Actor, Dancer, Entertainer

One day in 1932 an actor named Frederick Austerlitz walked into RKO studios in Hollywood to be auditioned for a role in movies. The report on his screen test was devastating. It read simply 'Losing hair, can't sing, can dance a bit'. But David Selznich, head of production, resolved to give him a chance. And thus began the movie career of the greatest ever star of the musical screen - Fred Astaire.

He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1899. At the age of four and a half he and his six year old sister Adele were enrolled in a dance school by their ambitious mother. In 1907 the two children performed their first dancing duet - on top of a giant wedding cake. Thereafter, success followed success, culminating in the twenties in a series of Broadway spectaculars - Lady be Good, Funny Face, Smiles and the Band Wagon.

1932 saw the end of the partnership - Adele got married and Fred transferred to movies.

First a new partner had to be found for him. As nothing better was available, he was linked with a sexy but otherwise undistinguished actress who had made her name playing hard- boiled chorus girls. Her name was Ginger Rogers. It proved to be one of the greatest acting partnerships of all times, and over the next few years hit followed hit. The Gay Divorcee, Roberta, Top Hat, Follow the Fleet, Swing Time, Shall we Dance, Carefree.

In 1939 Rogers left to pursue her own career in straight acting. Astaire continued with a succession of partners - Rita Hayworth, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn.... The hits continued for many years - Easter Parade, Funny Face, Finian's Rainbow.... He played straight roles in On the Beach and the Towering Inferno. His TV debut in 1958 won nine Emmy Awards, and he was still dancing in his eighties.

The marriage in 1932 that ended Adele Astaire's partnership with her brother was to Lord Charles Cavendish (see photo above right), younger brother of the ninth Duke of Devonshire, and that brought both Astaire's to Lismore. Charles and Adele had one child, a daughter who died at birth. Charles died in 1944 and Adele remarried, but Fred Astaire remained a frequent visitor to Lismore - not just to the Castle but also to Maddens Bar, where he liked to relax informally and enjoy a change of scene. He died in 1987.