GREAT STUFF FROM OLD BROADWAY 2: FRED ASTAIRE NOW EVEN MORE pix added

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:20pm

Imagine walking into a Broadway theater, plunking down $1.50 and getting a great seat to a musical in which Fred Astaire sang and danced - exactly as he did in those great RKO movies.

That was a common experience for anyone in New York (or out on the road) or in London England in the 1920's.

Updated On: 1/23/08 at 04:20 PM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:21pm

I don’t intend to make this a history lesson about the career of Fred Astaire. These are just some graphics I find very interesting and a few notes.

Some of these images are from my collection of theater programs and photos, others I found on the web.

Fred Astaire was born in Omaha Nebraska in 1899.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:23pm

Fred Astaire was perhaps the greatest all-round performer the musical comedy stage has ever presented. He was a stunning dancer, a decent singer and an okay actor.

But when these elements were combined, he was a dazzling performer.

Fred’s biggest problem was, he was never a superstar on stage.
That's because Fred had a sister…

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:25pm

The Astaires were on stage when they were just children. By their teens, they were an established brother-and-sister act on the vaudeville circuit.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:26pm

By their early 20s, they were hardened and incredibly talented professionals.

Adele Astaire was the big star. The act was Adele Astaire and her brother Fred.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:29pm

Audiences adored Adele. She could sing and dance superbly and her comic timing was, I am told, impeccable.

Notice in this cast listing, Adele is listed first. In the papers, Fred is always referred to as "Adele's kid brother."

She hated HATED to rehearse. Fred called her "Moaning Minnie."

The Astaires starred together in 10 musicals, starting with “Over The Top” and “The Passing Show of 1918”. In “Apple Blossoms” they had two featured dance numbers which really established them on Broadway.

Updated On: 1/21/08 at 04:29 PM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:34pm

The Astaires became a superstar team with “Lady Be Good” with music by The Gershwins. The score contained the hit “Fascinating Rhythm.”

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:35pm

By now, the Astaires were even more popular in London than on Broadway. Of course, they brought “Lady Be Good” to the West End and then out on tour all over the provinces.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:36pm

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:38pm

The level of dancing that Fred and Adele brought to the stage was a revelation to London audiences. They had some great dancers, but the Astaires brought American speed and freshness to their shows and they sold out every night, often for longer runs than in the States.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:38pm

Personally, I find Adele to have been a real hot babe. Those eyes are mesmerizing.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:39pm

It is like you are having a conversation with yourself...

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:39pm

“Funny Face” began life as “Smarty” and was a disaster until just before it hit Broadway, with an extensive re-write and a new title, it opened up the brand new Alvin Theater and became one of their biggest hits.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:40pm

Not sure if having a conversation with myself is a compliment or not but....

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:41pm

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:42pm

William Kent, the reliable juvenile, was a holdover from “Lady Be Good”, Victor Moore was soon to be teamed with William Gaxton to become the Nathan Lane-Matthew Broderick of the 30s and Allen Kearns was a leading man who romanced Adele (well, it would have been euuuuchie if Fred did that).

The book was by Fred Thompson, and although the actor running for President is somewhere between 70 and death, it’s a different guy.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:43pm

And of course, the show went to London. Huge hit. Evening dinners with the Prince of Wales. Fred bought his first racehorses. When “Funny Face” closed, the Prince came for his umpteenth time and every in the audience cried and waved bon voyage to the Astaires. But Adele had already decided to make some changes. She had fallen in love.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:44pm

Thanks for sharing all this stuff! I read a book or two about Fred way back when and remember what a vivid personality Adele seemed to have. A real wild child, but immensely talented. It would have been fun to see the two of them perform.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:45pm

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:46pm

“The Band Wagon” followed the Astaire’s huge flop “Smiles” which was supposed to be a supershow, produced by Ziegfeld and co-starring Marilyn Miller, the Sutton Foster of the 20s (but far less talented IMHO). Smiles cranked out a handful of performances and at least provided a square meal or two for one of the chorus boys… Bob Hope.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:47pm

“The Bandwagon” was Adele’s last show. She had decided to retire. By 1931, she had been performing for 26 years. She was tired and in love with Lord Cavendish, a dashing young aristocrat in London. Adele lived up to a pre-existing contract and retired the day it expired. She didn’t even finish the tour, which Fred had to do without her.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:48pm

Here’s Fred and Adele in classic top hats and tails for the photo call. Variations on this photo appeared in newspapers all over America. I have eleven different versions (including a wonderful full page spread from the New York Times) and I know there are many more around.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:50pm

This flyer features another version. There are a few more in the White Studios collection at the New York Public Library.

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:50pm

This is a great spread/thread! Thanks so much!

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 4:52pm

And here’s one of the many variations of this photo from “The Band Wagon” featuring the leads, Tamara Geva (the star of “On Your Toes”) Fred, Adele, Frank Morgan (yes from that early MGM version of “Wicked”) and Helen Broderick (yes, Broderick Crawford’s mother).