This Day in Tap History - Fred Astaire

Stacie Strong | May 10, 2008 | 0

On May 10, 1899, Mrs. Austerlitz gave birth to a little baby named Fred in Omaha, Nebraska.  Seven years and one name change later, little Fred Austerlitz hit the stage as Fred Astaire, partnering his older sister Adele in a popular brother-sister act that would endure until Adele's marriage in 1932.  Although modern audiences know Fred Astaire for his on-screen partnering of Ginger Rogers, he was equally (and in some cases even more) suited to dance with hats, canes, coat racks, firecrackers, sports equipment and animated mice.

Here's Fred in one of my favorite numbers, though some of you may like the clip after the jump more.

Though many people say that Fred Astaire was one of the best tap dancers who ever lived, that claim is debatable.  It's unclear how well Astaire would measure up to Baby Laurence, Honi Coles or Gregory Hines, let alone to today's headliners, such as Savion Glover and Jason Samuels Smith.  What is undeniable is that Fred Astaire helped make tap dance one of the most popular dance forms of the 20th century.  His style, grace, charisma, talent and innovation were undeniable, and were matched, perhaps, only by an intense work ethic that drove him to rehearse hour after hour and do take after take until every element of the dance was just right.

Fred learned his craft as a youngster, working with Adele in vaudeville and donning what would become his trademark - top hat and tails - in the opening number of their first act (later in the show, he wore a lobster suit, which happily did not reoccur in the future).  The duo made their Broadway debut in 1917 and could be seen on the stages of New York and London throughout the 1920s and 1930s.  During this time, moving pictures were beginning to make their mark on the world, and Astaire eventually did a screen test that famously yielded the following report:  "Can't act.  Can't sing.  Balding.  Can dance a little."

Still, he managed to get himself cast in a Dolores Del Rio film called Flying Down to Rio in 1933.  Although he shared fifth billing with a young starlet named Ginger Rogers, the two stole the show with their dancing, and one of the world's most famous partnerships was born.  The two made ten films together, and even though Astaire partnered some of Hollywood's top stars - including Rita Hayworth (a skilled dancer and reputedly his favorite partner), Judy Garland, Leslie Caron and Cyd Charisse - his name will always be linked with that of Rogers.

One partnership that didn't typically make it onto the screen was that between Astaire and his longtime co-choreographer, Hermes Pan.  Though they appeared onscreen in one number together with Paulette Goddard, in the 1940 film Second Chorus (their only duet ended up on the cutting room floor), it was their behind-the-camera collaboration that made dance history.  Together, the two worked on 17 of Astaire's 31 motion pictures and 3 of his 4 television specials, creating dances that have more than endured the test of time.  Not only did Pan rehearse with Astaire (a tough task, given the hours that Astaire put in), Pan also recorded the sound of Rogers's taps in post-production.

Astaire's creativity knew no bounds (he allegedly started a full-fledged revolution in men's fashion by wearing neckties as belts), and some of his greatest and most long lasting achievements had nothing to do with dance.  Instead, they involved photography.  In the early days of film musicals, dancers were shot from the waist up, with only a few full-body shots cut in to give some idea of what was going on with the feet.  Astaire insisted that his dances always be shot showing the entire body, allowing the audience to see the entirety of his choreography.  Astaire was also a fan of the single take, in which the dance is shot seamlessly from beginning to end.  Of course, this style of photography spotlighted Astaire's talent and virtuosity, while simultaneously showing up other dancers by comparison, since a single-shot dancer had to get the whole dance right, from beginning to end.  

Astaire won a number of honors during his life, including Emmy awards, Golden Globe awards, a Grammy award and an honorary Oscar, but perhaps his greatest tribute comes from the praise of his peers.  Whether it be classically trained dancers such as Rudolf Nureyev, Margot Fonteyn, George Balanchine and Mikhail Barishnikov or fellow tap dancers such as the Nicholas Brothers and Gene Kelly, everyone in the dance world has always come to the same conclusion - Astaire was quite simply the best.

And if you need more convincing - here's Astaire with Eleanor Powell, one of the best female tappers of all time, doing a lightning-fast duet in Broadway Melody of 1940.

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