According to Wikipedia, "Gene Kelly was originally cast as Don, but he broke his ankle playing volleyball just prior to production. Astaire, who had announced his retirement from film, was coaxed back by Kelly to replace him. Astaire would 'retire' several more times over the next decade, but he would still go on to make a number of additional classic musicals in between retirements."
On Wikipedia's Fred Astaire page, we read that "Always insecure and believing his career was beginning to falter, Astaire surprised his audiences by announcing his retirement during the production of ... Blue Skies (1946). He nominated Puttin' on the Ritz as his farewell dance. After announcing his retirement in 1946, Astaire concentrated on his horse–racing interests and in 1947 founded the Fred Astaire Dance Studios, which he subsequently sold in 1966."
Easter Parade was a major success, recouping more than twice its $2.5 million budget at the box office. Irving Berlin won the Oscar for Best Original Score, which included A Couple of Swells (sung by Garland and Astaire) as well as the title song. Realising, evidently, that his career was not yet over, Astaire stayed with MGM to make The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). This was supposed to continue his partnership with Judy Garland, but the actress was frequently absent from the set due to a dependency on prescription drugs. She was replaced by Astaire's previous regular partner, Ginger Rogers; this was their first film together for ten years.
The Barkleys of Broadway was a commercial success, but it proved to be Fred and Ginger's last film together. Astaire continued to make films for a few more years, but with mixed success as the advent of television led to the downsizing of film production. After Silk Stockings (1957), he retired for a second time.
Except that he didn't. His next musical wasn't until Finian's Rainbow, in 1968, but he appeared in several "non–musical" films, starting with Stanley Kramer's On the Beach (from the novel by Nevil Shute) in 1959, along with Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner and Anthony Perkins. He also made several television appearances, including one as a "guest star" in Dr. Kildare.
Ironically, as Astaire's career wound down, the honours began pouring in. In 1950 he was awarded an honorary Oscar – presented to him by Ginger Rogers. His performance among the star–studded cast of the 1974 disaster movie The Towering Inferno won him a Golden Globe and a BAFTA, as well as an Oscar nomination. He also won three Emmys for his television work, including one as Best Actor for his role in the 1978 made–for–TV comedy film A Family Upside Down.
In 1979, Astaire asked his agent to get him a job on the science–fiction television series Battlestar Galactica, of which his grandchildren were fans. The producers were only too happy to oblige, and an entire episode was specially created to feature him. It was in this role that he danced on screen for the last time – with the actress and singer Anne Jeffreys.
Ghost Story (1981) was the last film not only for Fred Astaire but also for his co–stars, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Melvyn Douglas. Fred Astaire died from pneumonia in 1987, aged 88.
© Haydn Thompson 2020