The UCLA Film & Television Archive will screen “An Evening with Fred Astaire” and “Another Evening with Fred Astaire” on Sunday, October 19th at the Billy Wilder Theater in Los Angeles. Former Television Archivist Dan Einstein will introduce the screenings which will also feature a Q&A with dancer and actor Barrie Chase, who appeared in both specials alongside Fred Astaire.
Here’s the official description of the screening, which is part of the Archive Television Treasures program:
On October 17, 1958, the supreme talents of Fred Astaire leapt off of small screens across the United States in living color on NBC. Executive produced by Astaire, the innovative An Evening With Fred Astaire represents a creative zenith and technical milestone as one of the earliest television specials utilizing color videotape. Serving as a showcase for the peerless dancing that made Astaire a beloved international star, the critically acclaimed TV special was honored with nine Emmy Awards across artistic and technical categories along with a Peabody Award. Notably, the program paired maestro Astaire with Barrie Chase, an extremely gifted dancer of athleticism and grace whom Astaire would later name as one of his favorite dance partners in his legendary career.
In 1987, An Evening With Fred Astaire enjoyed further accolades as the UCLA Film & Television Archive presented the special to new audiences following an arduous restoration process of the original 2 in. color videotape masters. The technically challenging preservation project garnered engineers Ed Reitan and Don Kent, Television Archivist Dan Einstein and the Archive technical Emmy Awards.
Virtually unseen since airing on the Disney Channel in 1987, join us for a rare screening of the television landmark An Evening With Fred Astaire and its masterful follow-up Another Evening With Fred Astaire (1959). In between episodes there will be a Q&A with dancer and actor Barrie Chase, co-star of the Fred Astaire specials, moderated by Maya Montañez Smukler, Archive Research and Study Center Officer. Introduction by former UCLA Television Archivist Dan Einstein.
Program notes by Mark Quigley, John H. Mitchell Television Curator.
Admission is free and no advance reservations are required.
very funny…behind the scenes w/ tv contract variety show dancers– is an unmilked==untouched** area of conern that may never be told…Barrie Chase indeed had competitors ever since her first step n show niz….I HADF ALREADY MENTIONED HEE WITH ZEST my own cousins experiences ot television city in 1962 ever since entering the corps of tv union dancers((the pay was far superior to the pay in the Broadway union at that time**))),,That previous trashy fosse rv biop NEVER mentioned the contention between corps of dancers getting cast in the BIG SPENDER number rather than foolishly mentioning the character of paddy chavevsky ….—- who at onset had no influence/ power over foss’s Creative process at all……..yet .trash sells!