Matinee Classics - Cyd Charisse Biography & Filmography

Cyd Charisse ACTOR

PHOTOS

CYD CHARISSE BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Cyd Charisse was born on March 8th, 1921 in Amarillo, Texas with the birth name Tula Ellice Finklea, born to Ernest Enos and Lela Norwood Finklea. As a young girl she studied ballet and by the age of thirteen she joined the Ballet Russe.

She then began working as a dancer in a number of small films taking un-credited roles such as in, "Escort Girl" (1941). Her first credited film debut was in 1943 on, "Something to Shout About". Soon she was adding such credits to her resume as, "Mission to Moscow" (1943), "Ziegfeld Follies" (1945), "Fiesta" (1947), "On an Island with You" (1948) and her most famous role came in 1952 dancing with Gene Kelly in the musical, "Singin' In the Rain" and co-starring Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds.

Now with Hollywood really taking notice of her talent, she continued holding on to her level of stardom appearing in such films as, "The Band Wagon" (1953), "It's Always Fair Weather" (1956), "Silk Stockings" (1957) and "Party Girl" (1958).

As film roles began to slow down, she turned her focus towards a number of television appearances such as on the television series, "Murder, She Wrote", "The Fall Guy", "The Love Boat", "Fantasy Island", "Medical Center", "Glitter" and "Frasier". She would also perform live with her husband in a couple nightclubs and in 1992, she appeared on Broadway at the age of seventy years old making her debut in a production of, "Grand Hotel".

She was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to the Motion Picture Industry. Then in 2002, Cyd was also inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame and in 2006, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities.

Cyd Charisse married twice throughout her lifetime, first to Nico Charise, who was her ex dance instructor. They married in 1939 and had one child together before the marriage came to an end in 1947. She then married actor and singer Tony Martin in 1948 and they also had one child and remained together until she passed away on June 17th, 2008 in Los Angeles, California after suffering from complications from a heart attack. Her remains are interred at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.