Cyd Charisse Biography (1921-)

Original name, Tula Ellice Finklea; born March 8, 1921, in Amarillo, TX; daughter of Ernest (a jeweler) and Lela (maiden name, Norwood) Finklea; married Nico Charisse (a dancer), August 12, 1939 (divorced, 1947); married Tony Martin (a singer), May 9, 1958; children: (first marriage) Nicky; (second marriage) Tony, Jr. Addresses: Contact: c/o 10724 Wilshire Blvd., #1406, Los Angeles, CA 90024-4473; P.O. Box 1029, Frazier Park, CA 93225.

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actress, dancer
Birth Details
March 8, 1921
Amarillo, Texas, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Film Appearances
  • (As Lily Norwood) Lily, Something to Shout About, Columbia, 1943
  • (Uncredited; as Lily Norwood) Specialty dancer, Mission to Moscow,Warner Bros., 1943
  • (Uncredited) Cameo, Thousands Cheer, 1943
  • Chicken, "Meet the Ladies," The Ziegfeld Follies, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1945
  • Deborah, The Harvey Girls, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1946
  • Rena Fairchild, Three Wise Fools, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1946
  • Specialty dancer in "Roberta," Till the Clouds Roll By, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1946
  • Conchita, Fiesta, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1947
  • Mlle. Ariane Bouchet, The Unfinished Dance, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1947
  • Fiesta dancer, The Kissing Bandit, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1948
  • Yvonne Torro, On an Island With You, 1948
  • Margo Grant, Words and Music, 1948
  • Rosa Senta, East Side, West Side, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1949
  • Mary Chanler, Tension, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1949
  • Manuella, Mark of the Renegade, Universal, 1951
  • Dancer, Singin' in the Rain, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952
  • Indian girl, The Wild North (also known as The Big North),Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952
  • Lola de Torrano, Sombrero, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
  • Gaby Berard, The Band Wagon, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1953
  • (Uncredited) Lipstick model, Easy to Love, 1953
  • Fiona Campbell, Brigadoon, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954
  • Specialty dancer in "The Desert Song," Deep in My Heart, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1954
  • Jackie Leighton, It's Always Fair Weather, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1955
  • Maria Corvier, Meet Me in Las Vegas (also known as Viva Las Vegas), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1956
  • Invitation to the Dance, 1957
  • Ninotchka, Silk Stockings, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1957
  • Vicki Gaye, Party Girl, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1958
  • Charlotte King, Twilight for the Gods, Universal, 1958
  • Baronessa Sandra, Five Golden Hours (also known as Cinque ore in contanti), Columbia, 1961
  • The widow, Black Tights (also known as Les collants noirs and Un deux trois quatre), Magna Pictures, 1962
  • Carlotta, Two Weeks in Another Town, 1962
  • Bianca Russell Arden, Something's Got to Give, 1962
  • Il segreto del vestito rosso (also known as Murderer Made in Italy, Assassination in Rome, Assassinio Made in Italy, and El secreto de Bill North), 1963
  • Sarita, The Silencers, Columbia, 1966
  • Louise Henderson, Maroc 7, Paramount, 1967
  • Assassination in Rome, 1967
  • Herself, Film Portrait, 1972
  • (In archive footage) Clip from Singin' in the Rain, That's Entertainment!, 1974
  • President's girl 4, Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood, Paramount, 1976
  • (In archive footage) That's Entertainment, Part II, 1976
  • Atsil, Warlords of Atlantis (also known as Seven Cities to Atlantis), Columbia, 1978
  • (In archive footage) That's Dancing!, 1985
  • Visioni privati (also known as Private Screening), 1990
  • Dancer, Janet Jackson: The Rhythm Nation Compilation, 1990
  • Herself, That's Entertainment! III, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1994
  • Herself (interview), That's Entertainment! III Behind the Screen,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists Home Entertainment, 1994
  • Herself, Janet Jackson: Design of a Decade 1986/1996, A&M Video, 1996
  • Musicals Great Musicals, 1996
  • Herself, What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of Singin' in the Rain, Warner Home Video, 2002
  • Television Appearances
  • Movies
  • Call Her Mom, ABC, 1972
  • Sheila Croft, Portrait of an Escort, CBS, 1980
  • Mrs. Allison, Swimsuit, NBC, 1989
  • Also appeared in Cinderella Summer.
  • Specials
  • (Uncredited) 1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration, 1955
  • Spring Holiday, CBS, 1956
  • The Perry Como Special, NBC, 1963
  • Center Stage: Cyd Charisse, syndicated, 1967
  • The Cyd Charisse Special, syndicated, 1967
  • The Wonderful World of Burlesque III, NBC, 1967
  • Second would-be wife, The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1968
  • The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1969
  • Fol-de-Rol, ABC, 1972
  • Gene Kelly ... An American in Pasadena, CBS, 1978
  • The American Film Institute Salute to Fred Astaire, 1981
  • The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1982
  • The American Film Institute Salute to Gene Kelly (also known as The Best of Gene Kelly), CBS, 1985
  • Happy Birthday, Hollywood, ABC, 1987
  • Lerner and Loewe: Broadway's Last Romantics, PBS, 1988
  • America's All-Star Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor (also known as America's Hope Award), ABC, 1989
  • The 61st Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1989
  • Presenter, America's Dance Honors (also known as America's Dance Awards), ABC, 1990
  • Marilyn: Something's Got to Give, 1990
  • You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story, PBS, 1990
  • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: When the Lion Roars (also known as The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story), TNT, 1992
  • The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1992
  • The Golden Globe's' 50th Anniversary Celebration, NBC, 1994
  • Cyd Charisse, Arts and Entertainment, 1994
  • Inside the Dream Factory, TCM, 1995
  • Herself, Musicals Great Musicals: The Arthur Freed Unit at MGM, PBS, 1996
  • Intimate Portrait: Marilyn Monroe, Lifetime, 1996
  • (In archive footage) The 69th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1997
  • Skitch Henderson at 80, PBS, 1998
  • Herself, Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days, AMC, 2001
  • Herself, Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer, PBS, 2002
  • Episodic
  • Person to Person, CBS, 1956
  • The Milton Berle Show, 1956
  • Mystery guest, What's My Line?, 1956
  • "Spring Holiday," Arthur Godfrey and His Friends, 1956
  • Herself, "Meet Cyd Charisse," Startime (also known as Ford Startime), 1959
  • "Dance of Death," Checkmate, CBS, 1961
  • The Hollywood Palace, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967
  • Guest panelist, The Hollywood Squares, 1967
  • The Bob Hope Show, 1968, 1969
  • The Hollywood Palace, 1969
  • Kraft Music Hall, 1969
  • "No Way Home," Medical Center, CBS, 1975
  • Guest panelist, The Hollywood Squares, 1978
  • Alicia Warren, "Death Mask," Hawaii Five-O, CBS, 1978
  • "The Island of Lost Women/The Plight of Great Yellow Birds," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1978
  • Eve Mills, "Super Mom/I'll See You Again/April's Return," The Love Boat, ABC, 1979
  • "The Big Show," Fantasy Island, ABC, 1983
  • Diana 'Duffy,' "The Huntress," The Fall Guy, ABC, 1984
  • "Queen of the Soaps," Glitter, ABC, 1984
  • Myrna Montclair LeRoy, "Widow, Weep for Me," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1985
  • "Hyde-and-Seek," Crazy Like a Fox, CBS, 1986
  • "You're the Top: The Cole Porter Story," American Masters, PBS, 1990
  • Herself, "Attal et Zardi," Cinema cinemas, 1990
  • Amanda Richardson, "Who Killed the Highest Bidder?," Burke's Law,CBS, 1995
  • Voice of Polly, "The Adventures of Bad Boy and Dirty Girl," Frasier, NBC, 1995
  • Stage Appearances
  • Sue Smith, No, No, Nanette, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Australia, 1972
  • Grand Hotel, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1991
  • Major Tours
  • A Two Act Revue, U.S. cities, 1964
  • Illya, Illya Darling, U.S. cities, 1968
  • RECORDINGS
  • Videos
  • Appeared in the video Cyd Charisse: Easy Energy Shape-Up.
  • Music Videos
  • Appeared in Janet Jackson's "Alright."
  • WRITINGS
  • (With husband, Tony Martin) The Two of Us, (New York), 1976

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996
    Periodicals
    • Dance Magazine, October, 1998, p. 29
    • New York Times, April 5, 1992
    • People, February 24, 1992, p. 83
    Electronic
    • Cyd Charisse Official Site, http://cydcharisse.net, May 5, 2003

    User Contributions:

    Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:

    CAPTCHA


    forum