FRED ASTAIRE - ASTAIRE STUNNED BY JACKSON'S MOONWALK

ASTAIRE STUNNED BY JACKSON'S MOONWALK

Late dancing icon FRED ASTAIRE was so stunned by MICHAEL JACKSON's famous `moonwalk' at the Motown 25 concert in 1983 he called the pop superstar to congratulate him - and then stole one of his moves. The Thriller singer tells Ebony magazine he choreographed the dance sequence and insisted on taking charge of all the camerawork and stage lighting when his performance was filmed - to make sure his moonwalk amazed. And it did just that to Astaire. Jackson says, "Fred Astaire calls and said, `I watched it last night, and I taped it, and I watched it again this morning. You're a helluva mover.' "So, later, when I saw Fred Astaire, he did this (moonwalk move) with his fingers."