Fred Astaire
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Born

  • May 10, 1899
  • Omaha, NE

Died

  • June 22, 1987
  • Los Angeles, CA

Real Name

  • Frederick Austerlitz

Marriages / Children

  • Phyllis Potter (1933-1954)
  • Fred, Jr. (b. 1936)
  • Ava (b. 1942)
  • Robyn Smith (1980)

Fred Astaire

The son of a beer salesman, legendary dancer and singer Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1899. His mother enrolled him in a dance studio at an early age and in 1906 took him and his sister, Adele, to New York for professional training. In 1917 the two appeared in Over The Top, beginning what would be a very successful career as partners in vaudeville and on the stage.

Adele retired in 1931 to marry Lord Charles Cavendish, son of the Duke of Devonshire. Fred returned to the stage briefly before trying his luck in Hollywood. A Paramount executive who viewed Astaire's 1930 screen test dismissed him, but he was soon signed by RKO and then loaned to MGM, where he made his film debut with Joan Crawford in 1933's Dancing Lady. Also that same year he teamed up with his most famous partner, Ginger Rogers. The pair made ten films together and captivated depression-era audiences with their extraordinary routines and onscreen chemistry.

Astaire often sang during his film appearances. His light, breathless voice as as elegant as his footwork, and he was a favorite of composer Irving Berlin to introduce new songs.

In 1948 the Motion Picture Academy presented Astaire with an honorary Oscar. In 1978 he was among the first recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime achievement. In 1981 the American Film Institute presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award on national television. Astaire also won nine Emmys for a series of TV specials in the 1950s and 1960s. Astaire remained physically active long into his eighties. He broke his arm at age 80 showing off on a skateboard for his grandchildren. Fred Astaire died from pneumonia in 1987.