- Born
- Died
- Birth nameTula Ellice Finklea
- Nicknames
- Maria Istomina
- Felia Sidorova
- Maria Istomena
- Natacha Tulaelis
- Celia Siderova
- Height1.68 m
- Cyd Charisse was born Tula Ellice Finklea on March 8, 1922, in Amarillo, Texas. Born to be a dancer, she spent her early childhood taking ballet lessons and joined the Ballet Russe at age 13. In 1939, she married Nico Charisse, her former dance teacher. In 1943, she appeared in her first film, Something to Shout About (1943), billed as Lily Norwood. The same year, she played a Russian dancer in Mission à Moscou (1943), directed by Michael Curtiz. In 1945, she was hired to dance with Fred Astaire in Ziegfeld Follies (1945), and that uncredited appearance got her a seven-year contract with MGM. She appeared in a number of musicals over the next few years, but it was Chantons sous la pluie (1952) with Gene Kelly that made her a star. That was quickly followed by her great performance in Tous en scène ! (1953). As the 1960s dawned, musicals faded from the screen, as did her career. She made appearances on television and performed in a nightclub revue with her second husband, singer Tony Martin. Cyd Charisse died at age 86 of a heart attack on June 17, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.- IMDb mini biography by: Tony Fontana <tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
- SpousesTony Martin(May 15, 1948 - June 17, 2008) (her death, 1 child)Nico Charisse(August 12, 1939 - February 17, 1947) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenNico Finklea Charisse
- ParentsErnest Enos Finklea Jr.Lela Finklea née Norwood
- RelativesNana Visitor(Niece or Nephew)Ian Tucker(Niece or Nephew)Zan Charisse(Niece or Nephew)Thomas Jarrell "T.J." Finklea(Sibling)Ernest Enos Finklea Jr.(Sibling)
- Said her husband could tell who she had been dancing with that day on an MGM set. If she came home covered with bruises, it was the very demanding Gene Kelly, if not, it was the smooth and agile Fred Astaire.
- Although one of the greatest female dancers in the history of the movie musical, her singing in films was almost always dubbed, most notably by Carol Richards in Brigadoon (1954) and a young Vikki Carr in Matt Helm, agent très spécial (1966).
- Her dark looks initially had her cast as ethnic beauties. She was cast as Ricardo Montalban's fiancée in Fiesta (1947) and as a Polynesian in the Esther Williams musical Dans une île avec vous (1948).
- Met first husband Nico Charisse, as a very young dancer. She had studied with him for a time in Los Angeles. They married in Paris in 1939 when she was still a teenager. When the Ballet Russe disbanded after World War II broke out, the newlyweds moved to Hollywood.
- She and husband Tony Martin became a popular song-and-dance couple on television and in nightclubs/cabaret shows after their heyday in film.
- [on Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly] I can watch Astaire anytime. I don't think he ever made a wrong move. He was a perfectionist. He would work on a few bars for hours until it was just the way he wanted it. Gene was the same way. They both wanted perfection, even though they were completely different personalities.
- [on Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly] Fred could never do the lifts Gene did and never wanted to. I'd say they were the two greatest dancing personalities who were ever on the screen. Each has a distinctive style. Each is a joy to work with. But it's like comparing apples and oranges. They're both delicious.
- [on explaining why she never tapped on-screen] I was pulled up as a ballet dancer and I wasn't used to pounding the floor with bent knees.
- The censors were always there when I was on the set. When I was held up, in a lift [in Au fond de mon coeur (1954)], they were up on ladders to see if I was properly covered.
- Fred [Astaire] moved like glass. Physically, it was easy to dance with him. It was not as demanding on me. I didn't need the same vitality and strength.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content