Dive into the cinematic world of Fred Astaire as we explore the size of his feet and the illusion that made him appear tall on screen. Uncover the secrets behind his iconic stature.
Key Takeaways:
- Examine the actual size of Fred Astaire’s feet and dispel common misconceptions.
- Explore the film techniques that contributed to Astaire’s tall appearance on screen.
- Gain insights into the intriguing behind-the-scenes aspects that shaped Astaire’s iconic presence in the world of entertainment.
Fred Astaire’s shoe size was a pretty average, 10 1/2.
His height, however, sometimes caused problems. He looks tall on screen because he was very thin and angular.
In reality, however, he was quite short, 5′ 8″, and sometimes needed his dancing partners to take off their high heels for dialogue scenes.
Ginger Rogers, at 5′ 5″, was shorter than Astaire, but in order for Astaire to appear much taller, she would lower her heels.
Ann Miller, at 5′ 7″, danced in ballet slippers so that she wouldn’t tower above him.
Astaire is rumored to have also been uncomfortable with the size of his hands.
They apparently looked so large and his fingers so long that he kept them turned sideways to the camera or audience so they could see only their edges.
Watch for it the next time you see an Astaire film.
