fred astaire

[ccsommers]

oh that's why they call it a kick drum....

[aihoschema]

Absolute genius! Fred was the entire group "Stomp" (which I highly admire as well) in one person - and he did it with glamour, elegance and joy. Nothing "street" and "athletic" about it. Fred never broke a sweat (imagine the heat of the studio lighting back then!). Pure class. Fantastic dancer, fantastic musician! And it cannot be emphasized enough: one take (no cuts)!!! Flawless and pioneering!

[nikkilev78]

He's not really underrated, but I am not sure that he is known enough for what an amazing musician he is, as well as a dancer. This video is incredible visually and musically. I love Fred!

[lesshairagain]

OMG I'm speechless. Love 3:14

[mdshullaw52]

Like I always say when it comes to Fred Astaire, we will never see this like of him again. He was a real talent, back when real talent was a requirement to be in show business.

[sonarman65]

Can you imagine what a fantastic baseball player or hockey player or even a boxer

old Fred would have been with his perfect timing, coordination, and lightning

reflexes?..................but I'm sure glad he chose dancing.............and singing.

The man was an elegant genius and I don't think the world will ever see his equal. M. Barishnikov was called a genius once by an interviewer and B.

interrupted him and said "No I'm not a genius, that title belongs to Fred Astaire.

[MrPekkal]

I gues the Drumsticks were promarks Crc7!!!! New models!!!! hehe

[farpaenrico]

Magari fossero dei tamburi dell'Amat!!!!

[gabcarol8]

all in one take.

[samthedrums]

@gabcarol8 Yes! One Take!!! Video/film directors take note!!!! Fred insisted (quite rightly) that his entire body be visible throughout. No annoying closeups!

[HunterMann]

Brilliant!!!!

[mbracing748]

I love this video.

[alive555]

with all due respect to michael. this is it !

[gthombos]

WOW! That was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE!!!

[rvanderfeer]

wow. this is amazing.

[TheMaisie80]

Sheer genius!!!!

[nightswimmer99]

If they ever examine Fred's DNA markers, I believe they'll find percussion symbols.

[lisekaron08]

more cowbell, fred!!!

[oldenough15]

YO FRED, IM REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU AND IMMA LET YOU FINISH... but the nicholas brothers had one of the best tap dancing routines of all time, OF ALL TIME!!!!!!

[digthebeat]

FRED IS THE MAN

he rules!!!!!!!!!!

[moroccansunshine]

what a clever idea! love this scene

[capeguy954]

From a time when movies really WERE movies! No 4-letter words, no relying on sexu or sexual inuendo for a laugh, a time when people were civil to each other, respected each other and were kind. I would much rather spend an evening watching a good classic b&w movie than the (general) crud that is put out by Hollywood today. Think about it, how often did we ever see Fred Astaire that he was not formally dressed??!! A gentleman and a genuine talent.

[Frankster81]

Do you know if this clip is from "The Barkleys of Broadway". A friend of mine thinks it might be but he's not certain and I have not seen a single Fred Astaire movie. Do you know which movie this is from?

[YNGR]

"A Damsel in Distress" (1937)

[Frankster81]

Thank you very much!

[leftyw2]

damn

[smnsmn]

The king!

[drumrnva]

That's nice, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.

[V2impeach]

@drumrnva thanks Kanye.......

[OasisEnLaLunna]

You mean the black and white video remake of Bob Fosse's "Mexican Breakfast"? Its an interesting homage but I wouldn't call Beyonce's interpretation of a dance that had already been done years earlier "one of the best of all time"

[drumrnva]

T'was a joke, Oasis. I made this comment just a couple of days after Kanye West's ridiculous interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the VMA's. I think Swift, West, and the VMA's are all very bad jokes, and I think that in general today's stars pale in comparison to people like Fred Astaire.

[saveourplanet14]

ahahahaha

[Sami7685]

LAWLZ

[BaterozDrumfest]

E.X.C.E.L.E.N.T.E.

1:47 !!!

[Simp44]

This shit holds up.Fred is still the shizzle.

[strangefruit64]

Everything seams to be easy ... but: what a hard work and an enormous talent!

[lustre5]

The likes of which wil NEVER be seen again!

[funkydrummer14]

Unbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nyvareh]

Jubilatoire

[beikosci]

un mito

[PatataSlim]

Great !!!!!!

[shugachef]

one continuous shot, no edits. WOW!

[rmorte62]

just fantastic

[acerb45666555]

freddy was a genius!

[ThirdClassCitizen]

@acerb45666555 Agreed. His way of finding new approaches to shredding teens in their dreams was often very innovative and creative.

[petecatz]

wouldn't have been better for him to sit down and play? insted of jumping around like that? LOL! only joking......great performance!

[elvisnutkid]

Happy 110th birthday Fred

u rock

[lindy3812]

What fun to watch, hes wonderfully talented and he always had fun doing whatever he did. Thank You Mr. Astaire! ; ) and for posting.

[RantzinmyPantz]

he has a Low-hat, that's the original Hihat, I've never actually seen one, nly read about it , awesum

[UTubeManiakk]

from 2:13 is my favourite part!

and 3:13-3:18 OMG!

I adore Fred!:)

[Phethelee]

And, as one of Fred's early screen test reports is supposed to have read: "Can't sing, can't act, Can dance a little"!! I'll give them that, he can dance a little. Absolutely fantastic !

[Choefoe]

Lets add "can play SOME instruments a little"  ;)Piano.Drums,Trumpet,Accordio­n ;)

[newjackfan]

I'll maintain as long as I live that there was never more talent in one person than was in Fred Astaire. And no one worked harder.

Can you believe that was ONE single take, and in long shot? Impossible to match.

[2C500]

AWESOME!

[JeanMFernandes]

Absolutely amazing.

[Choefoe]

And the most amazing part, he really plays the drums,it,t not fake, he had a set at home and played it frqently

[JudithIN410]

And you can see him play the drum set on "What's My Line?" on YouTube.

[ParkerAllen2]

Crazy talented.

[Morahman7vnNo2]

What!? From 2:13 to 2:21 Sounds Like Hip-Hop.

[Choefoe]

maybe you meant well with this comment, keep in mind Astaire was born in 1899!!

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Yes I know, but hey, Jazz helped R&B and Funk come along, however I've heard some people say Hip-hop came in part from Jazz. That I'll need some convincing, considering the difference between the "Old school" to whatever today's is.

But I'm no "Hip-hopper," so its none of my business anyway.

1899 eh? Why that's the same year Scott Joplin published the "Maple Leaf Rag."

[Choefoe]

don,t know why thumbs down,Astaire WAS born in 1899 there fore way ahead of his time consern music,dance etc. He wrote music ,played many instuments like DRUMS and is still an example for artist today,see Astaire and Michael Jackson video. And dancing on the ceiling from Lionel Ritchie,Not bad for a guy born in 1899,that,s what I wanted to say,been a Fred fan since i was a little kid and still am

[keepitopen44]

Ladies and gentlemen...I give you the MASTER!!!!

BRAVO!!!!

[fredastairevault]

Wow! He is amazing!

[chofolpok]

I didn't know fred astaire (only his name) and I 'm very impressed ! And he's smiling all along the song, that's great :)

[oblistic]

fabulous

[OPOSSUMQUEEN]

I am proud to share the same birthday with one of very few all time great STARS...and suave gentleman! Where did they all go?...

[lovesthesax]

doesn't really go with his suit.. should dress a bit more casual for this number

[64102256]

If you saw the picture you would know why he is dressed that way. He just came from a ritzy affair in the picture.

[LittleMissEncore]

i am speechless!

no words can describe how fantabulous this guy is!

Fred rocks, hehheehe!

[teelyceely]

Tom Chambers has done a remake of this - took him 5000 hrs but the editing has been modernised which is sad in some ways but better in others as a show piece

[filmfreak491]

wow that was amazing!