Frederick Austerlitz

He was born May 10, 1899. Was a kid in a brother-sister act in vaudeville, and broke big in the theater. Rumor has it that Adele was the real star of the act, and he almost quit after she quit the act to get married.

Introducing Fred to the movies: It's hard to believe he didn't immediately pack up and leave Hollywood after this, his film debut, but fortunately for us, he stuck it out. Key thing: look at how his head is held up at all times, and how she keeps looking at either his feet or her feet. That's not acting; that's being Joan Crawford in a dance number with Fred Astaire.

His best partner? Some say it was the one with whom he made it to the top:



But, obviously, this was his best partner, if you're just talking about dancing skill:



If you go to 2:34 in this clip, you'll see one of the last times he ever danced on film. Watch it without a tear in your eye, if you can. Coppola knew how to frame an exit. (Fred did do a little more hoofing in That's Entertainment Part 2, but it wasn't quite the same. It was sort of fun, though.)

We can say, with complete certainty, that there will never again be anyone like Fred Astaire. The world in which he could arise is long gone. No one will ever dance that way again. No one could. Thank God for movies, and the fact that we can still watch him whenever we want.
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