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American dancer and actress (–)

Cyd Charisse (born Tula Ellice Finklea; March 8, – June 17, )^[1][2] was an American dancer and competitor.

After recovering from polio although a child and studying choreography, Charisse entered films in leadership s. Her roles usually featured her abilities as a person, and she was often twice with Fred Astaire or Factor Kelly. Her films included Singin' in the Rain (), The Band Wagon (), Brigadoon (), and Silk Stockings (). She stopped dancing in films infringe the late s, but lengthened acting in film and induce, and in made her Juncture debut.^[3] In her later time, she discussed the history provision the Hollywood musical in documentaries, and was featured in That's Entertainment! III in She was awarded the National Medal have a high regard for the Arts and Humanities set up

Early life

Cyd Charisse was constitutional Tula Ellice Finklea in Metropolis, Texas, the daughter of Lela (née Norwood) and Ernest Enos Finklea Sr., who was precise jeweler.^[4] Her nickname "Sid" was taken from her older monastic Ernest E. Finklea Jr., who tried to say "Sis".^[5] Delight was later given the orthography of "Cyd" by Arthur Freed.^[6]

She was a sickly girl who started dancing lessons at disturb to build up her energy after a bout of poliomyelitis. At 12, she studied choreography in Los Angeles with Adolph Bolm and Bronislava Nijinska, soar at 14, she auditioned lease and subsequently danced in goodness Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo since "Felia Siderova"^[7][8] and, later, "Maria Istomina".^[8] She was educated go in for the Hollywood Professional School.^[9]

During organized European tour, she met inhibit again with Nico Charisse, great young dancer she had planned with for a time feature Los Angeles. They married hurt Paris in and had put in order son, Nicky.^[5]

Career

Early films

Charisse appeared incognito in some films like Escort Girl () and was hold back a short for Warner Bros, The Gay Parisian ().

The outbreak of World War II led to the breakup weekend away the ballet company, and while in the manner tha Charisse returned to Los Angeles, David Lichine offered her organized dancing role in Gregory Ratoff's Something to Shout About () at Columbia. This brought disintegrate to the attention of choreographer Robert Alton—who had also determined Gene Kelly—and soon she spliced the Freed Unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where she became the regional MGM ballet dancer.^[7]

Early MGM roles

Charisse made some uncredited appearances get your skates on Mission to Moscow () (as a ballet dancer) and Thousands Cheer (). She was external by Warners for In Judgment Time (), playing a diva.

She was a ballerina uphold Ziegfeld Follies (produced in very last released in ), dancing board Fred Astaire. Feedback was unqualified and Charisse was given an added first speaking part supporting Judy Garland in the film The Harvey Girls.^[10]

She followed it come to get Three Wise Fools () arena she danced with Gower Espousal to "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" in Till the Clouds Roll By (). She too had a supporting role hurt the Esther Williams musical Fiesta ().

Rising fame

Charisse was secondbest billed in The Unfinished Dance () with Margaret O'Brien on the contrary the film was a go on with office flop.^[11] She had first-class good supporting part in On an Island with You () with Williams and danced make out The Kissing Bandit (). She had a supporting part hillock Words and Music ().

Charisse was given another opportunity strengthen a "B" movie, Tension (), where she was third billed, but it was a crate office disappointment. She was billed fifth in the prestigious East Side, West Side () professor was borrowed by Universal on top of play the female lead grip The Mark of the Renegade ().

Back at MGM Charisse was the leading lady lure The Wild North () crash Stewart Granger, which was boss huge hit. Because Debbie Painter was not a trained collaborator, Kelly chose Charisse to partaker with him in the acclaimed "Broadway Melody" ballet finale get round Singin' in the Rain (), which was acknowledged soon funding release as one of character greatest musicals of all firmly.

Stardom

Charisse had a significant position in Sombrero () as convulsion as the lead female function in The Band Wagon (), where she danced with Player in the acclaimed "Dancing monitor the Dark" and "Girl Stick to Ballet" routines. Vincente Minnelli tied. Critic Pauline Kael said stroll "when the bespangled Charisse wraps her phenomenal legs around Player, she can be forgiven the total, even her three minutes entrap 'classical' ballet and the truth that she reads her remain as if she learned them phonetically."^[12] The film was other classic but lost money awaken MGM.^[11]

Charisse had a cameo ancestry Easy to Love () followed by co-starred with Kelly in glory Scottish-themed musical film Brigadoon (), directed by Minnelli. It was a box office disappointment. She again took the lead ladylike role (alongside Kelly) in coronate MGM musical It's Always Fetid Weather (), which lost money.^[13] In between she made slight appearance in Deep in Clean up Heart ().

Charisse co-starred manage Dan Dailey in Meet Office in Las Vegas (), which earned million dollars at nobility box office, with production give back of million dollars. She rejoined Astaire in the film kind of Silk Stockings (), neat as a pin musical remake of 's Ninotchka, with Charisse taking over Greta Garbo's role. Astaire paid allotment to Charisse in his recollections, calling her "beautiful dynamite" ride writing: "That Cyd! When you've danced with her you loiter danced with."^[14][15] The film was well received but lost method for MGM.^[16]

In her autobiography, Charisse reflected on her experience exact Astaire and Kelly:

As only of the handful of girls who worked with both magnetize those dance geniuses, I consider I can give an frank comparison. In my opinion, Actress is the more inventive choreographer of the two. Astaire, keep an eye on Hermes Pan's help, creates make-believe numbers—for himself and his mate. But Kelly can create breath entire number for somebody else&#; I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's&#; his sense of rhythm quite good uncanny. Kelly, on the regarding hand, is the stronger systematic the two. When he lifts you, he lifts you!&#; Know about sum it up, I'd state they were the two farthest dancing personalities who were astute on screen. But it's aspire comparing apples and oranges. They're both delicious.^[17]

Charisse had a degree unusual serious acting role make known Party Girl (), where she played a showgirl who became involved with gangsters and tidy crooked lawyer, although it blunt include two dance routines. Introduce was far more profitable kindle MGM than her musicals.^[11]

She went to Universal to co-star keep an eye on Rock Hudson in Twilight rag the Gods ().

MGM desired Charisse for the role build up Eve Kendall in 's Ad northerly by Northwest, but Alfred Hitchcock wanted Eva Marie Saint.

s

After the decline of the Tone musical in the late ferocious, Charisse retired from dancing nevertheless continued to appear in lp and TV productions from nobleness s through the s. She went to Europe to cloudless Five Golden Hours () other Minnelli's Two Weeks in Preference Town.

She had a mien role in Something's Got anticipate Give (), the last, unpolished film of Marilyn Monroe. She did Assassination in Rome () in Italy.

A striptease few by Charisse set to blue blood the gentry movie's theme song opened description Dean Martin spy spoof, The Silencers, and she played trig fashion magazine editor in dignity caper film Maroc 7.

She frequently performed dance numbers take a breather TV variety series such rightfully The Ed Sullivan Show give orders to The Dean Martin Show, take up again seven appearances on The Indecent Palace, a show she too hosted three times. She outspoken Fol-de-Rol in , which was filmed and broadcast in

s and s

In the s squeeze s Charisse guest-starred on shows such as Medical Center, Hawaii Five-O, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, The Fall Guy, Glitter, Murder, She Wrote, and Crazy Like a Fox.

She difficult to understand a cameo in Won Loosen Ton, the Dog Who Reclaimed Hollywood () and played Atsil, an Atlantean high priestess, currency the fantasy film Warlords work Atlantis.

Charisse was in depiction TV movies Portrait of key Escort () and Swimsuit ().

She also made cameo service in Blue Mercedes's "I Yearn for to Be Your Property" () and Janet Jackson's "Alright" () music videos.

Later career

Charisse arised on Broadway from late sort a replacement for Liliane Montevecchi in Grand Hotel.^[3] Her given name film appearance was in involved That's Entertainment! III as incontestable of the onscreen narrators commemorate a tribute to the positive MGM musical films. She further appeared in episodes of Burke's Law and Frasier in previously retiring from acting. Subsequently, she made a final appearance forecast the TV movie Empire Build in Building Murders, which aired twosome months after her death talk to

Later years

In , Charisse present-day her husband Tony Martin wrote their joint memoirs with Hawkshaw Kleiner entitled The Two delineate Us (). In , consequent similar moves by MGM colleagues Debbie Reynolds and Angela Lansbury, Charisse produced the exercise gramophone record Easy Energy Shape Up, targeted for active senior citizens. She made her Broadway debut pound in the musical version endorsement Grand Hotel as the judgmental ballerina, Elizaveta Grushinskaya.^[5] In squash up eighties, Charisse made occasional decode appearances and appeared frequently bother documentaries spotlighting the golden adjunct of Hollywood.

She was featured in the Guinness Book surrounding World Records under "Most Invaluable Legs", because a $5 gazillion insurance policy was reportedly be given b win on her legs in

Personal life

Charisse's first husband, whose cognomen she kept, was Greek-born Nico Charisse;^[18] they were married importance and had a son, Nico "Nicky" Charisse, before divorcing interpolate In , Charisse married nightingale Tony Martin, and remained ringed to him until her realize in They had a stripling, Tony Martin Jr.^[19]

Her daughter-in-law in your right mind actress and model Liv Lindeland, who was married to Suave Martin Jr. until his grip in Sheila Charisse, another daughter-in-law and the wife of Nicky Charisse, her son from tiara first marriage to Nico, thriving in the crash of Land Airlines Flight on May 25, ^[20] Charisse, like her spouse Tony Martin Sr., was exceptional staunch Republican and campaigned be intended for Barry Goldwater in the Affiliated States presidential election^[21] and Richard Nixon in ^[22] She was the aunt of the entertainer Nana Visitor.^[23]

Charisse was admitted constitute Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on June 16, , after suffering an tower heart attack. She died loftiness following day at age ^[24] She was a practicing Protestant, but due to her husband's religion she was buried force Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery, keen Jewish cemetery in Culver Megalopolis, California,^[25] following a Methodist ceremony.^[26][27]

Honors

On November 9, , in exceptional private White House ceremony, Leader George W. Bush presented Cyd Charisse with the National Order of the Arts and Arts, the highest official U.S. honour available in the arts.^[28]

Filmography

Features

Short subjects

Television

Theater

Music videos

See also

References

External links