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 Charise, 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, directed by Michael Curtiz. In 1945 she was hired to dance with Fred Astaire in Ziegfeld Follies, and that uncredited appearance got her a seven-year contract with MGM. She appeared in a number of musicals over the next few years, but it was Singin' in the Rain with Gene Kelly that made her a star. That was quickly followed by her great performance in The Band Wagon. As the 1960s dawned, musicals faded from the screen, as did her career. She made appearances on television and performed in a nightclub revue with her second husband, singer Tony Martin.
She danced with the Ballet Russe using the names Maria Istomina and Felia Sidorova. Took her name Cyd from a nickname originated from her brother. Initially he could not say sister and called her Sid. She took the nickname and convinced her agent to keep the name with the present spelling. He feared that Sid was too masculine. Although one of the greatest female dancers in the history of the movie musical, her singing in films was almost always dubbed, most notably by Carol Richards in Brigadoon and a young Vikki Carr in The Silencers. Aunt, by marriage, of actress Nana Visitor. Measurements: 34 1/2B-22-37 (in 1953), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) Was "the other woman" in Marilyn Monroe's last and unfinished film, Something's Got to Give. In 1952 she had a $5-million insurance policy accepted on her legs. In Call Her Mom, she was originally to have done the part played by Gloria DeHaven, but was replaced by Ann Miller before DeHaven finally took over the role. 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. Lost out on two of MGM's biggest movie musical roles. She fell and injured her knee during a dance leap on a film which forced her out of the role of Nadina Hale in Easter Parade. Ann Miller replaced her. She also had to relinquish the lead femme role in An American in Paris due to pregnancy. Leslie Caron took over the part and became a star. Aunt, by marriage, of actor Ian Tucker. Aunt, by marriage, of actress Zan Charisse. Was offered the lead role of Jo Stockton in Funny Face but declined. The role was eventually played by Audrey Hepburn. One son with her husband, Tony Martin: Tony Martin Jr. Daughter-in-law, Sheila Charisse, killed in the May 25, 1979 crash of American Airlines flight 191 shortly after takeoff from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. She was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 2006 by the National Endowment of the Arts in Washington D.C. for her services to dance. Son Nicholas was born May 7, 1942. Son Tony Martin Jr. was born August 28, 1950.