Título: Fred Astaire
Seção: 1940-1947: Drifting to an early retirement
Background: Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 - June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, singer, actor, choreographer and television presenter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential dancers in the history of film and television musicals. His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years, during which he starred in more than 10 Broadway and London musicals, made 31 musical films, 4 television specials, and issued numerous recordings.

Conteúdo: In 1939, Astaire left RKO to freelance and pursue new film opportunities, with mixed though generally successful outcomes. Throughout this period, Astaire continued to value the input of choreographic collaborators and, unlike the 1930s when he worked almost exclusively with Hermes Pan, he tapped the talents of other choreographers in an effort to continually innovate. His first post-Ginger dance partner was the redoubtable Eleanor Powell--considered the finest female tap-dancer of her generation--in Broadway Melody of 1940, in which they performed a celebrated extended dance routine to Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine." In his autobiography Steps in Time, Astaire remarked, "She 'put 'em down like a man,' no ricky-ticky-sissy stuff with Ellie. She really knocked out a tap dance in a class by herself."  He played alongside Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn (1942) and later Blue Skies (1946) but, in spite of the enormous financial success of both, was reportedly dissatisfied with roles where he lost the girl to Crosby. The former film is particularly remembered for his virtuoso solo dance to "Let's Say it with Firecrackers" while the latter film featured an innovative song and dance routine to a song indelibly associated with him: "Puttin' On the Ritz." Other partners during this period included Paulette Goddard in Second Chorus (1940), in which he dance-conducted the Artie Shaw orchestra.  He made two pictures with Rita Hayworth, the daughter of his former vaudeville dance idols, the

user: What happened in 1940?

assistant: His first post-Ginger dance partner was the redoubtable Eleanor Powell--considered the finest female tap-dancer of her generation--in Broadway Melody

user: What Broadway shows was he in?

assistant: Broadway Melody of 1940, in which they performed a celebrated extended dance routine to Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine.

user: Who else did he perform with?

assistant: He played alongside Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn (1942) and later Blue Skies (1946)

user: How were his performances received?

assistant: in spite of the enormous financial success of both, was reportedly dissatisfied with roles

user: So what did he decide to do after that?

assistant: He made two pictures with Rita Hayworth, the daughter of his former vaudeville dance idols, the Cansinos.

user: What were the names of the pictures?

assistant: The first, You'll Never Get Rich (1941), catapulted Hayworth to stardom

user: Did any of the films receive awards or honors?

assistant: This film, which was choreographed by Astaire alone and achieved modest box office success,

user: Was he in any other films during this time period?

assistant: His second film with Hayworth, You Were Never Lovelier (1942), was equally successful

user: Did he perform with anybody else?

assistant: He next appeared opposite the seventeen-year-old Joan Leslie in the wartime drama The Sky's the Limit