Cyd Charisse was born to be a dancer. She spent her early childhood taking ballet lessons and joined the Ballet Russe at 13. In 1939 she married Nico Charisse, her ex-dance teacher. In 1943 she appeared in her first film,
Something to Shout About, billed as Lily Norwood. The same year she played a Russian dancer in
Mission to Moscow...See full bio »
1994That's Entertainment! III
(documentary)
(performer: "Baby, You Knock Me Out" 1955 - uncredited, "The Heather on the Hill" 1947 - uncredited, "Two-Faced Woman" 1953 - uncredited, "Dance of Fury" 1948 - uncredited, "The Girl Hunt" 1952 - uncredited)
–
Episode #2.18
(1965)
(performer: "Let's Dance" - uncredited, "Ballet Blues" - uncredited, "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening" - uncredited)
1957Silk Stockings
(performer: "Paris Loves Lovers" - uncredited, "It's a Chemical Reaction that's all" - uncredited, "Without Love" - uncredited, "Fated to Be Mated" - uncredited, "Red Blues" - uncredited)
1956Meet Me in Las Vegas
(performer: "Rehearsal Ballet", "Sleeping Beauty Ballet" excerpt, "Frankie and Johnny", "The Gal with the Yaller Shoes", "My Lucky Charm")
1954Brigadoon
(performer: "Waiting for My Dearie" - uncredited, "The Heather on the Hill" - uncredited, "The Heather on the Hill" reprise - uncredited)
1953The Band Wagon
(performer: "The Beggars Waltz" 1931 - uncredited, "Dancing in the Dark" 1931 - uncredited, "You and the Night and the Music" 1934 - uncredited, "New Sun in the Sky" 1931 - uncredited, "The Girl Hunt" 1953 - uncredited / "That's Entertainment" 1953 - uncredited)
1952Singin' in the Rain
(performer: "Broadway Rhythm Ballet" 1952 - uncredited)
1948Words and Music
(performer: "This Can't Be Love", "On Your Toes", "Blue Room")
The censors were always there when I was on the set. When I was held up, in a lift [in
Deep in My Heart], they were up on ladders to see if I was properly covered.
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Trivia:
When casting the film
Damn Yankees!, the studio was initially interested in pursuing Cyd as Lola and Cary Grant as Applegate. In the end, Gwen Verdon won the right to recreate her stage role with Ray Walston the devilish Applegate. Cyd was supposedly unavailable but later played the role on the legit stage.
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