Top Hat, White Tie & Tails:

Fred Astaire

in VHS, CD & the Printed Page

Singer, dancer, choreographer, and actor Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska on May 10, 1899. After a childhood in vaudeville, Fred won fame on Broadway dancing with his sister Adele. Despite the verdict on his screen test ("Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."), Astaire redefined the movie musical in the 1930s in ten films co-starring Ginger Rogers. He was honored with a special Academy Award in 1949, and continued to perform in films and on television into the 1980s. Astaire died on June 22, 1987.

Fred Astaire on Video

The American Film Institute Salute to Fred Astaire. Marty Pasetta's tribute includes clips and testimonials from Gene Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Eleanor Powell, and Cyd Charisse. 1981. 93 min. VH2/AMER-0042.

The Band Wagon. A washed-up movie star (Astaire) tries his luck on Broadway. Vincente Minnelli's musical includes the songs That's Entertainment, Dancing in the Dark and Triplets. 1953. 111 min. VH1/BAND-0001.

The Barkleys of Broadway. Astaire and Rogers reunited after ten years to star in Walter Lang's musical about a former show biz couple who get back together. Songs include They Can't Take That Away from Me. 1949. 109 min. VH1/BARK-0001 or -0002.

The Belle of New York. Playboy Fred pursues mission worker Vera-Ellen in 1890s NYC. Songs include Let a Little Love Come In. Charles Walters directed. 1952. 82 min. VH1/BELL-0001 or -0004.

Broadway Melody of 1940. Fred stars with Eleanor Powell in Norman Taurog's tale of two rival dancers. Cole Porter tunes include I Concentrate on You, I've Got My Eyes on You and Begin the Beguine. 1940. 102 min. VH1/BROA-0007.

Carefree. Psychiatrist Astaire romances patient Ginger Rogers. Irving Berlin songs include Change Partners and I Used To Be Color Blind. Mark Sandrich directed. 1938. 80 min. VH1/CARE-0001 or -0005.

Daddy Long Legs. Astaire falls in love with Leslie Caron, the girl whose education he has sponsored. Jean Negulesco's musical includes Johnny Mercer's Something's Gotta Give. 1955. 125 min. VH1/DADD-0002.

A Damsel in Distress. Astaire sings Gershwin tunes like A Foggy Day in London Town to woo English heiress Joan Fontaine. George Stevens' film co-stars George Burns and Gracie Allen. 1937. 101 min. VH1/DAMS-0001.

Dancing Lady. Fred makes his screen debut in Robert Z. Leonard's musical about a burlesque dancer (Joan Crawford) who pursues a famous producer (Clark Gable). 1933. 95 min. VH1/DANC-0002 or -0008.

Easter Parade. Astaire tries to forget Ann Miller while rising to stardom with Judy Garland. Charles Walters' musical includes Irving Berlin's Stepping Out With My Baby. 1948. 103 min. VH1/EAST-0001 or -0007.

Finian's Rainbow. Francis Ford Coppola directs this musical about a leprechaun (Fred) in the American South. 1968. 145 min. VH1/FINI-0001.

Flying Down to Rio. Fred first danced with Ginger (to The Carioca) in Thornton Freeland's musical, which co-stars Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond. 1933. 89 min. VH1/FLYI-0003.

Follow the Fleet. Sailors Astaire and Randolph Scott fall for sisters Ginger Rogers and Harriet Hilliard. Mark Sandrich's movie features Irving Berlin's Let's Face the Music and Dance. 1936. 110 min. VH1/FOLL-0001.

Fred Astaire: Puttin' on His Top Hat. David Heeley's documentary includes interviews with Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Rudolph Nureyev. 1980. 60 min. VH2/FRED-0002.

Funny Face. Photographer Astaire transforms bookworm Audrey Hepburn into a fashion model in Stanley Donen's film. Gershwin songs include How Long Has This Been Going On and 'S Wonderful. 1957. 103 min. VH1/FUNN-0001.

The Gay Divorcee. Mark Sandrich's classic case of mistaken identity stars Fred and Ginger, Edward Everett Horton, Eric Blore, and Erik Rhodes. Songs include Cole Porter's Night and Day. 1934. 107 min. VH1/GAYD-0001.

George Gershwin Remembered. Peter Adam's tape includes performance clips of Fred. 1987. 86 min. VH2/GEOR-0006.

George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey. George Stevens, Jr. profiles his father, who directed Fred in A Damsel in Distress. 1985. 111 min. VH2/GEOR-0004.

Holiday Inn. Bing Crosby joins Fred to sing Irving Berlin songs, including the Oscar-winning White Christmas. Mark Sandrich directed. 1942. 101 min. VH1/HOLI-0004.

Let's Dance. Fred helps his dance partner, war widow Betty Hutton, win custody of her young son from his grandmother. Norman Z. MacLeod directed. 1950. 112 min. VH1/LETS-0001.

On the Beach. Fred played his first dramatic role in this account of nuclear war survivors. Stanley Kramer's movie co-stars Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Anthony Perkins. 1959. 135 min. VH1/ONTH-0003.

Roberta. Fred and Ginger appear with Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott in William A. Seiter's movie. Jerome Kern songs include Lovely to Look At and Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. 1935. 106 min. VH1/ROBE-0001 or -0003.

Royal Wedding. Fred dances on the ceiling to You're All the World to Me in Stanley Donen's Lerner & Lowe musical, which co-stars Jane Powell and Peter Lawford. 1951. 93 min. VH1/ROYA-0001.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. Fred narrates Arthur Rankin, Jr.'s holiday cartoon. 1970. 53 min. VH9/SANT-0001.

Second Chorus. Big band musicians Astaire and Burgess Meredith vie for Paulette Goddard in H.C. Potter's film. 1940. 83 min. VH1/SECO-0001.

Shall We Dance. Dance team Astaire and Rogers pretend to be married in Mark Sandrich's film. Gershwin songs include Let's Call the Whole Thing Off and They Can't Take That Away From Me. 1937. 116 min. VH1/SHAL-0001.

The Sky's the Limit. Edward H. Griffith's WWII-era musical co-stars Joan Leslie, Robert Benchley and Robert Ryan. Fred sings One for My Baby and My Shining Hour. 1943. 89 min. VH1/SKYS-0001.

Silk Stockings. Rouben Mamoulian's musical remake of Ninotchka (VH1/NINO-1) co-stars Cyd Charisse as a Russian agent in Paris. Cole Porter's score includes All of You and I've Got You Under My Skin. 1957. 117 min. VH1/SILK-0001.

The Story of Vernon & Irene Castle. Fred and Ginger star in H.C. Potter's biography of the dance team. 1939. 93 min. VH1/STOR-0002.

Swing Time. George Steven's movie features songs by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields (A Fine Romance, The Way You Look Tonight) and Fred's tribute to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. 1936. 103 min. VH1/SWIN-0001.

That's Dancing! Jack Haley, Jr.'s compilation also features Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor, Ginger Rogers, and Cyd Charisse. 1985. 105 min. VH2/THAT-0008.

That's Entertainment! Astaire, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, and others host Jack Haley, Jr.'s tribute to MGM musicals. 1974. 132 min. VH2/THAT-0004.

That's Entertainment, Part II. Astaire and Gene Kelly host this salute to the great musicals and comedies of yesteryear. Kelly also directed. 1976. 129 min. VH2/THAT-0007.

That's Entertainment! III. Bud Friedgan and Michael J. Sheridan's collection of rarities and outtakes from MGM musicals features a discarded Astaire dance routine. 1994. 113 min. VH2/THAT-0006.

Three Little Words. Astaire and Red Skelton play songwriters Kalmar and Ruby in Richard Thorpe's biopic. Songs include Who's Sorry Now? and Thinking of You. 1950. 102 min. VH1/THRE-0003 or -0026.

Top Hat. Mark Sandrich's comedy of mistaken identity stars Fred and Ginger, Eric Blore, and Edward Everett Horton, and includes Irving Berlin's Cheek to Cheek and Isn't This a Lovely Day to Be Caught in the Rain. 1935. 99 min. VH1/TOPH-0001.

Yolanda and the Thief. Con-men Johnny Parkson Riggs (Fred) and Victor Budlow Trout (Frank Morgan) plan to fleece Yolanda (Lucille Bremer), the wealthiest girl in the mythical South American land of Patria. Vincente Minnelli directed. 1945. 109 min. VH1/YOLA-0002.

You Were Never Lovelier. Nightclub dancer Astaire woos Rita Hayworth, daughter of tycoon Adolphe Menjou. Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer contributed Dearly Beloved and I'm Old-Fashioned. William A. Seiter directed. 1942. 98 min. VH1/YOUW-0001.

You'll Never Get Rich. The show must go on, even when star performer Fred is drafted! Sidney Lanfield's musical features Rita Hayworth, Robert Benchley, and Cole Porter tunes like Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye and So Near and So Far. 1941. 88 min. VH1/YOUL-0001 or -0002.

You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story. Allan Albert's tribute includes Fred and Ginger singing Night and Day. 1990. 56 min. VH2/YOUR-0001.

The Ziegfeld Follies. Astaire dances with Gene Kelly in this all-star collection, directed by Vincente Minnelli and others. 1946. 110 min. VH1/ZIEG-0001 or -0003.

Fred Astaire Sings (and Taps!) on CD

American Songbook Series: George Gershwin includes Fred singing Fascinating Rhythm and They Can't Take That Away from Me. CD2/GERS-0002.

American Songbook Series: Irving Berlin includes Fred performing Easter Parade, Putting' on the Ritz and Cheek to Cheek. CD2/BERL-0003.

The Astaire Story. Oscar Peterson and band join Fred for 38 songs in a 2-disc set from 1952. CD2/ASTA-0006.

Best of Fred Astaire from MGM Classic Films collects 10 tunes from Easter Parade, The Barkleys of Broadway, The Band Wagon, and Silk Stockings. CD2/ASTA-0002.

Easter Parade. Fred duets with Judy Garland on A Couple of Swells, I Love a Piano, Snooky Ookums, and more. CD4/EAST-0001.

The Envelope Please: Academy Award Winning Songs includes Fred crooning The Continental and The Way You Look Tonight. CD2/ACAD-0001.

An Evening with Fred Astaire. Fred sings 31 songs (Lady Be Good, A Foggy Day, Funny Face, Easter Parade, etc.) in this 1960 performance. CD2/ASTA-0003.

A Fine Romance compiles 20 hits from Fred's films of the 1930s. CD2/ASTA-0008.

Fred Astaire Rarities. 16 songs including vocals by Adele Astaire and Ginger Rogers. CD2/ASTA-0007.

Fred Astaire Sings offers 10 selections by Berlin, Gershwin and Mercer. CD2/ASTA-0009.

Holiday Inn. Bing Crosby joins Fred for 37 Irving Berlin numbers like White Christmas. CD4/HOLI-0001.

Irving Berlin: A Hundred Years. Fred croons Cheek to Cheek. CD2/BERL-0002.

Irving Berlin 100th Anniversary Collection includes Fred with Puttin' on the Ritz. CD2/BERL-0001.

The Irving Berlin Songbook. Oscar Peterson and band accompany Fred on Puttin' on the Ritz, No Strings, Cheek to Cheek, and 7 others. CD2/BERL-0001.

On Stage includes John Williams and the Boston Pops' "Salute to Fred Astaire." CD4/BOST-0004.

Oscar Peterson & Friends includes Fred sitting in on No Strings. CD3/PETE-0025.

Shall We Dance: Fred Astaire, 1926 to 1937 assembles 16 tunes. CD2/ASTA-0005.

Three Evenings with Fred Astaire and Astairable Fred. The singer performs 3 medleys and 13 songs. CD2/ASTA-0004.

Fred Astaire in Print

To learn more about the master song and dance man, read Fred Astaire's autobiography, Steps in Time (B Astaire), Sarah Giles' Fred Astaire: His Friends Talk (OV 791.4302 Astaire G), Edward Gallafent's Astaire & Rogers (791.4302 Astaire G), Stanley Green and Burt Goldblatt's Starring Fred Astaire (OV 791.4302 Astaire G), John E. Mueller's Astaire Dancing: The Musical Films (OV 791.4302 Astaire M), and Bob Thomas' Astaire: The Man, the Dancer (791.4302 Astaire T or Large Type B Astaire T). Fred gets involved in a murder in Stuart Kaminsky's mystery, Dancing in the Dark (MYS FIC Kaminsky).

List compiled by Jonathan Guildroy

October 2002