[“Dancer Fred Astaire clad in top hat, tails & spats vaulting off his cane as he does a climatic jump in ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ number for the movie Blue Skies.” Photograph by Bob Landry. November 29, 1945. From the Life Photo Archive. Click for a larger view.]
Fred might have wished for a private image different from his public one but he couldn’t quite pull it off. The adjectives applied to him were true. He was a good fellow — never a guy. F. A. bowed out at the right time. But I shall miss him terribly. Me and the world.Fred Astaire died on June 22, 1987, twenty-five years ago today.
Richard McKenzie, son-in-law to Astaire, quoted in Kathleen Riley, The Astaires: Fred & Adele (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012).
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comments: 8
Astaire was one of those truly rare people who seem, to me, utterly peerless in every way. I admit to knowing nothing about dance, and while there is no short list of incredible performers, Astaire seems to define and occupy his own space—and not just for his time, but for all time.
Harkening back to a previous post that invoked Wittgenstein, perhaps W's words might apply here as well: in the case of Fred Astaire, rather than try and put it into words I should let it "pass over in silence", and just watch.
One esp. pleasant moment of teaching: showing the “Pick Yourself Up” clip from Swing Time to students who’d never (with perhaps one exception) seen Astaire and Rogers. You’re right — no words, just joy and possibly tears.
Fred Astaire was also very kind and generous to his fellow performers and was known to be encouraging to his costars. Because he was able to be persuaded to come out of retirement to replace that vain prima donna Gene Kelly (who was injured) in Easter Parade, he saved the movie. Judy Garland (who died in London 43 years ago yesterday of an accidental overdose of God knows what) would have been the first to agree.
Following a recommendation from my dad, we just watched Girl Crazy. Last night we caught, by chance, an American Masters about Judy Garland, not realizing that there was a point to its timing. Now we better get Easter Parade.
Fred deserves better than thisbetter than this, but you have to go with the vid you have, not the vid you wished you had.
No extra charge for the vie of the back of my gray, balding head.
Cheers!
JzB
That’s a clever arrangement. Which back of the head is yours?
The one to the right.
Cheers!
JzB
Here's the arrangement.
I says for 4 tenor trombones, but you really need a bass on the 4th part.
Page view.
Cheers!
JzB
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