hughes
1976
Film
Blue Skies
Jed Potter
1946
Film
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
1972
Film
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
1944
Film
Imagine
Self
1972
The Lion Roars Again
Self
1975
Film
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
Self (archive footage)
1990
Film
Broadway Melody of 1940
Johnny Brett
1940
Film
The Belle of New York
Charlie Hill
1952
Film
The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town
S.D. Kluger (narrator) (voice)
1977
Film
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Self (archive footage)
2014
Film
Flashing Spikes
Narrator
1962
Film
Yolanda and the Thief
Johnny Parkson Riggs
1945
S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin
Self
1972
Film
The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
Santa Claus
1979
Film
A Damsel in Distress
Jerry Halliday
1937
Film
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Vernon Castle
1939
Film
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
The Purple Taxi
Dr. Seamus Scully
1977
Film
Three Little Words
Bert Kalmar
1950
Film
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Self
1942
Film
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
The Sky's the Limit
Fred Atwell (Fred Burton)
1943
Film
Midas Run
John Pedley
1969
Film
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Film
Let's Dance
Donald Elwood
1950
Film
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
Various Roles (archive footage)
1990
Film
Second Chorus
Danny O'Neill
1941
Film
Doris Day: It's Magic
Self
1998
Film
A Bing Crosby Christmas
Self (archive footage)
1998
Film
A Family Upside Down
Ted Long
1978
Film
The Pleasure of His Company
Biddeford 'Pogo' Poole
1961
Film
The World Premiere of 'Finian's Rainbow'
Self
1968
Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
Self (archive footage)
2000
Film
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
(archive footage)
2009
Fred Astaire
Self
1980
Film
La La La
Various Roles (archive footage)
2018
Film
Vaudeville
Self (archive footage)
1997
Film
Stars of Cabaret
Self (archive footage)
1956
Film
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli
Self (archive footage)
1973
Film
Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm
Various / Self (archive footage)
2006
Easter Parade: On the Avenue
Self (Archive Footage)
2005
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
2003
Film
An Evening with Fred Astaire
Self
1958
Film
Fred Astaire donne le 'la'
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
Another Evening with Fred Astaire
Self
1959
Film
"All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After
Archive Footage
2006
Film
The Fred Astaire Show
Self - Host
1968
Film
Astaire Time
Self
1960
Film
Sem Título #1: Dance of Leitfossil
Self (archive footage)
2014
Perspectives: For the Love of Fred Astaire
(archive footage)
2015
Film
Astaire and Rogers Sing the Great American Songbook
Self (archive footage)
2010