Fred Astaire : A Bio-Bibliography (Bio-Bibliographies in the Performing Arts)

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Summary: A must for Astaire fans!
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Essential reading for the true Fred fanatic
Review: 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.

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Summary: The Best of All the Astaire Books
Review: 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."