Fred Astaire: His Friends Talk

From dust jacket notes: "Flying Down to Rio, Shall We Dance?, The Band Wagon, Daddy Long Legs, Funny Face, That's Entertainment -- for seven decades, with a dozen different partners, on the stage, on the screen, on television, Fred Astaire was the heart and soul of dance. He was perfection. He was class. He was irresistible. But who was he really, behind the top hat and tails? For the first time, Fred Astaire comes to life in the words of the people who knew him best and loved him most. In order to discover the personal side of this intensely private man, Sarah Giles traveled all over the world talking to his family, his friends, his peers. She spoke with Audrey Hepburn, Alfred Vanderbilt, Ginger Rogers, Rudolf Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Peter Duchin, and seventy-five others, including Fred's foot doctor, his grocer, and the maitre d' at his favorite restaurant. Even the Queen Mother, the Rajmata of Jaipur, and First Lady Nancy Reagan consented to express their feelings about the legend whom everyone adored. In this unusual book, Fred's nearest and dearest reminisce about his likes and dislikes, his habits, his energy and perfectionism, and his humor. His former housekeeper tells what he liked for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. His colleagues and friends describe his feelings for his wild sister and his two very different wives. His beloved daughter, Ava, reveals Fred Astaire as the doting father. Accompanied by over 200 photographs, many never before seen, Fred Astaire is the quintessential personal album of the man who bewitched us with his feet and beguiled us with his charm."