---
name: "Fred Astaire"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/fred-astaire"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "10 May 1899"
died: "22 June 1987"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 83
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-19T22:59:18.475173+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Fred Astaire

Actor. Born 10 May 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Died 22 June 1987.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 10 May 1899, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- **Died:** 22 June 1987
- **Active:** 1934–1935
- **Also known as:** Frederic Austerlitz Jr., Frederick Austerlitz
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 2 acting, 1 other
- **Frequently works with:** [Edward Everett Horton](https://film.one/person/edward-everett-horton.md), [Erik Rhodes](https://film.one/person/erik-rhodes.md), [Ginger Rogers](https://film.one/person/ginger-rogers.md), [Mark Sandrich](https://film.one/person/mark-sandrich.md), [Pandro S. Berman](https://film.one/person/pandro-s-berman.md)
- **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 83, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 83 (2), 1980s 84 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q100937, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000001/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/30181

## Fi1m on Fred Astaire

> Fred Astaire made the camera stand still and watch. Full figure, long takes, nothing cut to hide a foot: he insisted a dance be seen whole, and from 1933 to 1957 the films around him were often thin and the dancing never was.

Watch what the camera does when Fred Astaire starts to dance. It stops. It shows him from hat to shoes and keeps showing him, and it does not cut to a face or a foot to hide a join, because there is no join. Tap, ballroom and whatever else he had picked up in a lifetime on the boards are run together into one line of movement, worked out with the choreographer Hermes Pan, and the point of the long take is that you can see it is all him. On the hotel terrace in *The Gay Divorcee* (1934), dancing 'Night and Day' with Ginger Rogers, he courts her without a word. We had gone in expecting a museum piece and found ourselves sitting forward, because the film had spent an hour failing to make the romance plausible and here it was, done in four minutes with nothing said.

He came to Hollywood in 1933 after a childhood in vaudeville and fifteen years on Broadway with his sister Adele, until she retired in 1932. RKO's first screen test found him unable to act or sing adequately. *Flying Down to Rio* (1933) put him beside Rogers, *The Gay Divorcee* made them a pair, and there were ten films together by 1939, five of them directed by Mark Sandrich, among them *Top Hat* (1935) and *Swing Time* (1936). In those films the dances are the plot; the couple fall in and out of love on the floor, and the dialogue scenes exist to get them there. He kept making musicals until 1957, and the later ones know their own history: *The Band Wagon* (1953) casts him as Tony Hunter, a dancer whose career looks a good deal like his own, and *Funny Face* (1957) puts him opposite Audrey Hepburn. From the late 1950s he took dramatic parts, in films such as *The Towering Inferno* (1974) and on television, and made his last film in 1981.

What does not work is nearly always the film around him. *The Gay Divorcee* is a farce with one misunderstanding stretched over an hour, and its finale, 'The Continental', breaks his own rule: William Hamilton cuts between overhead formations and the chorus until the number loses its way, and it is the one stretch where we stopped watching him and started looking at shoes. The scripts also lean on his manners to make doubtful behaviour bearable. Guy Holden follows a woman across two countries after she has asked him to stop, and Astaire's courtesy does most of the work of making that charming. It should not have to.

He said the thing that looks lightest about him was the hardest: "Dancing is a sweat job." The sweat never shows, and he kept the camera far enough back to prove it. Start with the terrace in *The Gay Divorcee*, then go to *Top Hat*, which has the tighter plot and the better songs. On a first viewing sit through the farce between the numbers; on a second, you have our permission to skip it.

## Biography

Fred Astaire, born Frederick Austerlitz on 10 May 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, was an American dancer, singer and actor. He began performing in vaudeville as a child with his sister Adele and later achieved success on Broadway and in London's West End.

After Adele retired in 1932, Astaire moved to Hollywood. He appeared as Guy Holden in *The Gay Divorcee* (1934), the first of several films pairing him with Ginger Rogers. Other notable roles include Jerry Travers in *Top Hat* (1935), Lucky Garnett in *Swing Time* (1936) and Ted Hanover in *Holiday Inn* (1942). He continued working in film and television into the 1980s, with later credits including Harlee Claiborne in *The Towering Inferno* (1974) and Ricky Hawthorne in *Ghost Story* (1981).

Astaire died of pneumonia on 22 June 1987 in Los Angeles.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Performed in (2) — the average rests on these

- *Top Hat* (1935), Fi1m 87, as Jerry Travers — [page](https://film.one/film/top-hat.md)
- *The Gay Divorcee* (1934), Fi1m 79, as Guy Holden — [page](https://film.one/film/the-gay-divorcee.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *The Purple Rose of Cairo* (1985), Fi1m 84, Thanks — [page](https://film.one/film/the-purple-rose-of-cairo.md)

## Complete filmography (65)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *La La La* (2018), as Various Roles (archive footage)
- *Perspectives: For the Love of Fred Astaire* (2015), as (archive footage)
- *Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing* (2009), as (archive footage)
- *Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm* (2006), as Various / Self (archive footage)
- *Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine* (2003), Actor
- *That's Entertainment! III* (1994), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Dance Crazy in Hollywood* (1990), as Various Roles (archive footage)
- *South of Reno* (1988), Actor
- *The Purple Rose of Cairo* (1985), Thanks — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-purple-rose-of-cairo.md)
- *Going Hollywood: The '30s* (1984), as (archive footage)
- *Ghost Story* (1981), as Ricky Hawthorne
- *The Man in the Santa Claus Suit* (1979), as Santa Claus
- *Battlestar Galactica* (1978), series, as Chameleon  / Captain Dimitri
- *A Family Upside Down* (1978), as Ted Long
- *The Purple Taxi* (1977), as Dr. Seamus Scully
- *The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town* (1977), as S.D. Kluger (voice)
- *The Amazing Dobermans* (1976), as Daniel Hughes
- *The Towering Inferno* (1974), as Harlee Claiborne
- *Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town* (1970), as S.D. Kluger (voice)
- *The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again* (1970), as The Baltimore Kid
- *Midas Run* (1969), as Pedley
- *Finian's Rainbow* (1968), as Finian McLonergan
- *It Takes a Thief* (1968), series, as Alister Mundy, Alistair Mundy (voice) (uncredited)
- *Omnibus* (1967), series, Actor
- *Paris When It Sizzles* (1964), as Vocals
- *Flashing Spikes* (1962), as Narrator
- *The Notorious Landlady* (1962), as Franklyn Ambruster
- *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Joe Quinlan
- *The Pleasure of His Company* (1961), as Biddeford 'Pogo' Poole
- *Astaire Time* (1960), Producer
- *On the Beach* (1959), as Julian Osborn
- *An Evening with Fred Astaire* (1958), Executive Producer
- *Silk Stockings* (1957), as Steve Canfield
- *Funny Face* (1957), as Dick Avery · Choreographer
- *MGM Parade* (1955), series, as actor 'Broadway Melody of 1940' (archive footage) (uncredited), Performer in 'Ziegfeld Follies'
- *Daddy Long Legs* (1955), as Jervis Pendleton III · Choreographer
- *The Band Wagon* (1953), as Tony Hunter
- *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as J. Willingham Bardley, Paul Ashcroft
- *The Belle of New York* (1952), as Charlie Hill
- *Royal Wedding* (1951), as Tom Bowen
- *Let's Dance* (1950), as Donald Elwood
- *Three Little Words* (1950), as Bert Kalmar
- *The Barkleys of Broadway* (1949), as Josh Barkley
- *Easter Parade* (1948), as Don Hewes · Choreographer
- *Blue Skies* (1946), as Jed Potter
- *Yolanda and the Thief* (1945), as Johnny Parkson Riggs
- *Ziegfeld Follies* (1945), as Fred Astaire / Raffles / Tai Long / Gentleman
- *Twenty Years After* (1944), as (archive footage)
- *The Sky's the Limit* (1943), as Fred Atwell (Fred Burton) · Choreographer
- *You Were Never Lovelier* (1942), as Robert Davis
- *Holiday Inn* (1942), as Ted Hanover
- *You'll Never Get Rich* (1941), as Robert Curtis
- *Second Chorus* (1941), as Danny O'Neill
- *Broadway Melody of 1940* (1940), as Johnny Brett
- *The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle* (1939), as Vernon Castle
- *Carefree* (1938), as Tony Flagg
- *A Damsel in Distress* (1937), as Jerry Halliday
- *Shall We Dance* (1937), as Petrov
- *Swing Time* (1936), as Lucky Garnett
- *Follow the Fleet* (1936), as Bake Baker
- *Top Hat* (1935), as Jerry Travers — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/film/top-hat.md)
- *Roberta* (1935), as Huck Haines · Choreographer
- *The Gay Divorcee* (1934), as Guy Holden — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/the-gay-divorcee.md)
- *Flying Down to Rio* (1933), as Fred Ayres
- *Dancing Lady* (1933), as Fred Astaire

## Gallery

- ![Fred Astaire](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-1a6662cdc2dd.png) Fred Astaire — Studio publicity still, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Fred_Astaire.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Publicity photo of Fred Astaire from the television program Premiere. (1962)](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-5d94ba08ca1b.jpg) Publicity photo of Fred Astaire from the television program Premiere. (1962) — ABC Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Fred_Astaire_1962.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Fred Astaire with his daughter Ava at a debutante ball in Los Angeles, Calif. (1959)](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-0b6877f27710.jpg) Fred Astaire with his daughter Ava at a debutante ball in Los Angeles, Calif. (1959) — Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Fred_Astaire_%26_daughter_1959.jpg/1280px-Fred_Astaire_%26_daughter_1959.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Fred Astaire, Giulietta Masina, and Dana Wynter at the 30th Annual Academy Awards held at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Masina is holding her Oscar for b (1958)](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-1f9700f0c94f.jpg) Fred Astaire, Giulietta Masina, and Dana Wynter at the 30th Annual Academy Awards held at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles. Masina is holding her Oscar for b (1958) — Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Fred_Astaire%2C_Giulietta_Masina%2C_and_Dana_Wynter.jpg/1280px-Fred_Astaire%2C_Giulietta_Masina%2C_and_Dana_Wynter.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Fred Astaire](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-82db98338666.jpg) Fred Astaire — Image via TMDB
- ![Fred Astaire](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-ffb042f12b87.jpg) Fred Astaire — Image via TMDB
- ![Photo of Barrie Chase performing with Fred Astaire from an Astaire television special Astaire Time. (1961)](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-41b95d928ec9.jpg) Photo of Barrie Chase performing with Fred Astaire from an Astaire television special Astaire Time. (1961) — NBC-photographer: Frank Carroll, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c8/Barrie_Chase_Fred_Astaire_1961.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Photo of Margot Fonteyn, Fred Astaire and Rudolph Nureyev from a 1965 appearance on the US television show The Hollywood Palace.](https://film.one/media/person/437789/gallery-bb4a55812d27.jpg) Photo of Margot Fonteyn, Fred Astaire and Rudolph Nureyev from a 1965 appearance on the US television show The Hollywood Palace. — ABC Television (American Broadcasting Company), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Fontyn_Astaire_Nureyev_Hollywood_Palace_1965.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1975: Best Supporting Actor (nominated), for *The Towering Inferno*

### BAFTA Film Awards — 1 won

- 1976: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (won), for *The Towering Inferno*

### Golden Globes — 3 won, 3 nominated

- 1974: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (won), for *The Towering Inferno*
- 1968: Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (nominated), for *Finian's Rainbow*
- 1961: Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (nominated), for *The Pleasure of His Company*
- 1960: Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (won)
- 1959: Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (nominated), for *On the Beach*
- 1950: Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (won), for *Three Little Words*

### Primetime Emmy Awards — 4 won, 1 nominated

- 1978: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (won), for *A Family Upside Down*
- 1961: Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (won)
- 1960: Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (nominated)
- 1959: Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series (won), for *An Evening with Fred Astaire*
- 1959: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (won), for *An Evening with Fred Astaire*

### Other awards — 13 won

- Grammy Hall of Fame 2008: Grammy Hall of Fame (won), for *Top Hat, White Tie and Tails*
- Grammy Hall of Fame 2006: Grammy Hall of Fame (won)
- Grammy Hall of Fame 2005: Grammy Hall of Fame (won), for *They Can't Take That Away from Me*
- Grammy Hall of Fame 2004: Grammy Hall of Fame (won), for *Night and Day*
- Grammy Hall of Fame 2000: Grammy Hall of Fame (won), for *Cheek to Cheek*
- Grammy Hall of Fame 1999: Grammy Hall of Fame (won), for *The Astaire Story*
- Grammy Hall of Fame 1998: Grammy Hall of Fame (won), for *The Way You Look Tonight*
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 1989: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (won)
- Capezio Dance Award 1987: Capezio Dance Award (won)
- AFI Life Achievement Award 1981: AFI Life Achievement Award (won)
- Kennedy Center Honors 1978: Kennedy Center Honors (won)
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame 1960: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (won)
- Academy Honorary Award 1949: Academy Honorary Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/fred-astaire