Fred and Adele Astaire Childhood Home

This small home, known as the "1880 House," in the historic Dahlman neighborhood in Omaha is the birthplace of dancer, actor, and singer Fred Astaire, and his older sister, Adele. Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz in this home on May 10, 1899 to Frederick "Fritz" and Johanna "Ann" Austerlitz. Fred and Adele began performing on the stage and children and enjoyed success on Broadway and in England. Adele married in 1932 and retired from performing. Fred soon ventured to Hollywood and made some of the most iconic movie musicals with Ginger Rogers. The home is currently being restored by volunteers who hope to open it to the public and use the home to interpret early Omaha history, in addition to the lives of Fred and Adele.

The story of Fred Astaire, one of the most iconic dancers to grace the screen, and his sister, Adele, began in this home in Omaha, Nebraska. Their mother, Johanna “Ann”, was born in Omaha, the daughter of immigrants from East Prussia and Alsace. Frederick “Fritz” Austerlitz was born in Austria and immigrated to the United States in 1892. After relocating to Omaha, he married Ann in 1894, and the couple frequently moved until settling in this home on South Tenth Street. It was here that their son was born in 1899. After Adele and Fred began performing, their family name was changed to “Astaire,” largely due to growing anti-Semitic attitudes. Fritz worked as a salesman for the Storz Brewing Company until he died in 1924.

Adele, three years older than Fred, was enrolled in dance classes at Chambers Dance Academy on West Farnam, and she impressed her instructors with her natural abilities. Although Fred did not take lessons at Chambers, he too showed talent. When Adele was eight and Fred was five, a teacher suggested that a stage career was possible for the sister and brother. With their mother, the children went to New York to receive additional training and begin performing on stage. Within a couple of years, they had a popular routine and were billed as “Juvenile Artists.” During their early years in New York, Adele and Fred attended the Alvienne Master School of the Theatre and Academy of Cultural Arts.

The siblings received their first invitation to join a professional vaudeville act in 1905, and initially, were managed by their mother, who also made their costumes. They developed even further under the direction of choreographer Ned Wayburn at the Metropolitan Opera’s ballet school. In 1908, the pair returned to Omaha as a part of a troupe playing the Orpheum Theatre, and local newspapers lauded their arrival and performance, even giving them front-page coverage. After a brief respite, they returned to the vaudeville circuit in 1911. For a few years, Adele and Fred struggled to find work because agents were reluctant to represent an act that was not nationally known.

Bookings for siblings became more frequent with the assistance of Aurelio Coccia, who helped them foster more mature routines. After a union strike of vaudeville ended, they returned to work once more and achieved immense success. Finally, the brother and sister starred in their first Broadway show in 1917. Fred was known for being more of a perfectionist than his sister, and he invested a lot of time in choreographing their routines. Adele had the personality to go with the talent, and she generally received better notices than her brother.

Over time, the Astaires became well-known nationally and internationally, seeing ample success in England. Their hit shows included “Lady Be Good!,” “Funny Face” and “The Bandwagon.” In 1932, Adele retired from performing to marry Lord Charles Cavendish. Fred continued a solo career and moved to Hollywood in 1933 to make movies. In his second film, he was paired with Ginger Rogers, and they went on to make ten iconic movie musicals. In the 1950s and 60s, he won several Emmys for television specials. In 1959, upon the release of his autobiography, Steps in Time, Fred made a rare trip to Omaha and even dedicated the book to his hometown. Adele Astaire died in 1981, and Fred passed away six years later.

In 2019, Omaha honored the iconic dancer and actor by establishing “Fred Astaire Avenue.” Adele and Fred’s childhood home on South Street was at one time facing demolition, but a new owner formed a nonprofit called the 1880 House. The nonprofit is striving to fundraise and restore the home and open a museum to tell the story of how working-class people in Omaha lived at the time and to honor the legacies of Adele and Fred Astaire. 

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Fred Astaire’s Omaha Origins, History Nebraska. March 1st, 1999. Accessed October 24th, 2023. https://history.nebraska.gov/publications_section/fred-astaires-omaha-origins/.

Fred and Adele Astaire, PBS. Accessed October 24th, 2023. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway/stars/fred-and-adele-astaire/.