set gArticles = [["Partwork"], ["pic", "cutting", "pic", "movie", "cutting", "pic"]]
set gDates = [[], [0, "The Times, April 15, 1926", 0, 0, "The Times, Sep 18, 1976"]]
set gName = getat(["Astaire"],1)
@[]#"LADY BE GOOD!"###WHY FRED MADE THE GIRLS CRY
"Can't act; slightly bald - can dance a little" was the studio's verdict on Astaire's first Hollywood screen test in 1932#After retiring from film Astaire turned to songwriting, penning an American chart hit with City of Angels#Astaire's great passion was horse racing. An acknowledged expert, he made a fortune with his horse Triplicate#Although Astaire was often criticised for his voice, songwriter Irving Berlin claimed he would rather hear Fred Astaire sing his songs than anyone else#While starring in the West End in the Twenties Astaire became a close friend of Prince of Wales. Despite their friendship Astaire always insisted on calling the Prince "Sir"#Astaire knew when to call it a day. "I've had my eye out for the time when the years would simply show too much, even if they photographed me through three lace curtains" he said in 1960#Astaire's last screen dance was in Francis Ford Coppola's musical Finian's Rainbow in 1968#Finally retiring from dancing, Astaire won acclaim for his straight acting. In 1975 he was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in The Towering Inferno#Astaire announced his retirement in the Fifties, but was tempted to reconsider for the lead in Funny Face. It was a wise decision - it is now seen as one of his finest films
