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Post by Cinemaniac on Apr 16, 2024 1:59:22 GMT
I have this picture of an actress (very likely from classic Hollywood) and am wondering who it is. At first I thought it was Janis Paige, but now I'm almost positively sure it's Cyd Charisse -  Although one cannot observe her facial features that well since she's looking upward, the real giveaway that this is Cyd Charisse is her firmly structured chin/jawline. Then again, Janis Paige also has a very distinctively pronounced lower facial structure herself. If this is Cyd, then I wonder what movie this picture comes from. Unless this picture is just a publicity still for MGM. And yes, I brought this up because I thought of this picture as I was watching "SILK STOCKINGS" just a few hours ago with both Cyd Charisse and Janis Paige in the cast. Attachments:
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Post by I Love Melvin on Apr 16, 2024 12:21:42 GMT
This may be way off base, but my first thought was British actress Mary Ure, mostly because of the square-ish jawline. I'm sorry to say I don't really see Cyd or Janis in that picture, but you're right that the angle of the portrait makes this woman difficult to identify. I also see a little bit of the older Joan Fontaine. Are you certain this is an actress and are you certain the source is MGM??  |
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Post by jamesjazzguitar on Apr 16, 2024 15:13:44 GMT
This may be way off base, but my first thought was British actress Mary Ure, mostly because of the square-ish jawline. I'm sorry to say I don't really see Cyd or Janis in that picture, but you're right that the angle of the portrait makes this woman difficult to identify. I also see a little bit of the older Joan Fontaine. Are you certain this is an actress and are you certain the source is MGM?? I looked at photos of Mary Ure, and I agree with you that the top photo does look at lot like her. I fairly sure it is not Cyd Charisse. Ure makes sense since she is British and the overall look singles British to me: E.g. there is a likeness to Joan Fontaine another British actress. |
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Post by Andrea Doria on Apr 17, 2024 10:49:19 GMT
It's my guess we don't recognize her because she's a dancer more than an actress. She has the lean muscular arms of a dancer.
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Post by gerald424 on Apr 18, 2024 22:50:34 GMT
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Post by Cinemaniac on Apr 19, 2024 3:11:00 GMT
Thank you! I just knew that was Cyd Charisse! I wasn't exactly sure whether it was her or another actress! That firm jawline of hers and the muscularly defined arms were some subtle physical giveaways. How did you manage to find the exact picture, anyway? I see the caption reads "Meet Cyd Charisse". Was that the name of a TV special of hers? If so, I'd like to see it! Anyway, thanks for helping identify this actress. Some folks doubted it was Cyd and figured it was another actress such as Joan Fontaine (I could kind of see the near resemblance). Nonetheless, Cyd, as usual, looks very beautiful. Especially posed as she is in that picture. |
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Post by BunnyWhit on Apr 19, 2024 22:33:38 GMT
"Meet Cyd Charisse" was an episode of Startime (1959-1961).
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Post by Cinemaniac on Apr 21, 2024 20:38:17 GMT
"STARTIME" seems like a very interesting program. There seems to be a lot of classic Hollywood stars in this series. It should have lasted much longer, though. Is there any proof that this series is still in existence? I would really like to see the "Meet Cyd Charisse" episode! This particular series was broadcast in color (I believe NBC was the real pioneering TV network to first produce shows in living color, hence the iconic peacock logo), so even if the only available prints are black and white kinescope copies, I would still be very grateful!
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Post by gerald424 on Apr 24, 2024 1:20:51 GMT
This is all I could find on YouTube:
This was prime time TV once upon a time. Outside of PBS, you won't see this level of entertainment these days.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Apr 24, 2024 13:17:16 GMT
This is all I could find on YouTube:
This was prime time TV once upon a time. Outside of PBS, you won't see this level of entertainment these days.
Yes. I wonder if there's a better copy in an archive somewhere, because shows like this and the Fred Astaire specials would be perfect for PBS, at least for the older demographic like me. But the pledge-oriented programming lately seems to be a more contemporary concert format and the MyMusic specials (which are great). Cyd had previously danced with James Mitchell in the MGM Sigmund Romberg musical Deep in My Heart (1954). The number is on YouTube, but for convenience's sake I'll post it for anyone interested. |
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Post by Cinemaniac on Apr 27, 2024 4:33:14 GMT
This is all I could find on YouTube:
This was prime time TV once upon a time. Outside of PBS, you won't see this level of entertainment these days.
WOW! Thanks for that neat footage! That's from the "STARTIME" TV show, alright. You can see that Cyd's dressed exactly as she is in that picture above I've been asking about. A small portion of this program seen through B/W kinescope is much better than nothing! Now if only we could find the full episode in color, that would be great! Would there be any evidence that this or other episodes of "STARTIME" exist? If so, I would like to request this program to air on MeTV for the near future. |
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Post by Cinemaniac on Apr 27, 2024 4:34:49 GMT
This is all I could find on YouTube:
This was prime time TV once upon a time. Outside of PBS, you won't see this level of entertainment these days.
Since this episode of "STARTIME" was formatted like a variety show, and was also said to include comedy sketches, I would be very interested in seeing Cyd as a host of a TV program as well as engaging in some form of comedy. In real life, Cyd seems rather shy, yet very sweet and friendly, based off her appearance in the debut episode of "MGM PARADE" with George Murphy, so seeing her as a host of a live TV program would be interesting. I could envision her on-screen persona as being rather warm and inviting setting a real family-friendly tone to the program. Eve Arden, who was starring in the TV sitcom "OUR MISS BROOKS" at this time, and Cyd's husband Tony Martin were also part of this show. As far as it goes with classic "golden-age" shows airing on TV these days, it seems like there are enough channels that air "GUNSMOKE" and "PERRY MASON", for instance. Despite having lasted for only two seasons, I feel "STARTIME" deserves some recognition and should make a return to television these days. Although I agree with you, I Love Melvin, that some of these programs should air on TV these days, such as PBS, I think MeTV would be a better option for airing programs, such as "STARTIME". I do intend on requesting to MeTV that such programs be included on this network in the near future. Public television schedules vary based on whatever the membership supported affiliates decide to air. MeTV would be an excellent choice to air "STARTIME" (with hopes that if not all, many episodes have been preserved and are nicely restored) along with other programs of the variety genre, since GetTV doesn't air these kinds of programs anymore. It would be great for audiences both young and old to get a chance to experience the brilliance and artistic talents of these legendary stars of "golden-age" Hollywood appearing on certain variety shows. Since MeTV is what's known as an "over-the-air" network, folks who may or may not receive a full cable package could get to enjoy all of these classic programs! |
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Post by Cinemaniac on Jul 7, 2024 3:42:10 GMT
Here's something interesting related to this topic that I had come across -  As you can see, it's a TV listings guide with Cyd Charisse on the front cover promoting her special episode of the "FORD STARTIME THEATER" series. Although she's not exactly smiling, there's just something about her fierceness in her face that makes her look remarkably attractive in this picture. I'm also rather curious about this particular Cyd Charisse-starred program featured in this print promo here -  Clearly, this is from the 1960s, especially since that image of her to the right appears to be from the first of the series of Matt Helm films with Dean Martin titled "THE SILENCERS", plus that's Cyd's typical new hairstyle of that decade. Despite not looking so much as she had during her MGM movie musical era, she started looking very alluring with the dark blond hair color complimenting her suntanned body. She almost looks as though she's of some ethnicity. Cyd also started gaining more of a stronger and heavily defined chin/jawline, and more muscular arms and physique. Nevertheless, beautiful! Attachments:
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