Biography
Fred Astaire — dancer with roots in the Russian Empire
Fred Astaire was an American dancer and actor. He made ten films with Ginger Rogers, nine of them at RKO, including Top Hat (1935) and Swing Time (1936), and received an Honorary Academy Award in 1950.
Russian Connection
Tracing the roots — Linz (Austria)
His father, Friedrich "Fritz" Emanuel Austerlitz, was born in Linz, Upper Austria (Austria-Hungary), to Catholic parents who had converted from Judaism. His mother, Johanna Geilus, was born in the United States to Lutheran German immigrants from East Prussia and Alsace.
Family Tree
Subject
Fred Astaire🇺🇸 USA
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Father
Fritz Austerlitz
Johanna Geilus
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Origin
Linz (Austria)🇷🇺 Russian Empire
Historical context
Russian Empire · c. 1721–1917
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Linz (Austria). At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.
Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
Ten films with Ginger Rogers, including Top Hat (1935) and Swing Time (1936)
02
Honorary Academy Award (1950)
03
Emmy Award for Best Single Performance by an Actor — An Evening with Fred Astaire (1958)
04
AFI Life Achievement Award
05
Ranked fifth among male stars in AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars
"I have no desire to prove anything by dancing. I just dance."
Fred Astaire
Sources