Cyd Charisse
Posted: December 17th, 2010, 2:40 am
The more I look at her musical movies the more I think she was absolutely the most perfect dancer. Her form and grace and passion was exquisite. In the movie "Meet Me In Las Vegas" with Dan Dailey she had a chance to dance all genres. Pop, Ballet, modern jazz, and a little Broadway Tap. She was just the consumate dancer.
Charisse was born as Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas, the daughter of Lela (née Norwood) and Ernest Enos Finklea, Sr., who was a jeweler. Her nickname "Sid" was taken from a sibling trying to say "Sis". (It was later spelled "Cyd" at MGM to give her an air of mystery.) She was a sickly girl who started dancing lessons at six to build up her strength after a bout with polio. At 12, she studied ballet in Los Angeles with Adolph Bolm and Bronislava Nijinska, and at 14, she auditioned for and subsequently danced in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as "Felia Siderova" and, later, "Maria Istomina".
During a European tour, she met up again with Nico Charisse, a handsome young dancer she had studied with for a time in Los Angeles. They married in Paris in 1939. They had a son, Nicky, born in 1942. And so she became Cud charisse
Cyd Charisse legs were insured for $5 million dollars at one point which made the Guiness Book Of Records in 1952. She was married to singer Tony Martin for 60 years.
A fine performer with a wonderful legacy. She died in 2008 at age 86.
Uncle Stevie
Charisse was born as Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas, the daughter of Lela (née Norwood) and Ernest Enos Finklea, Sr., who was a jeweler. Her nickname "Sid" was taken from a sibling trying to say "Sis". (It was later spelled "Cyd" at MGM to give her an air of mystery.) She was a sickly girl who started dancing lessons at six to build up her strength after a bout with polio. At 12, she studied ballet in Los Angeles with Adolph Bolm and Bronislava Nijinska, and at 14, she auditioned for and subsequently danced in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as "Felia Siderova" and, later, "Maria Istomina".
During a European tour, she met up again with Nico Charisse, a handsome young dancer she had studied with for a time in Los Angeles. They married in Paris in 1939. They had a son, Nicky, born in 1942. And so she became Cud charisse
Cyd Charisse legs were insured for $5 million dollars at one point which made the Guiness Book Of Records in 1952. She was married to singer Tony Martin for 60 years.
A fine performer with a wonderful legacy. She died in 2008 at age 86.
Uncle Stevie