Cast & creator
Fred Astaire
Best known for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Mike Douglas Show, The Mike Douglas Show
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.
Also known as: Frederic Austerlitz Jr., Frederick Austerlitz
106
film credits
32
television credits
129
1933–2025 · acting roles
6.9
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (138)
Showing 138 of 138 credits
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Guest
1961The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961
What's My Line?
Self
1950
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee /Presenter
1944
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968
Dr. Kildare
Joe Quinlan
1961Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
Fred Addams
1963
Omnibus
1967
Dinah!
Self
1974
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948Film '72
Self
1971
The Steve Allen Show
Self
1956
The Oscars
Self
1953
Parkinson
Self - Guest / Performer (archive footage)
2004Parkinson
Self - Guest (archive footage)
2004
Battlestar Galactica
Chameleon / Captain Dimitri
1978
Cinépanorama
Self
1956
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978
MGM Parade
actor 'Broadway Melody of 1940' (archive footage) (uncredited)
1955MGM Parade
Performer in 'Ziegfeld Follies'
1955
It Takes a Thief
Alister Mundy
1968It Takes a Thief
Alistair Mundy (voice) (uncredited)
1968
Alcoa Premiere
Self - Host
1961
Talking Pictures
Self (archive footage)
2013
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
1973
The Emmy Awards
Self
1949
The Towering Inferno
Harlee Claiborne
1974
Funny Face
Dick Avery
1957Funny Face
Choreographer
1957
General Electric Theater
J. Willingham Bardley
1953General Electric Theater
Paul Ashcroft
1953
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Thanks
1985
Hollywood and the Stars
Self (archive footage)
1963
The RKO Story: Tales From Hollywood
Self
1987
On the Beach
Julian Osborn
1959
Paris When It Sizzles
Vocals
1964
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
S.D. Kluger (voice)
1970
Flying Down to Rio
Fred Ayres
1933
Ghost Story
Ricky Hawthorne
1981
The Band Wagon
Tony Hunter
1953
Daddy Long Legs
Jervis Pendleton III
1955Daddy Long Legs
Choreographer
1955
Top Hat
Jerry Travers
1935
You Were Never Lovelier
Robert Davis
1942
Holiday Inn
Ted Hanover
1942
That's Entertainment, Part II
Self - Host
1976
The Barkleys of Broadway
Josh Barkley
1949
Dancing Lady
Fred Astaire
1933
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1994
The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town
S.D. Kluger (voice)
1977
Royal Wedding
Tom Bowen
1951
Broadway Melody of 1940
Johnny Brett
1940
Silk Stockings
Steve Canfield
1957
The Gay Divorcee
Guy Holden
1934
The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli
Self (archive footage)
1973
You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story
Self (archive footage)
1990
You'll Never Get Rich
Robert Curtis
1941
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle
Vernon Castle
1939
Finian's Rainbow
Finian McLonergan
1968
Easter Parade
Don Hewes
1948Easter Parade
Choreographer
1948
Swing Time
Lucky Garnett
1936
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Self (archive footage)
2009
That's Entertainment!
Self - Host / Narrator
1974
Ziegfeld Follies
Fred Astaire / Raffles / Tai Long / Gentleman
1945
Blue Skies
Jed Potter
1946
Follow the Fleet
Bake Baker
1936
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self (archive footage)
1995
George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey
Self
1985
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
1972The Lion Roars Again
Self
1975
That's Dancing!
Self (archive footage)
1985
The Sky's the Limit
Fred Atwell (Fred Burton)
1943The Sky's the Limit
Choreographer
1943
Showbiz Goes to War
Self (archive footage)
1982
Imagine
Self
1972
Yolanda and the Thief
Johnny Parkson Riggs
1945
Shall We Dance
Petrov
1937
Get Aboard! 'The Band Wagon'
Self (archive footage)
2005
A Family Upside Down
Ted Long
1978
The Notorious Landlady
Franklyn Ambruster
1962
Three Little Words
Bert Kalmar
1950
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again
The Baltimore Kid
1970
The Belle of New York
Charlie Hill
1952
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
1944
Doris Day: It's Magic
Self
1998
A Damsel in Distress
Jerry Halliday
1937Fred Astaire
Self
1980
Sem Título #1: Dance of Leitfossil
Self (archive footage)
2014
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
(archive footage)
2009
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Self
1942
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
2009
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
Various Roles (archive footage)
1990
Audrey Hepburn: Remembered
Self (archive footage)
1993
The Fred Astaire Songbook
Self (archive footage)
1991
The Man in the Santa Claus Suit
Santa Claus
1979
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Satin and Silk
Self (archive footage)
2003
Gene Kelly: An American in Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2025
The Pleasure of His Company
Biddeford 'Pogo' Poole
1961
The Purple Taxi
Dr. Seamus Scully
1977
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
Self (archive footage)
2000
Sid & Judy
Self (archive footage)
2019
Second Chorus
Danny O'Neill
1941
A Bing Crosby Christmas
Self (archive footage)
1998
Carefree
Tony Flagg
1938
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
2003
Vaudeville
Self (archive footage)
1997
Fred Astaire donne le 'la'
Self (archive footage)
2017
An Evening with Fred Astaire
Self
1958An Evening with Fred Astaire
Executive Producer
1958
Let's Dance
Donald Elwood
1950
La La La
Various Roles (archive footage)
2018
The World Premiere of 'Finian's Rainbow'
Self
1968Reunited at MGM: Astaire and Rogers Together Again
Self (archive footage)
2005
Midas Run
Pedley
1969Easter Parade: On the Avenue
Self (Archive Footage)
2005
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin
Self
1972Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
2003
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
Self (archive footage)
2014
South of Reno
1988
Stars of Cabaret
Self (archive footage)
1956
Another Evening with Fred Astaire
Self
1959
Astaire and Rogers: Partners in Rhythm
Various / Self (archive footage)
2006
Astaire Time
Self
1960Astaire Time
Producer
1960
Flashing Spikes
Narrator
1962
Roberta
Huck Haines
1935Roberta
Choreographer
1935
The Amazing Dobermans
Daniel Hughes
1976
The Fred Astaire Show
Self - Host
1968
"All -Singing All-Dancing" Before And After
Archive Footage
2006Perspectives: For the Love of Fred Astaire
(archive footage)
2015
Darcey Bussell: Looking for Fred Astaire
Self (archive footage)
2017
Astaire and Rogers Sing the Great American Songbook
Self (archive footage)
2010