In this article, we will talk about the honored American theater and film actress Sid Chariss. Consider her biography, career and personal life.
Biography
Sid Chariss was born March 8, 1922 in the town of Amarillo, Texas, USA. The future actress grew up in the family of jeweler Finkley Ernst and housewife Lila Norwood. When the girl was eight years old, she began to practice ballet. The girl’s father very much encouraged the hobby of his child, bought everything he needed, put a full-length mirror and a ballet stick in the room of the little ballerina, which was rare for that time.
After some time, the whole family moved to Hollywood (a district in Los Angeles), where the young Sid Chariss began training at the Hollywood Professional School . At the age of 12, Sid attended a dance studio, her teacher was Nico Charisse, a little later the girl studied the art of dance with teachers such as Bronislava Nizhinsky (a famous Russian ballet dancer) and Adolf Bolm.
Carier start
Sid Chariss, whose biography is full of various undertakings and hobbies, in 1937 was credited to the Russian Monte Carlo troupe and went on tour in the USA. At that time, it was fashionable to perform under Russian pseudonyms, Chariss performed on stage under the pseudonym Natasha Tulalis, and then changed him and appeared on stage as Maria Istomina.
In 1939, after the death of her father, the actress was forced to leave the troupe and stay in the United States. Two years will pass, and Sid will appear in several films, playing episodic roles. In 1942, the actress will receive her first serious role, in the credits of the film the pseudonym Lily Norwood will be indicated.
1946 will bring Sid many surprises. MGM will sign a contract with the girl, after which she will receive regular roles in the movie, and all the pseudonyms will remain in the past, a new talented actress - Sid Chariss will appear on the screen, a photo of which will be published in the local newspaper.
Pinnacle of fame
The current popularity of the girl brought the Stanley Donen film "Singing in the Rain", which was presented to the viewer in 1952. In the film, the actress starred as a partner Kelly Gina.
In the same year, Sid got into the Guinness Book of Records, her legs were insured for the amount of five million dollars.
Together with Fred Aster, the main dance star of the time, in 1953, Sid played in the movie Theater Wagon, in which the duo performed a scene called Dancing in the Dark. This episode will later become one of the most famous dance performances in the history of cinema. After Aster calls his partner "dancing dynamite."
Further, the actress appeared on the screen more and more often, but mainly played roles that did not apply to dancing. So, for example, Sid played the role of Commissioner Yushchenko Nina in the comedy "Silk Stockings" in 1957. For the same role, Chariss was nominated for the Golden Globe Award (Best Actress in a Comedy).
Closer to the sunset of her career, the actress appeared in the form of a fatal woman, more and more often she played roles in detectives and films of the criminal genre. After, along with Tony Martin, Chariss began touring Europe.
When Chariss turned 71 years old, she joined the composition of the musical "Grand Hotel", where she replaced the no less famous Lillian Montevecchi.
Personal life and rewards
The first marriage of Sid Chariss (nee Finkley) took place in 1939, at that time a still novice actress married her mentor Nico Chariss. In marriage, a couple had a son, who was named in honor of the head of the family. After the divorce, the dancer kept her husband’s surname. In the marriage, the couple lived eight years.
In 1948, Sid married for the second time, this time the actress's husband was Tony Martin, a Hollywood singer of Portuguese descent. In marriage, a couple was born a son, who was also named after his father. Martin also adopted the first child from Sid's previous marriage. In 1976, the couple released their own autobiography called The Two of Us .
In 2006, Sid Chariss was honored with national awards:
- US National Medal for Arts Achievement.
- Gypsy Lifetime Achievement Award from the Professional Dancing Society.
June 17, 2008, while in Los Angeles, the actress died. According to doctors, death came from heart failure.
Sid Chariss was able to influence the development of dances and cinema, combining them together. This talented actress was remembered by the audience for a long time and left only the brightest impressions.