Cyd Charisse

Joined the Ballet Russe at the age of 14, performing under the names Maria Istomina and Felia Sidorova; married her dance instructor Nico Charisse when she was 18.

Appeared in bits in movies starting in 1943 under the name Lily Norwood; signed by MGM in 1946 and renamed Cyd Charisse; appeared in small parts in several of the studo's musicals.

View all Highlights

All Credits

Viewing:

All

Film Credits

TV Credits

Film Name / TV Show Name (Episode Name)

Role

Category

Five Golden Hours 1961 -Baronessa Sandra

Actor

Film

Portrait of an Escort

Actor

Swimsuit -Mrs. Allison

Actor

Warlords of Atlantis 1978 -Atsil

Actor

Film

Two Weeks in Another Town 1962 -Carlotta

Actor

Film

Party Girl 1958 -Vicki Gaye

Actor

Film

Twilight for the Gods 1958 -Charlotte King

Actor

Film

Silk Stockings 1957 -Ninotchka

Actor

Film

Meet Me in Las Vegas 1956 -Maria Corvier

Actor

Film

It's Always Fair Weather 1955 -Jackie Leighton

Actor

Film

Brigadoon 1954 -Fiona Campbell

Actor

Film

Deep in My Heart 1954

Actor

Film

Easy to Love 1953

Actor

Film

The Band Wagon 1953 -Gaby Gerard

Actor

Film

Singin' in the Rain 1952 -Dancer in the Fantasy Sequence

Actor

Film

Mission to Moscow 1943 -Specialty Dancer

Actor

Film

On an Island with You -Yvonne Torro

Actor

Film

Portrait of an Escort

Actor

Film

Mark of the Renegade -Manuella

Actor

Film

Maroc 7 -Louise Henderson

Actor

Film

Fiesta -Conchita

Actor

Film

East Side, West Side -Rosa Senta

Actor

Film

Call Her Mom

Actor

Film

Assassination in Rome

Actor

Film

Sombrero -Lola de Torrano

Actor

Film

Something to Shout About -Lily

Actor

Film

Soundies: A Musical History

Performance

Film

Swimsuit -Mrs. Allison

Actor

Film

Tension -Mary Chanler

Actor

Film

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood -President's Girl 4

Actor

Film

Words and Music -Margo Grant

Actor

Film

Ziegfeld Follies -Ballet Dancer

Actor

Film

The Harvey Girls -Deborah

Actor

Film

The Kissing Bandit -Specialty dancer

Actor

Film

The Silencers -Sarita

Actor

Film

The Unfinished Dance -Mlle. Ariane Bouchet

Actor

Film

The Wild North -Indian girl

Actor

Film

Three Wise Fools -Rena Fairchild

Actor

Film

Till the Clouds Roll By -Dance Specialty

Actor

Film

Visioni privati

Actor

Film

Highlights

Began taking ballet lessons as a child to build up her strength after a bout with polio.

Joined the Ballet Russe at the age of 14, performing under the names Maria Istomina and Felia Sidorova; married her dance instructor Nico Charisse when she was 18.

Appeared in bits in movies starting in 1943 under the name Lily Norwood; signed by MGM in 1946 and renamed Cyd Charisse; appeared in small parts in several of the studo's musicals.

Star-making role came in 1952's Singin' in the Rain opposite Gene Kelly in the sensational "Broadway Melody" production number.

Was also paired with Kelly in the classic musicals Brigadoon (1954) and It's Alway's Fair Weather (1955); danced with Fred Astaire in The Band Wagon (1953

MGM publicity department once claimed to have insured her famously long and shapely legs for $5 million.

As Hollywood's golden age of musicals died out in the 1960s, she made occasional appearances on TV and launched a successful nightclub act with her husband Tony Martin.

Appeared in Janet Jackson's music video for "Alright" in 1990.