Fred Astaire Films

Fred Astaire actually had several different careers. When he and Adele ended their combined act in 1932, they had already spent some 28 years in show business. It was then that Fred headed for Hollywood, Ginger Rogers, and a string of very successful musical films. His dancing career and movie musicals in general came to an end by the late 1960s. Astaire then became known for his dramatic roles in films such as On the Beach (1959) and The Towering Inferno (1974).

In ROYAL WEDDING, Fred Astaire and
Jane Powell play a brother and sister act
that mirrors Fred's real-life teaming
with his sister Adele.

Also see: Astaire Movies on DVD

• Dancing Lady (1933, MGM) with Joan Crawford, Clark Gable; Fred's Hollywood debut
• Flying Down to Rio (1933, RKO) with Ginger Rogers, Delores Del Rio
• Top Hat (1935) with Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
• Follow the Fleet (1936, RKO) with Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, Randolph Scott, Lucille Ball
• Swing Time (1936, RKO) with Ginger Rogers, Victor Moore, Betty Furness
• Shall We Dance? (1937, RKO) with Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
• Royal Wedding (1951, MGM) with Jane Powell, Peter Lawford, Keenan Wynn; fluffy musical that features Fred's famous "dancing on the ceiling" scene
• Silk Stockings (1957) with Peter Lorre, Cyd Charisse; a musical "Ninotchka."
• On the Beach (1959) - An atomic disaster drama with Ava Gardner, Gregory Peck. Stanley Kramer directed Fred's first dramatic film.
• The Pleasure of His Company (1961) with Debbie Reynolds, Lilli Palmer, Tab Hunter
• The Notorious Landlady (1962) with Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon
• The Towering Inferno (1975) with Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden
• Ghost Story (1981) with Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., John Houseman
• MORE > Astaire Movies on DVD

Fred Astaire Books

• Steps in Time by Fred Astaire. Fred's autobiography, written without a ghostwriter, was first published in 1959. Out of print, it is available from Alibris in hardcover and paperback editions.
• Astaire: The Man, the Dancer by Bob Thomas, 1984.
• Fred Astaire: A Wonderful Life by Bill Adler, 1987.
• Astaire: The Biography by Tim Satchell, 1987. Although Satchell's biography contains some factual errors, it is the best researched book on Astaire to date. While most other biographers merely lift info out of Fred's autobiography without even checking it, Satchell actually did some independent research, particularly on Fred's Omaha years and his Austrian (father) and German (mother) background.
• MORE Fred Astaire Books from Alibris...

FIND FRED ASTAIRE BOOKS!

Fred Astaire Links

• AlsoDances.net - Fred Astaire - many Astaire resources from P.J. Thum
• Classic Movies by Brad Lang at ClassicMovies.org. An updated Fred Astaire tribute originally written for his 100th birthday in 1999 - with links to other Astaire sites.
• Elizabeth's Fred Astaire Page - She also has a Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire page (Reel Classics)
• Fred Astaire at IMDb with a complete filmography.
• Fred Astaire - A French fan page for Fred and "le style Astaire"!
• Fred Astaire at Film100.com - Astaire is number 86 (site no longer online)
• The Dancers: Fred Astaire - Mostly links for Fred Astaire. - The Golden Years.

N E X T > Astaire Movies on DVD

B A C K > Fred Astaire - Part 2

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