Dancer Cyd Charisse (with Astaire, Kelly) dies at 86.

[Faygo Kid]

Best legs ever.

By Bob Thomas
The Associated Press
Tuesday, June 17, 2008; 5:39 PM

LOS ANGELES -- Cyd Charisse, the long-legged Texas beauty who danced with the Ballet Russe as a teenager and starred in MGM musicals with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, died Tuesday. She was 86.

Charisse was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday after suffering an apparent heart attack, said her publicist, Gene Schwam.

She appeared in dramatic films, but her fame came from the Technicolor musicals of the 1940s and 1950s.

Classically trained, she could dance anything, from a pas de deux in 1946's "Ziegfeld Follies" to the lowdown Mickey Spillane satire of 1956's "The Band Wagon" (with Astaire). . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/17/AR2008061701828.html?hpid=moreheadlines

[begin_within]

1. "An American in Paris" and "Singin' In The Rain" are great films!

[sarge43]

2. The Broadway Melody ballet

was one of the best things put on film. Love sacred and profane.

[bad_robbie]

7. Channeling her inner Lulu

The Singin' in the Rain scene really reminded me of "Diary of a Lost Girl" where Louise Brooks enters the whorehouse. Sad to lose another great dancer.

[kskiska]

18. Cyd wasn't in An American in Paris

She was pregnant and the role went to Leslie Caron.

[begin_within]

24. oops

[Genevieve]

3. Yeah, her legs were ridiculously

Perfect!

[Catch22Dem]

4. And the rest of her... nt

[whistler162]

19. and at one time insured for 5 million dollars

and cheap at the price.

[The Straight Story]

5. Did she support war or was she ever mean to puppies or anything like that

cause I got my grave dancing shoes on.... :rofl:

[Faygo Kid]

8. Not THOSE shoes! Not sure of her politics. She sure was a talent, though. Married for 60 years.

Guess that counts for something. Unbelievable talent.

[terrya]

6. Her dance with Fred Astaire in Central Park in "The Bandwagon" was just lovely to watch.

This is very sad to hear. :-(

[whistler162]

20. and the dressing scene in Silk Stockings.

[jgraz]

9. OMG -- did you see her birth name???

Tula Ellice Finklea.

Best excuse for a stage name I've ever seen.

[Faygo Kid]

10. Yeah, Tula Ellice Finklea. Worse than Archibald Leach.

[jgraz]

11. They should have married. She'd have been Tula Ellice Finklea-Leach

[Faygo Kid]

12. Then divorced, married Robin Leach, then divorced, then married Redd Foxx. Then, Wodehouse steps in

Tula Ellice Finklea-Leach-Leach-Foxx.

My God, if that isn't a name for Jeeves and Wooster, I don't know what is.

What ho, Jeeves.

[whistler162]

21. Not really a stage name.

The Charise was from her first marriage and the Cyd was a nickname from her brother. But, a lot better than Tula Charise.

[Faygo Kid]

13. K&R this one time. She was an all-time great. Can we keep this going at least for tonight?

Aren't many left, and only three I can see who were STARS in the 1930s: Shirley Temple, Olivia DeHavilland and Mickey Rooney.

Cyd's era was the 1950s. Please kick because she sure as hell could. Those legs. Wow.

[whistler162]

22. Her husband

Tony Martin minor star.
Kathyrn Grayson is still around.
Angela Lansbury was a minor star in MGM musicals.

[BuelahWitch]

14. Poor Tony Martin

I bet he won't be long for this world now! :cry:

[Faygo Kid]

16. Yeah, but what a way to go given he's been married to her for 60 years.

Cyd Charisse. 1948. How much joy can one man have?

God bless him. The lucky bastard.

[xxqqqzme]

23. as I recall he was no slouch in

the good looks department - great looking couple. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0553149/

[bdamomma]

15. she was a beautiful woman,

Rest in Peace.

[Flying Dream Blues]

17. Safe passage to this beautiful dancer. RIP. xoxox

[Auggie]

25. Astaire would never reveal who is favorite dancing partner was,

but I bet Ms. Charisse was in the top two or three. What a wonderful dancer.

[Faygo Kid]

26. Turner Classic, June 27: Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, Silk Stockings - wow!

What a lineup! TIVO/tape, or just watch.