CYD
CHARISSE!!!
Cyd Charisse was born Tula Ellice Finklea on March 8, 1922 in Amarillo, Texas. Cyd spent her childhood studying ballet and at age 13 she joined the Ballet Russe. Five years later, while on a tour of Europe, she married her ballet instructor, Nico Charisse. In 1943, she began appearing in bit parts in films, billed as "Lily Norwood." After changing her name, she rose to stardom in 1946 and eventually appeared in musicals as the dance partner of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. In the late '50s, with the decline of Hollywood musicals, she started working on straight films and soon was relegated to lower status as a screen personality. She made few films after 1963. In the '60s she performed in a nightclub revue with her second husband, singer Tony Martin, and in 1972 she starred in an Australian stage production of No No Nanette. She and Tony Martin wrote a dual memoir, called The Two of Us. Cyd Charisse is considered one of the finest dancers in American
cinema. Here are five of Cyd Charisse's most famous films: Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Bringadoon (1954), It's Always Fair Weather (1955), and Silk Stockings (1957).
My Classic Movie Stars
Classic Movie Stars:
