Cyd charisse biography finkleal

Cyd Charisse was born Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas on March 8, 1921 to Ernest Enos and Lela Norwood Finklea. Ernest was a well known Amarillo jeweler of French descent, though he was born in Texas.

Ernest was the proprietor of E. E. Finklea Jewelers at 410 South Polk Street in downtown Amarillo. Finklea’s billed itself as “The Jewelry Store of the Panhandle.”  The name Cyd is a respelling of the nickname her brother gave her when he could not pronounce “sister” and she adopted it as her stage name.

Cyd charisse biography finkleal

The last name Charisse was actually her married name.

Cyd showed an affinity for dance when she was young and began taking ballet lessons at the age of six. By the age of twelve, her parents allowed her to attend the Hollywood Professional School in California, only coming home to Texas on special occasions.

Two years later, she was spotted by a director of the Ballet Russe and invited to tour with the company in Europe and the