In 1975 he was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in ''The Towering Inferno.'' View our online Press Pack. AND IN THE NEWS: the Nation of Islam’s controversial leader, Louis Farrakhan, announces he will not publicly endorse Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign because it will hurt Jackson’s chances with white voters. Fred Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz Austerlitz, a brewer. Fred Astaire died from pneumonia on June 22, 1987 aged 88. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Fred Astaire, original name Frederick Austerlitz, (born May 10, 1899, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.—died June 22, 1987, Los Angeles, California), American dancer onstage and in motion pictures who was best known for a number of highly successful musical comedy films in which he starred with Ginger Rogers. I always try to get to know my routine so well that I don't have to think, 'What comes next?' He married a female jockey 45-years his junior named Robyn Smith in 1980, seven years before his death. ", Woman texts builder asking why he walked out and gets VERY creepy reply, 'Lazy’ mums serve food on paper plates & cook frozen food in the toaster, I’ve spent £15k on fillers, I want a plastic gf but women are put off by my look, Mum shares stomach-churning photos of thick black mould INSIDE son’s bath toys, Thrifty mums share easy ways to add space to your home FOR NOTHING, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. It was the kind of dancing that caught the imagination, even of those who disdained the thought of witnessing any dancing at all. Fred Astaire died from pneumonia on June 22, 1987 aged 88. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. She would be remembered with affection now even if she had never danced with Fred Astaire. But of course, no ballroom dancer could dance like this.''. The Gay Divorcee (1934) 1 fiction best-seller. On learning of Mr. Astaire's death, Mr. Berlin told The Associated Press yesterday that ''there hasn't been such a talent as his.''. There followed more theater engagements and, finally, stardom in 1922 in ''For Goodness' Sake,'' which had several songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Robyn Astaire became a zealous guardian of her husband’s image. His dance numbers fit neatly within the bounds of a movie screen, but they gave the illusion of being boundless, without regard for the laws of gravity or the limitations of a set. Working in collaboration with legendary choreographer Hermes Pan for his films with Rogers, Astaire eschewed the then-popular Busby Berkeley approach to filmed musicals and its emphasis on special effects, surreal settings, and chorus girls in ever-changing kaleidoscope patterns. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Fred Astaire is still regarded as one of the best dancers who has ever lived, Fred Astaire tap dances and drums in 1937 film A Damsel In Distress, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are an iconic Hollywood duo, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly have a dance off in 1945 film Ziegfeld Follies, Fred and his first wife Phyllis Livingston Potter, who died aged just 46, Fred and his second wife, jockey Robyn Smith, Fred dancing with Cyd Charisse in classic film Silk Stockings, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance in 1936 film Swing Time, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He said: "Fred Astaire calls and said, 'I watched it last night, and I taped it, and I watched it again this morning. The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) In the New York production, the Astaires had sixth billing, but they stole the show. The easygoing air that surrounded his own performance was developed by a dancer who was extremely serious and painstaking about his work. Top Hat (1935) The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). We join the entire nation in mourning his passing, and our heart-felt sympathies are with his wife, Robyn, and his family.'' Why Go on Forever? The pair were heralded as the best sibling act on the Vaudeville circuit at that time, and their career went from strength to strength, ending only after Adele wed in 1932. FRED Astaire was one of humanity's greatest ever dancers - and his legacy lives on through the films he made throughout his whopping 76 year career. Carefree (1938) From 1940 on, Mr. Astaire made movies for many studios with many dancing partners, among them Miss Hayworth (''You Were Never Lovelier,'' 1942), Lucille Bremer (''Yolanda and the Thief,'' 1945), Judy Garland and Ann Miller (''Easter Parade,'' 1948), Cyd Charisse (''The Band Wagon,'' 1953, and ''Silk Stockings,'' 1957) and Audrey Hepburn (''Funny Face,'' 1957). I just dance.”. ”I’ve had to deplete much of my financial security over the years to prosecute infringers,” she has said. The dazzling dance numbers he created in such films as Top Hat (1935), Swing Time (1936), and The Gay Divorcee (1934) were breathtaking in execution, as well as inspirational to a generation of moviegoers-cum-dance students. Shall We Dance (1937) ", Thrifty woman gives ancient bathroom a monochrome makeover for £100, Scots go mad for deep-fried square sausage after battered pickled onions go viral, Mum shares stomach-churning photos of thick black mould INSIDE son’s bath toys, I have a two-hour sex window for my man - why you need to get frisky by 9.30pm, Woman texts builder asking why he walked out and gets VERY creepy reply, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. ', "So, later, when I saw Fred Astaire, he did this (moonwalk move) with his fingers. '', Irving Berlin, in whose musical ''Top Hat'' Mr. Astaire wore the topper and tails that became the dancer's working hallmark, said: ''He's not just a great dancer; he's a great singer of songs. He was born Frederick Austerlitz on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska to German and Austrian immigrant parents. Fred reportedly pursued her for two years, although she was already married to someone else. His deceptively easy-looking light-footedness, warm smile, top hat, cane, charm and talent helped people to forget the real world that nagged at them outside the movie house. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. You're a helluva mover. Astaire's father was born in Linz, Austria, to Jewish parents who had converted to Roman Catholicism. The show was not a hit, but the Astaires were and they were immediately booked into ''The Passing Show of 1918,'' in which a critic called Fred ''an agile youth, and apparently boneless.''. Before passing away, was reported to have crowned Michael Jackson as his 'replacement'. Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Won her first career race at Ferndale on August 2, 1969. His mother set him and his sister Adele up as a siblings dance duo, and by 1905 the family had relocated to New York to help develop the duo's phenomenal talents and launch their showbiz careers. Other partners were Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, Cyd Charisse, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn, and Bing Crosby. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services.