Cyd Charisse is not an
actress. She's not a
movie star. She isn't even,
despite all evidence to the contrary, a brilliant dancer. What she is is
the living incarnation of female bodily perfection.
As a biographic note the above is a bit thin, I will admit. However, it is a good compromise between something decent and just creating a node for Cyd Charisse's legs, which is what my husband wanted me to do.
Cyd Charisse was born Tula Ellice Finklea on 8 March 1921, in Amarillo, Texas. Her eventual screen name is a combination of a childhood nickname ("Sid") and the name of her first husband, the dance instructor Nico Charisse. She has been married to her second husband Tony Martin since 1948, which is enough to restore my confidence in humanity and my faith in true love a little.
Cyd was never a great actress, or a great singer. She was however a supremely talented dancer, and the addition of a number featuring her would enliven even the most formulaeic of Hollywood musicals. Luckily for us, she featured in several quite exciting ones, most notably opposite Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain (1952), putting in an electric appearance which was to be a turning point in her career and propel her to larger (and speaking) parts.
Partial filmography: