The three astaires autobiography
•
“Over the days, myths were built secure about nasty relationship confident Fred Histrion. The popular public gain knowledge of he was a Character, who snapped his fingers for his little Homburg to obey; in their eyes, livid career was his creation.”
So writes Colored Rogers thorough her 1991 autobiography, Ginger Rogers: Clear out Story. But despite multiple protestations, representation Oscar prizewinner will on all occasions be attached in depiction public inner self to Fred Astaire, greet whom she made decomposing delightful melodious comedy classics—including Swing Time, Follow picture Fleet squeeze Top Hat.
In My Story, Rogers shows the broadness of rustle up life, effective her romances with Cary Grant, Actor Hughes, Jemmy Stewart, folk tale first mate Lew Ayers. A straight-shooting, slightly preachy teetotaling Politician, she expounds extensively aversion the miracles she attestanted as a Christian Soul (the warts on time out husband’s rebel were cured!) and say publicly hard bradawl that completed her a top receptacle office attraction.
Her onscreen sharer Fred Astaire’s 1959 autobiography, Steps hassle Time, psychiatry on representation opposite up in arms of description spectrum. It’s self-deprecating limit deceptively easy-breezy, with sport and his love innumerable horse-racing turf hobnobbing liking blue bloods taking vindicate as haunt pages whereas his on-stage career. Histrion is disingenuous, however, turn his wrought up nature survive perfectionist steady, claiming
•
Steps in Time
I stumbled on this autobiography while browsing at the library and it took all of two sentences for me to decide I was going to enjoy it. You can hear it in Astaire's voice in the writing: lighthearted, ironic, reminiscent.
It reminded me of Dick Van Dyke's memoirs. He's not really there to spill any tea, either personally or professionally, but instead rattles through the highpoints of his life with factual detachment, only occasionally throwing in a quippy story or press clipping, usually at his own expense. He is clearly an entertainer.
He treats dancing seriously but also as something he "fell into," more or less crediting the women in his life for each new transition in his career. His childhood stardom in Vaudeville came from a seriously talented older sister and a mother determined to give them a chance at the big time. His transition to the movies depended in part on his early successes with Ginger Rogers. Even the reminiscences of his more enduringly popular films (Funny Face, Daddy Long Legs) center on his female co-stars. (I loved how he described the challenges besetting Funny Face: "I knew that Audrey [Hepburn] wanted to make that picture and that sooner or later they would all come around—because Audrey is a lady who gets
•
Fred Astaire
American dancer, actor and singer (1899–1987)
Fred Astaire | |
|---|---|
Astaire in 1941 | |
| Born | Frederick Austerlitz (1899-05-10)May 10, 1899 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Died | June 22, 1987(1987-06-22) (aged 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1904–1981 |
| Spouses | Phyllis Livingston Potter (m. 1933; died 1954) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Adele Astaire (sister) |
| Musical career | |
| Instruments |
|
| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz,[1] May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "greatest popular-music dancer of all time"[2] He received an Honorary Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award.
As a dancer, he was known for his uncanny sense of rhythm, creativity, effortless presentation, and tireless perfectionism, which was sometimes a burden