Fred Astaire (1899 – 1987)
American film and stage dancer, actor, singer and choreographer.
It's unmatched perfection. It's a taste, understanding of his strength, and weaknesses in a way. He was not a sexual animal, but he made his partners look so extraordinarily related to him.
For a guy who had retired ostensibly, your comeback represents the greatest event since Satchel Paige.
Old is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young
Either the camera will dance, or I will.
Can't act, slightly bald, also dances.
There never was a greater perfectionist, there never was, and never will be, a better dancer, and I never knew anybody more kind, more considerate, or more completely a gentleman...I love Fred, John, and I admire and respect him. I guess it's because he's so many things I'd like to be and I'm not.
He is terribly rare. He is like Bach, who in his time had a great concentration of ability, essence, knowledge, a spread of music. Astaire has that same concentration of genius; there is so much of the dance in him that it has been distilled.
Fred Astaire is the best singer of songs the movie world ever knew. His phrasing has individual sophistication that is utterly charming. Presumably the runner-up would be Bing Crosby, a wonderful fellow, though he doesn't have the unstressed elegance of Astaire.
You can get dancers like this for 75$ a week.
The history of dance on film begins with Astaire.
Just try and keep up with those feet of his sometime! Try and look graceful while thinking where your right hand should be, and how your head should be held, and which foot you end the next eight bars on, and whether you're near enough to the steps to leap up six of them backward without looking. Not to mention those Astaire rhythms. Did you ever count the different tempos he can think up in three minutes?
I have had to do most of my choreography. I would say most of it, with help from various choreographers I have worked with.