Song and dance man

Without a doubt, Fred Astaire was one of the most celebrated entertainers of the 20th century. How did a kid from Midwestern stock with roots in the late 19th-century Jewish communities of Austria fashion himself into one of the most sophisticated men ever to dance across a motion picture screen? Many of the answers are to be found in a fascinating new biography written by the late Peter J. Levinson.

Astaire was born in Omaha, Neb., in 1899, and he began his professional career appearing in vaudeville with his elder sister, Adele. They co-starred in “Lady Be Good” and “Funny Face,” two musical comedies that were especially written for them by the Gershwin brothers. When Adele married and retired from show business, Fred, with the help of Ginger Rogers, revolutionized the film musical. The Rogers and Astaire films — including “Top Hat,” “Swing Time,” “Flying Down to Rio” and “Shall We Dance” — have become classics of American cinema.

Levinson, the author of several critically acclaimed biographies that documented the lives of Tommy Dorsey, Harry James and Nelson Riddle, died shortly before the publication of this, his final book.

As in his previous biographies, Levinson conducted extensive interviews that provide rich historic details and an almost rollicking narrative. He surveyed the actor’s entire career, from vaudeville to Broadway, from Hollywood to radio and television. The 200 people he contacted who knew and worked with the actor include Debbie Reynolds, Artie Shaw, Joel Grey and Mel Ferrer. Astaire’s relationships with his dancing partners are explored, and it is revealed how RKO choreographer Hermes Pan helped create his elegant persona.

This is an excellent book that provides an intimate inside look at America’s premiere song-and-dance man. “Puttin’ on the Ritz” is a fitting tribute to the memories of both Astaire and Levinson.