Fred Astaire
Known for Acting · 122 credits
- Born
- 1899-05-10
- Died
- 1987-06-22
- Place of birth
- Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Also known as
- Frederic Austerlitz Jr. · Frederick Austerlitz
Biography
Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, singer, actor and choreographer. He is widely regarded as the most influential dancer in the history of film. Born as Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 10, 1899, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz, a brewer, he entered show business at age 5. He was successful in vaudeville and on Broadway as well as in London's West End together with his sister Adele, a partnership that lasted 27 years. After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. Signed to RKO, he was loaned to MGM to appear in Dancing Lady (1933) before starting work on RKO's Flying Down to Rio (1933). In the latter film, he was teamed with Ginger Rogers, with whom he worked in 9 RKO pictures. Astaire later appeared opposite a number of partners, including Cyd Charisse, Rita Hayworth, Vera-Ellen and Barrie Chase. Astaire remained active well into old age, starring in musicals through 1968, and also performed a number of straight dramatic roles in film and TV. Throughout his career, he was also active in recording and radio. He died of pneumonia on June 22, 1987 in Los Angeles.
Known For
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self / Self (archive footage)
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self - Guest / Self - Co-Host
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as Fred Addams
Omnibus
1967
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee /Presenter
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
TV Shows (26)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self / Self (archive footage)
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self - Guest / Self - Co-Host
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
1963
as Fred Addams
Omnibus
1967
Golden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee /Presenter
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
What's My Line?
1950
as Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
Dr. Kildare
1961
as Joe Quinlan
Dinah!
1974
as Self
The Steve Allen Show
1956
as Self
Film '72
1971
as Self
The Oscars
1953
as Self
It Takes a Thief
1968
as Alister Mundy / Alistair Mundy (voice) (uncredited)
Cinépanorama
1956
as Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
MGM Parade
1955
as actor 'Broadway Melody of 1940' (archive footage) (uncredited) / Performer in 'Ziegfeld Follies'
Battlestar Galactica
1978
as Chameleon / Captain Dimitri
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
Talking Pictures
2013
as Self (archive footage)
Alcoa Premiere
1961
as Self - Host
The Emmy Awards
1949
as Self
Hollywood and the Stars
1963
as Self (archive footage)
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
1987
as Self
General Electric Theater
1953
as J. Willingham Bardley / Paul Ashcroft
Fred Astaire
1980
as Self
Movies (96)
The Towering Inferno
1974
as Harlee Claiborne
Daddy Long Legs
1955
as Jervis Pendleton III
Blue Skies
1946
as Jed Potter
Silk Stockings
1957
as Steve Canfield
Funny Face
1957
as Dick Avery
That's Entertainment!
1974
as Self - Host / Narrator
That's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Satin and Silk
2003
as Self (archive footage)
On the Beach
1959
as Julian Osborn
Vaudeville
1997
as Self (archive footage)
The Band Wagon
1953
as Tony Hunter
La La La
2018
as Various Roles (archive footage)
Sem Título #1: Dance of Leitfossil
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Holiday Inn
1942
as Ted Hanover
Easter Parade
1948
as Don Hewes
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
1990
as Various Roles (archive footage)
Let's Dance
1950
as Donald Elwood
Twenty Years After
1944
as (archive footage)
Ghost Story
1981
as Ricky Hawthorne
You Were Never Lovelier
1942
as Robert Davis
Top Hat
1935
as Jerry Travers
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as Self - Co-Host / Narrator
The Notorious Landlady
1962
as Franklyn Ambruster
Gene Kelly - An American in Hollywood
2025
as Self (archive footage)
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
2014
as Self (archive footage)
Imagine
1972
as Self
Royal Wedding
1951
as Tom Bowen
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
1970
as S.D. Kluger (voice)
The Gay Divorcee
1934
as Guy Holden
That's Dancing!
1985
as Self (archive footage)
Showbiz Goes to War
1982
as Self (archive footage)
Shall We Dance
1937
as Petrov
Flying Down to Rio
1933
as Fred Ayres
The Amazing Dobermans
1976
as Daniel Hughes
Second Chorus
1941
as Danny O'Neill
Hooray for Hollywood
1976
as Self (archive footage)
Audrey Hepburn: Remembered
1993
as Self (archive footage)
Ziegfeld Follies
1945
as Fred Astaire / Raffles / Tai Long / Gentleman
Finian's Rainbow
1968
as Finian McLonergan
Broadway Melody of 1940
1940
as Johnny Brett
Swing Time
1936
as Lucky Garnett
The Fred Astaire Songbook
1991
as Self (archive footage)
Fred Astaire donne le 'la'
2017
as Self (archive footage)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
as Self (archive footage)
Dancing Lady
1933
as Fred Astaire
Complicated Women
2003
as Self (archive footage)
Doris Day: It's Magic
1998
as Self
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
1970
as The Baltimore Kid
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as (archive footage)
The Barkleys of Broadway
1949
as Josh Barkley
A Damsel in Distress
1937
as Jerry Halliday
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town
1977
as S.D. Kluger (narrator) (voice)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
as Self (archive footage)
You'll Never Get Rich
1941
as Robert Curtis
Follow the Fleet
1936
as Bake Baker
A Bing Crosby Christmas
1998
as Self (archive footage)
The Sky's the Limit
1943
as Fred Atwell (Fred Burton)
Three Little Words
1950
as Bert Kalmar
A Family Upside Down
1978
as Ted Long
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
1990
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
2009
as (archive footage)
The Lion Roars Again
1975
as Self
Sid & Judy
2019
as Self (archive footage)
The Purple Taxi
1977
as Dr. Seamus Scully
Yolanda and the Thief
1945
as Johnny Parkson Riggs
Roberta
1935
as Huck Haines
The Pleasure of His Company
1961
as Biddeford 'Pogo' Poole
An Evening with Fred Astaire
1958
as Self
The Belle of New York
1952
as Charlie Hill
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
2000
as Self (archive footage)
Astaire and Rogers Sing the Great American Songbook
2010
as Self (archive footage)
Astaire Time
1960
as Self
Easter Parade: On the Avenue
2005
as Self (Archive Footage)
Midas Run
1969
as John Pedley
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Carefree
1938
as Tony Flagg
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
1985
as Self
Flashing Spikes
1962
as Narrator
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)
Another Evening with Fred Astaire
1959
as Self
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
1939
as Vernon Castle
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli
1973
as Self (archive footage)
The Fred Astaire Show
1968
as Self - Host
The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
1979
as Santa Claus
Stars of Cabaret
1956
as Self (archive footage)
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
1942
as Self
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
2003
The World Premiere of 'Finian's Rainbow'
1968
as Self
S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin
1972
as Self
Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm
2006
as Various / Self (archive footage)
Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire
2017
as Self (archive footage)
"All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After
2006
as Archive Footage
Perspectives: For the Love of Fred Astaire
2015
as (archive footage)
About Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, singer, actor and choreographer. He is widely regarded as the most influential dancer in the history of film. Born as Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 10, 1899, to Johanna (Geilus) and Fritz, a brewer, he entered show business at age 5. He was successful in vaudeville and on Broadway as well as in London's West End together with his sister Adele, a partnership that lasted 27 years. After Adele retired to marry in 1932, Astaire headed to Hollywood. Signed to RKO,… With 122 credits spanning from 1933 to 2025, Fred Astaire has appeared in 96 films and 26 TV shows.
Fans searching for Fred Astaire movies, Fred Astaire filmography, or the latest projects starring Fred Astaire can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Fred Astaire Movies
- The Towering Inferno (1974) — as Harlee Claiborne
- Daddy Long Legs (1955) — as Jervis Pendleton III
- Blue Skies (1946) — as Jed Potter
- Silk Stockings (1957) — as Steve Canfield
- Funny Face (1957) — as Dick Avery
Where to Watch Fred Astaire Films
Most Fred Astaire movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Fred Astaire, check our movies catalogue and browse page.