Fred Astaire

Many people consider Fred Astaire to be the greatest male dancer of all time. (Okay, ladies, I know…. Ginger Rogers did everything Fred did, but backward and in heels.)

Fred didn't start out a success. But he did start early. He was six years old when he began working in a vaudeville act.

By the time he was in his mid-teens, he had some measure of success in vaudeville and began to work in Broadway and musicals. He wasn't an instant success there either but slowly began to build a reputation and a degree of success.

Eventually, in his mid 30's, he tried to get into the burgeoning movie industry.

During his first screen test, an RKO executive noted that Astaire, “Can’t sing. Can’t act. Balding. Can dance a little.”

Despite this initial rejection, Astaire persevered and ended up becoming one of the top actors, singers, and dancers of his generation.

Nearly 50 movies. Emmys, Grammys, an Oscar. By any measure, this balding guy, who couldn't act, sing and could dance, “a little” became a huge success in film and dance.