Adopted name of Frederick Austerlitz (1899-1987)
US dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer. He starred in numerous films, including Top Hat 1935, Easter Parade 1948, and Funny Face 1957, many containing inventive sequences which he designed and choreographed himself. He made ten classic films with the most popular of his dancing partners, Ginger Rogers. He later played straight dramatic roles in such films as On the Beach 1959. He was the greatest popular dancer of his time.
Astaire was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and taken to New York 1904. He danced in partnership with his sister Adele Astaire (1897–1981) from 1906 until her marriage 1932, and they became public favorites on Broadway and in London. He entered films 1933. Among his many other films are Roberta 1935 and Follow the Fleet 1936. Astaire was a virtuoso dancer and a perfectionist known for his elegant style. As a singer, he used first-rate material (some of which he wrote himself) and interpreted it intelligently; songs he recorded include ‘Isn’t This a Lovely Day?’ 1935, ‘I’m building Up to an Awful Letdown’ 1936, and ‘A Fine Romance’ 1937.