The Gay Divorcee

Fred Astaire is considered the greatest popular dancer of his time. He made his debut at the age of seven accompanied by his older sister Adele on the vaudeville Keith-Orpheum circuit. The brother-sister team made their Broadway debut in Over the Top (1916). For more than a decade, they performed in musicals on Broadway and in London, including George Gershwin's Lady Be Good (1925).

An extraordinary tap, theater, and ballroom dancer, Astaire soon turned his attention to film, in which he became accessible to millions. His first picture was with Joan Crawford in Dancing Lady in 1933. That same year, Astaire teamed up with Ginger Rogers in Flying Down to Rio. As the most successful dance team in films, Astaire and Rogers made numerous pictures, including Top Hat (1935), Swing Time (1936), and Shall We Dance (1937). During his successful film career, Astaire also danced with Rita Hayworth, Eleanor Powell, and Cyd Charisse. Astaire's dancing displayed technical skill and sophistication.

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