Top photo by Paul Morse, Metal of the Arts/Bottom photo “Singin’ in the Rain” with Gene Kelly
Cyd Charisse always impressed me with her dancing, style and charismatic ability to grab your attention. She had “it.” You could look at her forever – her radiant beauty and natural sex appeal made men want to dance with her and women be like her. Heck, who won’t want to dance with Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. She had the career with legs and splendor.
Charisse trademark, long-limbed grace, as the camera panned, drove Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire to dance and the audience to dream.
Her first big part in “Singin’ in the Rain” had no lines just tall, graceful and exotic-looking Charisse and remained in the limelight even after the movie musicals left the silver screen.
Charisse passed away Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 86. It’s obvious she lived a healthy and clean life with her second husband, Tony Martin.
Many heard her tale of taking up dancing to counter the polio she contacted as a young girl. Of all the places, she was born in Amarillo, Texas. At sixteen she toured Europe as a ballerina. Eventually she ended up in Los Angeles, then Hollywood and MGM
Although Charisse was first and foremost a dancer, I recognized her more as an actress. I saw her the first time in the movie “Two Weeks in Another Town” where Charisse played Carlotta against Kirk Douglas. Douglas had met his match. You can see her inner strength.
I recommend picking up Charisse autobiography “Two of Us,” which she wrote with her husband, Tony Martin and read it; or, better yet, watch one of her movies. You’ll see a star, a Hollywood Star.
Rest in peace Cyd Charisse.
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