May 10th: Fred Astaire

Dancer and film star Fred Astaire was born on this date in 1899. 10 things you may not know about Fred Astaire:

1. While you probably know that Fred Astaire's real name was Frederick Austerlitz, You may not know that the name change was his mother's idea. Mrs Austerlitz was a typical pushy parent who saw her talented children (Fred and his sister, Adele) as a way out of their humdrum life in Nebraska. She thought "Austerlitz" sounded like the name of a battle. There was an uncle called L'Astaire, so the act was named after him.
2. The young Fred actually refused to take dancing lessons with his sister at first, but soon found himself copying her steps.
3. Fred's first stage appearance with Adele was in a show with the catchy title of Juvenile Artists Presenting an Electric Musical Toe-Dancing Novelty. He was dressed in a top hat and tails for the first half, to make him look taller, and was dressed as a lobster in the second half. The local paper wrote, "the Astaires are the greatest child act in vaudeville."
4. He did not do so well in screen tests for films. Fred and Adele were turned down flat by Paramount, who deemed them unsuitable for films. When he auditioned by himself, after Adele married and left the act, the report on his performance was "Can't sing. Can't act. Balding. Can dance a little." However, Astaire's performance won over David O. Selznick, who wrote in a memo: "I am uncertain about the man, but I feel, in spite of his enormous ears and bad chin line, that his charm is so tremendous that it comes through even on this wretched test."
5. When it was suggested that he and Ginger Rogers became a dance team, Astaire wasn't keen. In a letter to his agent, he wrote, "I don't mind making another picture with her, but as for this 'team' idea, it's 'out!' I've just managed to live down one partnership and I don't want to be bothered with any more." Nevertheless, the pair went on to make 10 films together.
6. Astaire was a great fan of horse racing and owned racehorses himself, with some success. In 1946 his horse Triplicate won the Hollywood Gold Cup and San Juan Capistrano Handicap.
7. Fred Astaire was the first artist to be entered into the Internet Movie Database.
8. He would curl his middle fingers while dancing in order to disguise the fact that he had very large hands.
9. He remained fit and active late into life. At the age of 78, he broke his wrist while riding his grandson's skateboard.
10. There has never been a film made of the life of Fred Astaire. In his lifetime, he was adamant that he did not want his life to be misinterpreted, as he was sure would happen in a Hollywood movie. He felt so strongly about it that he even included a clause in his will that his life would never be made into a film.