Cyd Charisse – Height, Weight, Age, Movies & Family – Biography

Born on 8th March 1921, Cyd Charisse was an American actress and a phenomenal dancer. She was born Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas. Her father, Ernest Enos Finklea, Sr., was a jeweler. Cyd was nick-named as ‘Sid’ when her brother used to call her ‘sis’ in child blabbering language. Later, the spelling of ‘Sid’ was changed to ‘Cyd’ by ‘Arthur Freed.’

Cyd was interested in dancing from an early age. She took dancing classes as her father was also passionate about ballet dancing. This amazing ballet dancer took her last breath on 17th June 2008 when she was 86 years old. She died due to a heart attack. Although Cyd was a practicing Methodist, she was buried at Hillside Memorial Park Cemetery due to her husband’s religion.

Childhood Accomplishments

• Cyd was a sickly girl who was affected by polio. However, her passion for dancing didn’t stop her from learning. At the age of 12, Cyd enrolled in a ballet class in Los Angeles, and by 14, she was dancing with the Ballet Russe with a more glamorous name, Felia Sidorova.
• She was educated at the Hollywood Professional School.

Cyd Charisse Body Measurements

Awards and Achievements

• Cyd Charisse received honors and accolades for her contribution to ballet. She got the National Medal of the Arts and Humanities on 9th November 2006 in a private White House ceremony, President George W. Bush. It was the highest official U.S. honor available in the arts.
• Also, she was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2001 under Most Valuable Legs. It was because her legs were insured with a $5 million insurance policy in 1952.

Best Known for

• Cyd is remembered as one of the most talented dancers and actresses of the time. Her skills can be seen in Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, and Silk Stockings. She was the lead in The Wild North, which was a huge hit at the box office.
• Her appearance as a Ballet dancer in ‘Mission to Moscow’ and ‘Thousands Cheer’ gave her worldwide recognition. She played ballerina in Ziegfeld Follies and performed in films like The Harvey Girls, Three Wise Fools, Fiesta, and many more. Her unusual serious acting role in Party Girl was also highly appreciated by critics.

Cyd Charisse Pre-relationships

• Cyd married Nico Charisse, a dancer, in 1939. She carried her last time until her last breath. The couple was blessed with a son, Nico “Nicky” Charisse. However, the marriage didn’t last forever, and they split in 1947. She appeared with her husband in many shows and played small roles in Mission to Moscow and Something to Shout About.
• In 1948, Cyd married singer, Tony Martin. This marriage lasted until she died in 2008. They had a son, Tony Martin, Jr., who died in 2011.

Cyd Charisse Personal Info

Interesting Facts about Cyd Charisse

• Cyd Charisse was born with the name Tula Ellice Finklea.
• Cyd was the aunt of popular actors like Nana Visitor, Ian Tucker, and Zan Charisse.
• Cyd’s daughter-in-law, Sheila Charisse, died due to the crash of American Airlines flight 191 in May 1979.
• Ballet training helped Cyd gain strength despite having polio.
• She had a $5-million insurance policy accepted on her legs in 1952.
• Cyd and Nico got married when they were teenagers. They were working with Ballet Russe. However, when WWII broke out and the Ballet Russe was disbanded, the newlyweds moved to Hollywood.
• She was one of the finest and world-renowned ballerinas featured in hip-hop music videos.

Cyd Charisse Movies List

• Escort Girl – (1941)
• Something to Shout About – (1943)
• Mission to Moscow – (1943)
• Thousands Cheer – (1943)
• In Our Time – (1944)
• Ziegfeld Follies – (1945)
• The Harvey Girls – (1946)
• Three Wise Fools – (1946)
• Till the Clouds Roll By – (1946)
• Fiesta – (1947)
• The Unfinished Dance – (1947)
• On an Island with You – (1948)
• The Kissing Bandit – (1948)
• Words and Music – (1948)
• East Side, West Side – (1949)
• Tension – (1950)
• The Mark of the Renegade – (1951)
• The Wild North – (1952)
• Singin’ in the Rain – (1952)
• Sombrero – (1953)
• The Band Wagon – (1953)
• Easy to Love – (1953, cameo)
• Brigadoon – (1954)
• Deep in My Heart – (1954)
• It’s Always Fair Weather – (1955)
• Meet Me in Las Vegas – (1956)
• Silk Stockings – (1957)
• Twilight for the Gods – (1958)
• Party Girl – (1958)
• Black Tights – (1960)
• Five Golden Hours – (1961)
• Two Weeks in Another Town – (1962)
• Something’s Got To Give – (1962, Short, unfinished)
• Assassination in Rome – (1965)
• The Silencers – (1966)
• Maroc 7 – (1967)
• Film Portrait – (1972, documentary)
• Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood – (1976)
• Warlords of Atlantis – (1978)
• Swimsuit – (1984, made for television)
• Visioni private – (1989)
• That’s Entertainment! III – (1994)
• Empire State Building Murders – (2008)

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