Puttin on the ritz EDIT: 10/15/08 IT'S OVER 1,000,000!!!! Seriously, though, thank you all for viewing and rating, and I now have over 100 subscribers because of this video! THANK YOU ALL!

Puttin' On The Ritz. One Fred Astaire good, several Fred Astaires better?

FRED ASTAIRE in SMOOTH CRIMINAL Starring Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron Choreographed by Michael Kidd 'Smooth Criminal' by Michael Jackson Video edited by CFJ I love both Astaire and Michael Jackson. I want young people to know Astaire stuff, that is why I made this. The video features scenes from the Girl Hunt ballet in The Band Wagon (1953) starring Astaire and Cyd Charisse (those supreme legs!! The most perfect body a woman could have. So sensual, so elegant), to which MJ gave homage in his Smooth Criminal vid (also in a performance of Get Happy on the Jacksons show in the 70s as well as You Rock My World in 2001), and, as an intro, a sequence from Daddy Long Legs (1955) featuring Leslie Caron (in motion pictures, you mustn't put a coin into a jukebox in an ordinary way!). My initial idea was using also Yolanda And The Thief (1945) where Astaire appeared with the same costume, a white suit, hat and a blue shirt, but I eventually omitted it. Michael Kidd worked with Janet in the Alright vid in 1990, featuring Cyd Charisse (in the red dress!), the Nicholas Brothers and Cab Calloway. If you want to see Astaire at the top of his game, watch his 30s and early 40s films (Ginger Rogers was not the best DANCE partner for him though. She was a great comedienne. The pair was more than just dance partners). My other Astaire and MJ related videos: Origins of the Moonwalk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxZcLWAmdco Fred Astaire + Robert Palmer - Let's Face The Music And Dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWCijZ-A54M West Side Story (Somebody Call Michael mix) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIWTrFVEnaU

Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell - Begin the Beguine from The Broadway Melody of 1940

BE SURE TO CLICK "WATCH IN HIGH QUALITY" Blue Skies - 1946.

From "Holiday Inn." Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Virginia Dale. "I'll Capture Your Heart." [FRED:] Here she comes, down the street [BING:] My, oh my, ain't she sweet? [FRED:] Why, here comes my hot toddy [BING:] Over my dead body [BING:] I'll capture her heart singing [FRED:] Just wait until she gets a load of my dancing [BING:] Just wait till I start singing [FRED:] I'll take her strolling down the road with my dancing [BING:] I can't go wrong, a tender song and she'll discover my charms [FRED:] Some fancy taps and she'll collapse and fall right into my arms [BING:] I'll capture her heart singing [FRED:] Oh no, you haven't a chance when I go into my dance [BING:] I'll take you through life singing [FRED:] I'll make you my wife dancing [DALE:] If you could dance instead of sing I'd learn to love you somehow If you could sing instead of dance I'd take you home with me now The way you sing don't mean a thing You'd better stick to your dance And as for you, your dance won't do You'll have to sing for romance [BING:] I'll capture her heart... [FRED:] I'll capture her heart... [BING:] Singing! [FRED:] Dancing!

EDIT: At the age of 86 years old, CYD CHARISSE died yesterday...REST IN PEACE CYD... This is a part of "The Band Wagon" movie. I love Fred Astaire movies and i specially love this scene... Hope you like it! The Band Wagon (1953)

Personal favorite of mine, this is a Wonderful Astaire "Ceiling" Dance Number by means of a literally revolving set on the 1951 MGM Classic Film 'Royal Wedding'.

The famous dance number from the movie "Ziegfeld Follies" featuring Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

my fav clip from Barkleys of Broadway

Fred Astaire Easter ParadeDancing and drumming in toy store

The famous dance under moonlight from their last pairing on screen: "You Were Never Lovelier" in 1942. Jerome Kern wrote the classic song "I'm Old Fashioned", with a lyric by Johnny Mercer, for this film. Looks crazy to hear Astaire (in any role) say "I am strictly from corn!", but he (the actor) really was born in Omaha! ........ Wiki reports: "Although Hayworth had a fine voice, Harry Cohn insisted on her singing being dubbed throughout by Nan Wynn.....Dance director was Val Raset, the one and only time he collaborated with Astaire, and his choreographic input into the film is unclear" Hayworth was born "in Brooklyn....she was trained as a dancer from childhood." ....... Fred Astaire, in his autobiography "Steps In Time" wrote: My first meeting with Rita was in a rehearsal hall at Columbia Studios. It was upstairs in one of the buildings and, as I recall, the stairway led directly into the large rehearsal room. As I came up the last few steps I gave a hurried glance around, expecting to see Rita, as I had been told she would be there. I didn't see her and asked one of the assistants, "Isn't Miss Hayworth going to be here this morning?" he pointed to a remote corner of the room, "Why, yes--she's been here for some time." There she was. Oh yes--a beautiful sight. Bob Alton, choreographer on the picture, brought her over and introduced us. I said, "I'm an old freind of your father's." "Yes, I know," murmured Rita. I then asked how tall she was as I stood alongside of her....As we stood there, both in flat heels, I was easily three inches taller and I told her I hoped she didn't have to wear very high heels with me. She quickly answered, "Oh, no, I don't have to." We then danced around the mirrored room in impromptu ballroom fashion, as I wanted to get an idea of how we looked together. I kept thinking how extraordinary it was to find myself about to play opposite my freind Eduardo Cansino's lovely daughter, and I told her so. She laughed. Rita danced with trained perfection and individuality. She, of course, knew through experience what this dancing business was all about. That was apparent the moment I started working with her.

Concept: This was basically an experiment. I realize that Michael Jackson "borrowed" from Fred Astaire and Justin Timberlake "borrowed" from Michael Jackson. Thus, what would happen if Fred Astaire danced to Justin Timberlake music? Heres my attempt at finding out and bridging a 60 year gap. Starring: Fred Astaire Clips from: -"You're All the World to Me" from "Royal Wedding" (1951) -"Putting on the Ritz" from "Blue Skies" (1946) Music: Justin Timberlake - "Sexyback" (FutureSex/LoveSounds) (2006) Let me know what you think... Note: After finishing it I observed that the video reminded me a bit of Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" video that starred Christopher Walken.

Music by Jerome Kern Lyrics by Dorothy Fields This is the original performance of the song from 1936. Fred is singing the song to Ginger Rogers.

A fun song from from Roberta, with Ginger looking lovely in one of her own gowns. Really, though, the main reason I uploaded it is the sexiness of Astaire playing the piano at the beginning. Oh my.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing to Bathwater by No Doubt. This is my first fan video. Sorry for the crappy sound. Enjoy! ----4/1/08------- I just wanted to briefly respond to people saying that this video is a "desecration", and a "disaster"or that because I chose a song that is not of the time period, doesn't work. I assure you, I was not "out of my mind". I am a very big fan of Astaire and Rogers. I've seen every one of the movies they did together and many that they did alone. I would also like to point out that I KNEW the sound quality was bad when I posted the video. It was a problem with my recording program and, short of using a different computer which I didn't have, there was honestly nothing I could do. I WILL agree that the song does not live up to Astaire/Rogers. However, this was one of the few songs I found whose beat matched the rhythms of most of Astaire and Rogers' songs together. And, rhythm aside, I agree that I can't think of any recent songs that would do justice to this team. I firmly believe that Sondheim writes the best songs these days, but no one can dance do them. I do, however, disagree that this means I disrespect Astaire or Rogers by any means! I hold both of them in the highest regards and I don't want you to think otherwise. --------------------- Thank you to those of you who commented and rated. I really do appreciate that. :) (Even if your comments and/or ratings were poor, I still appreciate it)

Fred Astaire in "Say It With Firecrackers" from Holiday Inn (1942).

Rita Hayworth & Fred Astaire: The "So Near and Yet So Far" number, from You´ll Never Get Rich. Music from Cole Porter.

In this Swing Time clip, Lucky, Astaire, saves Penny's, Rogers, job by showing how much she has taught him. The first true dance number with the two, the other being with Fred fumbling and pretending to be a terrible dancer. Both scenes, however, go to the same song, Pick Yourself Up, this scene without lyrics and much more lively with the other more calm, with lyrics, between the two. Music by Jerome Kern and Lyrics by Dorothy Fields

Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell dancing to Cole Porter's 'Begin the Beguine' was the highlight of 'Broadway Melody', 1940

bandwagon lady in red cyd charisse

My favorite Astaire/Rogers dance, the Smoke Gets In Your Eyes number from Roberta. I also included the wedding proposal (well, I suppose "acceptance").

The now famous duo made their breakthrough first screen teaming in this 1933 musical. They take to the dance floor to do "The Carioca" with music by Vincent Youmans. Then, the sky is filled with beautiful girls in what appear to be pre-code costumes. They shimmy and sway on airplane wings as Fred performs the title tune.

Fred Astaire sings and dances Cole Porter's Night and Day with Ginger Rogers (The Gay Divorcée) 1934. Night and Day (Cole Porter) Like the beat beat beat of the tam-tam When the jungle shadows fall Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock As it stands against the wall Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops When the summer shower is through So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you Night and day, you are the one Only you beneath the moon or under the sun Whether near to me, or far It's no matter darling where you are I think of you Day and night, night and day, why is it so That this longing for you follows wherever I go In the roaring traffic's boom In the silence of my lonely room I think of you Night and day Day and night, Under the hide of me There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me And this torment won't be through 'Till you let me spend my life making love to you Day and night, night and day

This is a video of Lucky Boys Confusion at the Knitting Factory from when they were very young performing Fred Astaire. This is an amazing song and performance from one of the most underrated bands in the world.