By: Kiley Vanasdal
Fred Astaire growing up
Fred Astaire was born on May 10,
1899 in Omaha Nebraska and died in Los Angeles California on June 22, 1987(“Fred
Astaire”). Fred Astaire’s real name is Frederick Austerlitz (“Fred Astaire”).
Fred Astaire was an American dancer that starred in motion pictures and also
danced on stage for people (“Fred Astaire”). Fred Astaire is most commonly
known for his musical comedy films that he was in with Ginger Rodgers (“Fred
Astaire”). “He is regarded by many as the greatest popular-music dancers of all
time” (“Fred Astaire). Fred
Astaire was born into well off financially family (“Fred Astaire”). Fred
Astaire first started studying dancing when he was the age of four (“Fred
Astaire”). In 1906, his sister and him performed an act together, which became
popular as a vaudeville attraction (“Fred Astaire”). Their first performance
was in Keyport, New Jersey when Fred was the age of 6 and a half years old
(“Fred Astaire Biography”).”Fred and Adele (his sister) grew up dancing
together in vaudeville, and were bonafide stars while still in their teens and
twenties, with smash hits on the New York and London Stages” (“Fred Astaire
Biography”). In 1915, Fred Astaire and his sister was in Mary Pickford’s film Fanchon the Cricket (“Fred Astaire”). In
1917, Fred Astaire and his sister made their debut on Broadway’s Over the Top (“Fred Astaire”). Fred
Astaire and his sister performed on stage in 1922 For Goodness Sake, in 1927 Funny
Face, and in 1931 The Band Wagon;
all of these performances made Fred and his sister famous at the international
level (“Fred Astaire”). The picture to the left is of Fred Astaire from
Fred Astaire Pictures.
Web. 6 Apr 2011. <http://fredastairepictures.com/>.
Fred Astaire
In 1933, Fred Astaire was in
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Dancing Lady and
was considered a featured dancer in this production with the Three Stooges,
Joan Crawford, and Clark Gable ("Fred Astaire"). In 1933, Fred was in Flying Down to Rio, which was produced by RKO Radio Production with
Ginger Rodgers (“Fred Astaire”). “They were a sensation, stealing the picture
from stars Delores del Rio and Gene Raymond, and public demand compelled RKO to
feature the pair in classic series of starring vehicles throughout the 1930
with The Gay Divorce (1934), Top Hat Swing Time (1936) often cited as the best a lot” (“Fred Astaire”). Ginger Rodger’s class and earthiness
and Fred’s elegance were said that together made Fred have sex appeal (“Fred Astaire”).
“Their dance routines, often in the midst of sumptuous Art Deco settings, were
intricate tap or graceful ballroom numbers that served as sophisticated
statements of romantic love” (“Fred Astaire”). The picture to the left is of Fred Astaire with Ginger Rodgers from
Fred Astaire Pictures.
Web. 6 Apr 2011. <http://fredastairepictures.com/>.
Fred Astaire's dance style and films
Fred Astaire’s dance style that made him popular was his “relaxed,
light, effortless, and largely improvised” (“Fred Astaire”). Fred Astaire was a
very hardworking dance performer, who would practice his dance routines for as
many hours as needed to perfect them, because he was a perfectionist (“Fred
Astaire”). “Working in collaboration with legendary choreographer Hermes Pan
for his films with Rodgers, Astaire eschewed the then-popular Busby Berkley
approach to filmed musicals and its emphasis on special effects, surreal
settings, and chorus girls in ever-changing kaleidoscope patterns” (“Fred
Astaire”). Fred Astaire also performed with other partners, which include
Eleanor Powell, Lucille Bremer, and Rita Hayworth in 1939 after his last film
of RKO Astaire-Rodgers film (“Fred Astaire”). “He retired temporarily in 1946
but returned to the screen in 1948 and appeared in a series if Technicolor
musicals for MGM that, next to his films with Rodgers, constitute his most
highly regarded body of work” (“Fred Astaire”). In 1948 Easter Parade,
1949 The Barkleys of Broadway (empty
shoes dance), 1951 Royal Wedding
(ceiling dance and use of a hat rack), and 1952 “The Belle of New York (dance on air) were the films that made
Astaire the most famous because of his dance routines that he performed in them
(“Fred Astaire”). “The best of Astaire’s films during this period was The Band Wagon (1953), often cited as
one of the greatest of film musicals; it featured Astaire’s memorable duet with
Cyd Charisse to the song “Dancing in the Dark” (“Fred Astaire”). Fred Astaire’s
last musical for MGM was in 1957 Silk
Stockings (“Fred Astaire”). “He continued to dance with new partner Barrie
Chase for several Emmy Award-winning television specials throughout the 1950’s
and ‘60s; and he danced again on-screen in Finian’s Rainbow (1968) and for a few
steps with Gene Kelly in That’s
Entertainment, Part II (1976)” (“Fred Astaire”). Fred Astaire contributes
to that art of dance and is commonly known for his American vocal style (“Fred
Astaire”). “Astaire received much praise from jazz critics for his innate sense
of swing and his conversational way with a song” (“Fred Astaire”). The picture on the left is of Fred Astaire with Cyd Charrise from Fred Astaire Pictures.
Web. 6 Apr 2011. <http://fredastairepictures.com/>.
The video below shows Fred Astaire performing his ceiling dance in the Royal Wedding (showing his dance style) this video below was from "Fred Astaire-Royal Wedding-Famous Ceiling Dance." Web. 6 Apr 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8n7WQIXQDs>.
Fred Astaire's more films and awards
“Astiare’s most notable dramatic roles were in On the Beach (1959); The Pleasure of His Company (1962); The
Towering Inferno (1974), for which he received an Oscar nomination for best
supporting actor; and Ghost Story
(1981), his final film” (“Fred Astaire”). Fred Astaire contributed to the film
in 1950, so he was awarded and honorary Academy Award (“Fred Astaire”). “He
received a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in 1981”
(“Fred Astaire”). Fred Astaire stated in 1959 in Steps in Time (his autobiography), “I have no desire to prove
anything by it. I just dance” (“Fred Astaire”). “Fred Astaire brought to the screen a completely unique persona;
his style, his innate grace, his singing voice, and of course, the dancing are
all inimitable” (“Fred Astaire Biography”). “The charm, the elegance, the true
class of the man still shine today” (“Fred Astaire Biography”).
Why I chose to write about Fred Astaire's dance style and achievements and how Fred Astaire's dance style affects me when I think about his dance style or watch him dance
I
chose Fred Astaire’s dance style because it intrigues me. The way he looks like
he is floating across the room when he dances amazes me. I also choose
to write about Fred Astaire and his dance style because it also intrigues me
about his elegance of his movements when he dances. I chose to write about Fred
Astaire and his musical tap dance style compared to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson
and Gene Kelly because his elegant dance style interested me more than the
other two's dance styles of musical tap.
Fred Astaire’s dance style affects me when I think about it or watch him dance by making me want to get up and dance with him. I feel this way because he is so elegant when he dances and I want to be that graceful when I dance. When I watch Fred Astaire dance it makes me feel entertained and want to keep watching him dance. Also when I watch Fred Astaire dance, it makes me want to be in the 20th century dancing with him.
Fred Astaire’s dance style affects me when I think about it or watch him dance by making me want to get up and dance with him. I feel this way because he is so elegant when he dances and I want to be that graceful when I dance. When I watch Fred Astaire dance it makes me feel entertained and want to keep watching him dance. Also when I watch Fred Astaire dance, it makes me want to be in the 20th century dancing with him.
