Oddly, yes, Fred Astaire was on Battlestar Galactica in 1979, the year he turned 80. Astaire played an “old con man” who “works his way into Starbuck’s life” in episode 15. Here’s the photographic proof, with Astaire and rascally Dirk Benedict.
(This was the old Battlestar Galactica, obviously, not the new one. Though it would have been awesome to see Astaire dance with Cylon Number Six.)
They’re not exactly Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins, but… y’know. It’s a TV show.
So how did Fred Astaire like being on the show?
Later asked what his favourite role was, the man who had appeared in so many movies with countless stars answered that his appearance in Battlestar Galactica was his favourite role because his little grandson had been so impressed with it…
He found it a tough show because of special effects that caused three days of overtime, and because of the space language, which he didn’t understand.
So says this rather fascinatingly detailed page about Astaire’s religion. (He was Episcopalian.) Skip to the very bottom for the Galactica goodies.
(Thanks to Battlestar Wiki for the photographic proof.)