10 Actors Who Had To Get Drunk To Shoot Their Movies

1. Fred Astaire - Holiday Inn (1942)

According to Fred Astaire's daughter, Ava, her legendary screen-dancing father prepared for his "drunken" dancing scene in Holiday Inn by taking two shots of bourbon before his first take of the scene. While that doesn't sound like much, Astaire (playing Ted Hanover, who is only a "g" away from being aptly named) also took an additional shot of bourbon before each subsequent take.

Astaire ended up filming seven takes of the scene, and the finished film used the final take with Astaire eight shots in. Of course, even more than seventy years later it's still humbling to see Astaire still being a better dancer after eight shots than ninety-nine percent of humanity completely sober.

In other words, don't try this at the next wedding you're invited to.