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Cyd Charisse
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Cyd Charisse is the gal with the gams, the willowy Texan from Amarillo who danced her way through the heyday Hollywood musicals and forever into the hearts of fans. Born Tula Ellice Finklea, her professional career began at 13 with the Ballet Russe and she made her feature film debut in 1943's SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT. In 1946, she signed with MGM, was restyled as Cyd Charisse, and showcased in high-profile musicals, such as THE HARVEY GIRLS and EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE. Her performance with Gene Kelly in 1952's SINGIN' IN THE RAIN was a showstopper and she was subsequently paired with Fred Astaire in 1953's BANDWAGON. Reunited with Kelly in 1954's BRIGADOON, she again teamed with Astaire for the classic SILK STOCKINGS in 1957. She continued acting (TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN, 1962) and dancing (THE SILENCERS, 1966), and went into television in the '70s and '80s.
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Cyd Charisse was born Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas in 1921. Her father was a ballet enthusiast and arranged for Cyd to have lessons. Immediately her gift for dancing became apparent and, when Cyd was fourteen, she was sent to a special dance school in Hollywood. Very soon she was invited to tour with The Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo. Cyd continued to receive dance instruction from Nico Charisse whom she married while still in her teens. Together they ran a ballet school and obtained some work in movie shorts.
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Now that Cyd Charisse has returned home from her summer in New York City, she's got a new mission: to reclaim her true love, Shrimp, the hottest pint-size artist-surfer in San Francisco. Yes, he broke up with her before she left San Francisco -- but Cyd has grown up over the summer, and she doesn't plan to let Shrimp get away that easily this time around.
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Cyd Charisse's benevolent stepfather calls her a "recovering hellion," and with good reason. She gets kicked out of her East Coast boarding school. She delights in her six-year-old half-sister's "gutter-mouthed" language. She ditches a family outing and stays out overnight to hang with her new, ultra-cool surfer boyfriend, Shrimp. Yet for all her tough attitude and crusty exterior, Cyd Charisse is one appealing softy.
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Being a brilliant dancer was not the only reason Cyd Charisse became a great star. Her background in ballet made her ideal for the narrative dance routines that became popular after 1945. More than any other dancer, male or female, Cyd could express moods, emotions and attitudes with her body and limbs. In addition, she was a very good-looking woman with possibly the sexiest legs in movies. She was ... a reliable, disciplined worker who never had tantrums. There was something else.
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Cyd Charisse was drafted by the Paradise Pisces from the Texas Ballet Dancers League in 1999. Along with fellow rookie pitcher Vanessa Williams, Charisse led the Pisces to an Overleague pennant. With her strong and beautiful legs she's a fastball specialist with ball velocity consistently hovering around 100 miles per hour. When batters do catch up with her fastball they frequently pull the ball on the ground. In Manager Anais Nin's opinion Charisse is the team's best fielding pitcher.
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Cyd Charisse