Fred Astaire Books

Croce's book focuses upon the dances within each film. Her understanding of the wide range of the Astaire-Rogers filmed dance legacy, and her knowledge of what it took to achieve such excellence in performance...make this book one of the two or three main literary sources on the great dance pair. Astaire-Pan-Rogers, and Born were the team that created a choreographic wellspring, over 10 films, of highly elegant, energetic, and graceful dancing. The likes of this pair, made in heaven, is not likely to be seen soon again. They were the best, the top of the top...and they knew it. Arlene Croce succeeds in this insightful and informational book in explaining why, through dance, and personality, and professionalism, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers continue to appeal to such a universal audience.

This retro-review is for,sadly,the now out of print 1987 paperback edition of "The Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Book".This is a re-released edition by Obelisk Books in 1987 and pretty much looks like the original hardcover edition printed in 1972 throughout.
I was really shocked to see that this book had gone out of print,for it is THE essential volume for any Fred Astaire fan,and especially those interested in his period with Ginger Rogers.
Like the original hardcover edition this one carries on with the "flip" pictures in the top right and left corners of the book.That is there are a series of incremental pictures that if one flips through at a causal speed,they can see Astaire and Rogers dancing in two different numbers.A nice little touch.
The best thing about this book though is how the author approaches her subject matter.She starts off the book giving us a short but well rounded look at both subjects and careers pre-teaming.Like the rest of the book you know here is a person who knows her subject matter inside and out and never writes DOWN to the reader.She writes more like a friend imparting details and essential background material on a subject you both love.
After the intro(about 18 pages) we come to the heart of the book,the film by film look at the ten benchmark motion pictures made starring Astaire and Rogers.
Each chapter is divided into four areas.First are the detailed production and acting credits.Second comes "The Film",thirdly "The Numbers" and lastly "Production".This is repeated for each chapter/film throughout the book and the details and knowledge she imparts are invaluable to any serious student of this dancing duo.Her prose are definitely not dry by any stretch and she keeps you riveted to the page throughout.
Here is an example from her chapter on "Roberta",where she is talking about one of the big numbers from the film,"Hard to Handle":
"The context for the number is an informal session on the dance floor of the Cafe' Russe,the audience for it consists of bartenders and cleaning women,and the beauty of it is that it really seems to be happening for the first time-it's like a moment of cinema verite' bursting through the surface of a polished commercial film.
We've all seen numbers in musicals that start in this supercasual way- and the "impromptu" walked-right-into number became a staple of the Astaire-Rogers repertory-but how many times,no matter how good the routine or how sophisticated our response,it happens that we feel a little stab in our childish hearts-"Oh,they've rehearsed".Sanity tells us that Astaire and Rogers have rehearsed;publicity statistics tell us how many back-breaking hours.But the difference between them and other performers is that,watching them,we aren't in possession of our sanity,we're happy children again,the story the numbers tell us is true.And the illusion of spontanteity makes the plot implication of the number credible;it cements the relationship of the screen characters they portray."
This is a typical sampling of Croces' prose and delivery but as you can see she talks with a deep and sure understanding of her subjects and imparts it to us in that wonderfully direct but non-condescending manner.Her understanding and feelings match very much our own which she translates beautifully to the page.No other book I have read on Astaire(and I have read ALOT!) matches Croce's style and understanding,attention to detail and all put in context to the times and the behind-the-scenes production details so essential in giving its' readers the fullest understanding possible of what went into creating the finished products.
This edition is about 191 pages long in total and has a plethora of pics to enhance your reading pleasure.The last approximately 10 pages are devoted to miscellaneous pics from the films and a full spread of director Mark Sandrichs' production notes from "Follow the Fleet".
For those interested in Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in an either casual fashion or from a more learned point of view,there isn't a volume before or since that will educate but entertain you at the same time,like "The Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Book".
An essential must-have volume on this peerless pair!

Actually published in the 1970's,
Arlene gives great insight into the
dances, the casting, script, and other details.
A wealth of useful information for both
dancers and Astaire-Rogers fans.
Far and away the best book on this great team.

The Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Book is both entertaining and informative. Croce provides insightful commentary on the two stars' careers, their films, and individual dances to compliment the delightful pictures throughout the book. The top corners of the pages can even be used as a flip book so you can see a sample of Fred and Ginger dancing. This book has a wealth of information and is fabulous for anyone interested in the history of dance on film.

At just 191 pages Arlene Croce's FRED ASTAIRE & GINGER ROGERS BOOK is a gem. This is a classic work from the 1970'

Nathalie F Anderson is a great poet. Her language is rich, but unpretentious, full of meaning, but light and accessible. And, what is most important, her poems are most relevant. Buy this book, it's got a very reasonable price for all the treasures it contains.

Nathalie Anderson's beautifully-textured poems are a combination of fine writing, wry humor and serious subject matter.

Interested in the phenomenon of couples onscreen? No one has written about this subject with such insight and specificity previously. I never thought about how many different kinds of couples there are before this read. Or how the way popular culture uses couples has changed with time. Take a look!!

Screen Couple Chemistry was a fascinating read that provided me with new insights into the underlying structure of romantic relationships in the Hollywood pantheon. This was particularly helpful in my work as a writer and teacher of screenwriting at NYU. I recommend this book to anyone interested in movies or about to write a screenplay with a romance in it. Nochimson's view of Hollywood hypocrisy is an eye opener and a doorway for any writer who wants to find something new and original to write.

for any hardcore astaire fan this is THE BOOK TO HAVE. a huge picture book, filled with tons of great photos. astaire's career is laid out from the beginning, including his early stage work. there is a chapter devoted to each film, about a dozen pages each, giving the credits and running time, synopsis of film (with the appropriate photos),the backstory of the filming process, ancedotes on and quotes from his co-workers in each film, the critics' reviews of the time, and how successful each film was. the book is well researched and very well written. while stanley green obviously admires astaire, his writing is very objective and journalistic,with very little of his personal opinion mixed in. this is a perfect historical record of astaire's career...a great astaire book.

This is a really wonderful auto biography by Fred Astaire. It was really interesting to read about his life, stage, and film career.

I have been a fan of Fred Astaire since the early 1970s when I stumbled upon "Follow the Fleet" on television. I saw just about every movie he had made, over the next year or two, and that was before videotapes and dvds or cable television, so I had to catch them whenever they just happened to show up on the few channels we had.
I bought a few record albums and books, but I don't remember seeing his autobiography, perhaps it was out of print at that time.
When I recently saw that it was available, I couldn't resist. It originally came out in 1959. I'm sure he thought he was finished making musicals by then, but he did make one more, "Finian's Rainbow" in 1968, plus some non-musicals up to 1981.
The book covers all those fascinating decades after the turn of the century (he was born in 1899) including vaudeville, Broadway, and the films of the art deco era.
Astaire was lauded as being the greatest dancer, most influential, one-of-a-kind, a perfectionist.
The great songwriters of his time preferred for him to introduce their new songs in his films.
He was an innovator in American men's fashion.
And, most endearing, his life was free from scandal; he was described as kind, gentle, shy and self-effacing. I have never heard of anyone saying a bad thing about him.
The reader gets a feeling of this down-to-earth personality in the pages of his book.
One warning, however, after reading this autobiography I had the urge to see all the films again and ended up purchasing every single Astaire musical, including several which I had to settle for on VHS tape.
There is a great boxed set available of the Fred and Ginger movies. I wish someone would do the same with the complete collection of Astaire musicals. It would be better than a bottle of Prozac. Whenever I watch Fred Astaire I just can't stop smiling. And this book had the same effect.

Prior to purchasing this item I read a review that said the book didn't say anything about Fred Astaire's personality. After reading this book, you can tell about every section of Fred's life, his up and downs, his feelings, his experiences. Mr. Astire writes in the style he lived...Elegantly written. I couldn't put the book down because it was exciting to read.

This book is actually one big anecdote, peppered with little things like Mr. A's first punch, trying to figure out a title for the book, and meeting his wife, Phyllis.

However, Fred Astaire does not offer much insight on how he got from point A to Z, or what made him do this and that. In other words, people who want the whys (and plan to psychoanalyze Mr. A's actions) will not find what they are looking for.

It's still a great read though, and real entertaining.

Fred Astaire (1899-1987) was, quite simply, a dance genius. He appeared on stage, often with his sister Adele, in such landmark musicals as LADY BE GOOD and FUNNY FACE; he graced at least 43 films, 31 one of which were musicals; he is, for all practical intents and purpose, American dance, and he worked with artists no less legendary than he. But for all this, his 1959 autobiography is most notable for being, well, utterly mundane.

STEPS IN TIME is essentially a catalogue of the various shows in which Astaire performed, ranging from Vaudeville (with sister Adele) to SILK STOCKINGS with Cyd Charisse. He always loves his leading lady; he always likes his director; even when the show was not as good as it could have been he finds something nice to say about it; and he never, ever offers the least bit of insight into his private life, his work, or the many with whom he worked over the years. Indeed, Astaire actually has more to say about his love of the racetrack than he does about any of his films or specific dance routines.

Fans of Astaire and the Hollywood musical will certainly want to read STEPS IN TIME, but even the most ardent fan will likely be disappointed by the superficial quality of the work. One can only hope that a future biographer will give Astaire the full portrait that he himself could not.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

This book reveals as much about Fred Astaire in what it doesn't say as in what it tells. He was a shy man, of Austrian descent, very little formal education, and was eclipsed by his funny and attractive older sister in his days on the stage. These things shaped him into the perfectionist we saw on film. He had an incredible work ethic and was always looking for a new gimmick or dance style because he was not confident the audiences would keep on coming. He is not a natural story teller and sometimes leaves us wanting to hear more (e.g.can tell you he and a famous person had a lot of laughs together but not what they did or said that was funny). Still it is a good companion to the TV biography the BBC did about him a few years ago. All the best American composers of the day wanted to write for him (He and Gershwin were young unknowns together) and his evolution from vaudeville to Broadway to film happened during key times of all of those media. I do recommend the book if you want to know more about Fred Astaire, but not as a stand-alone source.

I really loved this biography on Audrey Hepburn as well as previous biography I read by Alexander Walker `Audrey Her Real Story'. What grabbed me was the cover of 'Enchantment', which is now in paperback, but I had to review the hardback edition because the photo of Audrey is my absolute favorite shot of her. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to read about her life. I got this book in January 2007. I didn't feel it went into as much detail as `Audrey Her Real Story', but both deserve a space on any fans bookshelf. The book was also an objective take on her life and that took a little getting used to. I love how Donald Spoto incorporated some of Audrey's letters to others, and poems, as well as key lines from films like `The Children's Hour'. It was well researched. `Enchantment' goes into more detail then `Audrey Her Real Story' about Alfred Hitchcock's attempt to cast her in the film `No Bail for the Judge'. Audrey wouldn't have been right in an Alfred Hitchcock picture but I love his work and it would have been intriguing. This film never went ahead. Audrey's favorite film was `The Nun's Story'. It is brilliant. Instead of chapter titles, Donald marks his chapters by the years of Audrey's life. Everything appears to be accounted for. The pictures are wonderful. I have considered reading her son's biography on his mothers life entitled 'Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit A Son Remembers' by Sean Hepburn Ferrer, but haven't done so yet. I'm sure it is excellent. I may do it one day, however right now I feel completely satisfied with my knowledge on Audrey Hepburn's life and films.

The book arrived when I was convalescing from an illness and thus was was a special treat as it was a biography about Audrey Hepburn. The author is thoughtful and writes clearly and with sensitivity. I am fascinated with detailed protraits of aspect's of Audrey Hepburn's character; portraits of her friendships and loyalty and longevity in friendships. Insights into her family are fascinating as well as insights into her family in Holland. In the book I read new information about her work with UNICEF. Every once in a while there are edifying and instructive vignettes about her character such as the fact that Miss Hepburn offered to do her own ironing for her clothes for The Gardens of the World series. What actress of her stature would make such an offer? I guess because Audrey Hepburn was almost so singularly genuine and vulnerable I had an ambivalent reaction to some gossipy aspects of the book. Though tales of who she might have been romantically vulnerable to at a difficult point in her life are interesting, because of her own over-arching nobility of character it left me feeling sad that the author felt it necessary to include such material. We have all made mistakes in life and all have experienced things we'd like to be able to explain from our perspective. We all have experienced things we'd prefer to remain undiscussed. In one or two instances I felt: "She's not here to defend herself. Does this have to be in the book?" In the main I found the book thoughtful and interesting especially because I always feel there is so much I can learn from Audrey Hepburn about how to be a person.

Loved the book, lots of interesting details of her life.

When I think of some of his previous work, Donald Spoto's priorities seem geared towards including enough scintillating information for good PR and improved sales. Perhaps I've been unfair. Not only does has he done historical work (Amazon.com called my attention to his historical biographies), but this is a well-researched, non-sensationalist biography of Ms. Hepburn. If anything, it could have standed something less objective, some sort of socio-cultural analysis of how we were and remain completely smitten with her, but Mr. Spoto shows restraint. A remarkable, truely admirable figure, this book illuminates some of her many roles both in and outside of Hollywood. There are some lovely black and white photos, but not many; one's hnger for that image must be satisfied elsewhere. One book cannot do its subject justice, but this is a very good beginning. You can appreciate Ms. Hepburn without having seen a single one of her films, but I can't think of one good reason why you'd want to.

Audry Hepburn was in a league of her own. When was the last time we heard of a star of this magnitude helping a friend in business and firing his/her manager for trying to make a profit from the help? While I was aware of her work with UNICEF, I was unaware of the depth of her commitment. The trip to Sudan was hard enough to read about. I cannot imagine going there as she did.

WWII's deep scars were well hidden from public view. For most of the war she and her family had daily fear for their lives and in the end were near death due stavation. A mere 8 years later Audrey is at the pinnacle of glitter and glamor of a film career with an Oscar. The effects of the war, the trials of living with a withholding aristocratic mother, the rigid roles for women in the 50's are mentioned but not discussed. The insecurities these brought on show in her marriages, and the emphathy shows in her above and beyond work for UNICEF as

This book covers the life, but not the inner person or the times. Fortunately, she is not a star in this time. Today's even more intrusive paparazzis and career journalists could destroy her for us and for herself. Spoto does a loving and respectful job of presenting her life.

Let me start off by saying that this book is for serious Astaire fans only. If you have seen only one movie of Fred's, enjoyed it and wish to know more about the man, I suggest "Steps In Time". However, if you've seen most of his movies, listened to his music, watched his tv shows, and still want to know more than this book is invaluable. Billman covers all aspects of Fred's work. Each chapter is devoted to a different facet of Fred's career: filmography, radio, television, discography, etc. While giving the facts, Billman also mentions interesting anecdotes about Astaire that give you a glimpse at his character. Its definitely not "clinical" by just saying "Fred did this movie this year with this costar and this director". He does give that information but also mentions any difficulties with dances, how certain things were done, any problems with costars. He also includes a short biography of Fred, short because chances are if you're reading the book in the first place you're already familiar with Fred's life. I've found myself using it several times to check dates, supporting actors, and as a sort of checklist for my Fred collection. I highly recommend it even if it is rather expensive.

This book was recommended to me by Fred Astaire's daughter, who described it as "wonderful." I found it to be all of that and more. The author knew Mr. Astaire personally and made extensive use of the Astaires' papers (both Fred's and and his sister's) that are preserved at Boston University. The book covers the full gamut of Astaire's life and career, including vaudeville, stage, films, radio, recordings, and television. Insightful and meticulously researched, this is a "must have" for any admirer of the man who has been described as "the greatest musical perfomer in the history of motion pictures" and "the premier American dancer of the Twentieth Century."

The format is easy to follow and it does contain some pieces of information that I haven't been able to find elsewhere. It appears that none of the people who gave reviews mentioned anything about the photos in this book. In all fairness to the buying public I think it should be mentioned that the photos are dark and some are so dark you can't make out facial features to know who is in the photo. If you are a strong Fred Astaire fan you will want this book but do not count on any of the photos when making your decision to purchase this book.

This book is a treasure house of information, packed with tidbits and anecdotes that will have you reading for hours when you only meant to look up just that one bit of info. The author pulls it off with style in a readable format that makes fascinating going out of what could have been just a laundry list of dates. His passion for the subject, and joy in sharing it, shines through on every page. I was intially put off by the high price myself until I had a chance to look at a copy, and I realized that it was worth every penny, not to mention every minute of painstaking research that went into it.

This book is a treasure house of information, packed with tidbits and anecdotes that will have you reading for hours when you only meant to look up just that one bit of info. The author pulls it off with style in a readable format that makes fascinating going out of what could have been just a laundry list of dates. His passion for the subject, and joy in sharing it, shines through on every page. I was intially put off by the high price myself until I had a chance to look at a copy, and I realized that it was worth every penny, not to mention every minute of painstaking research that went into it.

Fred Astaire was a marvelous dancer - he made dancing look easy. He was graceful and elegant. With Ginger Rogers, he made a bunch of screwball movies that were short on plot, but musically wonderful and with dancing that was something special.
Astaire was also an elegant dresser and that is what this very short book is all about. The essay explains Astaire's very special elegance and how he worked terribly hard to make things look very easy. It's nice, but at 15 pages or so, doesn't cover a whole lot of new ground. The pictures - many of them from Astaire's Hollywood days - are, of course, quite beautiful, but for all their charm - there's something missing.

Last night I had the chance to see the magnificent Andrea Marcovicci in her "Andrea Sings Astaire" show (she complimented my "haberdashery" *sigh*). It was a great reminder, if such were necessary, of the profound influence Fred Astaire had on American popular music. Similarly, "Fred Astaire Style" is an excellent reminder of the man's influence on the evolution of a distinctly American approach to male dress. In an age when it's a tough decision which is worse -- contemporary music or contemporary haberdashery -- G. Bruce Boyer has given us a handy guide to what it means for a man to be well put-together.

"Fred Astaire Style" begins with a brief essay tracing the subject's biography and career, with an emphasis, as you'd expect, on his distinctive approach to style. Boyer also places Astaire's dress sense within a larger historical context of America's rejection of European style cues, the influence of the Depression, and the rise of a casual approach to men's style ("the small-shouldered, soft-chested, international sartorial look that's worn today"). After this comes many pages of great photos of Astaire young and old, in a wide assortment of dress, sporting, and casual clothes. I would have preferred that the captions accompanied each photo, instead of being banished to a few pages at the back of the book, but that's not a major complaint.

More than that, I wished this book was longer. While Boyer has done an excellent job assembling photos and providing a general overview, I'd point the reader to, for example, several books by Alan Flusser that break down Fred Astaire's style in more detail. Nevertheless, this book is both a respectful look back and a useful guide today. Fred Astaire still has a lot to offer as a modern icon. Here's to more people paying attention.

Fred Astaire has a stlye of his own and the book covered his style very well. Enjoy the book.

Mr. Boyer is a classic gentleman and in this one he writes about another.

If you have never read Mr. Boyer's works then you've missed out. Mr. Boyer's understanding of and love for classic menswear is evident and well researched. The prose is elegant and flows elegantly and as usual it is the stuff you'd expect from the man generally accepted as 'the man' in the realm of sartorial grace.

Mr Boyer has a unique way of sharing his love for the sartorial arts that makes you feel it - a rare literary ability.

I look forward to completing my collection of his work by getting this one signed along with his others. Whether you are a recent entrant to the business world or a gentleman who has appreciated the finer points of classic menswear and style for years this and all of Boyer's work is an absolute must read.

In every field there exists "The Authority". In the realm of classic men's style G. Bruce Boyer is that man. If you don't pick this up then may you spend eternity in polyester.

Well done Bruce, Thanks for shining a light on this timeless icon of style & grace as only you could!

i have many students that are researching astaire's film career. when i tell them to get this book, they stare blankly at me. i tell them it is THE seminal book about astaire. still, i get blank stares.

when i realized i have always borrowed it from the library, though, i felt like a bit of a hypocrite. and now that it is out of print, i feel like the stupid, cheapskate hypocrite for not having ever invested in it.

i can right that wrong now, thanks to amazon.com.

for someone who has never so much as done a time step or a pull back, mueller adroitly and adoringly supplies detailed movement anlaysis on astaire's great, hidden and even not too important numbers in each of his film musicals. he provides impartial perspectives on every partner astaire ever had from ginger rogers and cyd charisse to betty hutton and joan fontaine.

once again, it is one of maybe five books any dance enthusiast should own.

Probably the best book on Fred Astaire's career, this has everything, including frame-by-frame analyses of each of his dances. Mueller is obviously a fan, and sometimes finds things to praise in films that are actually pretty dull ("The Sky's the Limit," "Belle of New York"). But unlike most movie books, this one is fully thought-out, beautifully written, and just about exhaustive. Even the footnotes and appendices make entertaining reading.

for astaire fans who already own a number of books on him, it becomes apparent that some writers are so pro- ginger rogers that no other astaire partner can compare. that does not help the astaire fan who loves ALL of fred's work-- over 30 musicals total.

mueller is one of these writers. he trashes every celebrated post-rogers partnership...rita hayworth, eleanor powell, cyd charisse. he thoroughly trashes both leslie caron's and audrey hepburn's dancing abilities. he likes joan leslie and jane powell because they are "similar" to ginger... he feels astaire's work with vera-ellen in "the belle of new york" is his "most creative" and very best work (astaire himself considered it a failure), but then he trashes fred & cyd's legendary 'girl hunt ballet' from "the bandwagon".

in short, whatever most film historians/critics have lauded as important, pivotal partnerships & films in astaire's later career have been totally discounted by this writer... seemingly on purpose. and that's a shame because there are astaire fans out here that feel that while his work with ginger was great, his post-rogers musicals were just as incredible, entertaining, and important, and that astaire throughout his career was a master.

this ia a huge book that is well researched, but filled with the author's opinions throughout. i walked away from this book feeling mueller has no right to sit in judgement of fred's illustrious career and tell the reader what fred did right and what fred did wrong, i mean, who IS this guy anyway??

one must remember this book's opinions are not held by most critics, and take them with a grain of salt...unfortunately, the facts and mueller's opinion are all mixed in together... you will have to pick your way through them.

you should be able to read a book, savor the information, and make your own conclusions.

a far more entertaining, objective, and journalistic type of book would be "Starring Fred Astaire" by stanley green. this is the best astaire book i've ever read.