Fred Astaire
A dancer who transformed popular entertainment, making impossible elegance look effortless and setting the standard for the movie musical.
1899–1987 (age 88)·American dancer and actor·Birthday: May 10·The Lost Generation
Biography
Fred Astaire didn’t just dance; he redefined the possibilities of movement on screen. Paired first with his sister Adele on Broadway and then, immortally, with Ginger Rogers in ten Hollywood films, he brought a casual, sophisticated grace to every step. His genius was in the fusion: he was a meticulous choreographer who rehearsed for weeks to achieve a look of spontaneous joy, a superb singer who introduced standards by Gershwin and Berlin, and an actor whose charm lay in his understated wit. He insisted on full-body shots and minimal editing, forcing the camera to witness the complete, unbroken athleticism and artistry of his routines. After the golden age of the studio musical, he reinvented himself as a solo act and television performer, his style evolving but his precision never wavering. More than a star, he was an architect of cinematic rhythm.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Fred was born in 1899, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Fred Was Born
The biggest hits of 1899
Fred's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1899Born
President: William McKinley
1904Started school
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Became a teenager
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1915Could drive
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Could vote
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Turned 21
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1929Turned 30
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1939Turned 40
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 50
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 60
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 70
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 80
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Died at 88
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
Key Achievements
- Starred in a series of ten iconic film musicals with Ginger Rogers, including ‘Top Hat’ (1935) and ‘Swing Time’ (1936), that defined the genre.
- Received an Honorary Academy Award in 1950 for his unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures.
- Choreographed and performed some of the most celebrated dance sequences in film history, such as ‘Night and Day’ in ‘The Gay Divorcee’ and the ceiling dance in ‘Royal Wedding.’
- Won an Emmy Award in 1961 for his television special ‘Astaire Time.’
Did You Know?
An infamous early studio screen test report allegedly read: ‘Can’t act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.’
He was a noted horse racing enthusiast and owned a successful stable of racehorses.
He designed and patented a device for traveling musicians called the ‘Astaire’ case, a trunk that converted into a portable dance floor.
Many of his most famous film costumes were simply a top hat, white tie, and tails, which he felt gave a clean, uncluttered line for dancing.
“I just put my feet in the air and move them around.”
