Oh, there's no such thing as my favorite performance. I can't sit here today and look back, and say, Top Hat was better than Easter Parade or any of the others. I just don't look back, period. When I finish with a project, I say 'all right, that's that. What's next?'

There comes a day when people begin to say, 'Why doesn't that old duffer retire?' I want to get out while they're still saying Astaire is a hell of a dancer.

Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.

I often take a brand-new suit or hat and throw it up against the wall a few times to get that stiff, square newness out of it.

I have no desire to prove anything by my work. I have never used it as an outlet or as a means of expressing myself. I just dance.

Slippery stages were the terror of my life.

When you have a Dancing partner, there's always gonna be a moment where the girl's gonna cry, Ginger didn't do that. But, most every other girl I've worked with have cried because they said "aah, I can't do it" and I have to go "Yes, you can, Shut up!" and they do do it.