Name another dancer, from any era, whose dance career - on stage, film and TV - could sustain such a book as this. The astonishing fact is not that there are 2000 specially chosen quotations by and about Fred, but that so many of these quotributes come from peers and those performers that were inspired by him. That is the true test of the epithet greatest.
"Fred Astaire is the Carioca, the Continental, the very Piccolino of romance."
Frederick L. Collins in Liberty magazine (1936)
As well as tributes from the dance world as a whole, Fred has received glowing references from U.S. presidents, Prime Ministers, Knights of the Realm, Nobel prize winners, Pulitzer prize winners, Oscar winners, Tony winners, Grammy winners ... even Heisman trophy winners. Such is the breadth and depth of the highest regard that Fred Astaire is forever held.
"Fred was, in every sense of the word, a superstar. He was the ultimate dancer - the dancer who made it all look so easy."
Ronald Reagan (1987)
As the title suggests, the focus is on the dancing aspect of Fred Astaire. The emphasis of the 2000 quotations is on Fred's dancing rather than his singing or acting abilities or on his private life.
"You see, as far as the man's personality goes, there's no one who can touch Fred Astaire. He's unique."
Donald O'Connor
The Quotable Fred Astaire / Dancing On Astaire follows Fred's early stage career - as a teenager - with sister Adele; runs through all his movie musicals with partners such as Ginger Rogers, Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller; finishing with his award-winning performances on TV (in his late 60s).
“Fred Astaire is unquestionably the best-known and best-paid dancer in the world today. More people have seen and applauded his exceptional, light-footed, light-hearted grace than ever heard the word Nijinsky.”
Lincoln Barnett in Life magazine (1941)
"Youth is believing that someday you'll dance like Fred Astaire."
