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From sickly to stunning! The polio survivor who became a Hollywood icon

News admin1 · November 4, 2025 · 0 Comment

Cyd Charisse could do nearly everything—sing, act, and most of all move like the score was running through her veins. Those legendary, endless lines became a Hollywood myth, but her story began far from MGM’s dazzle. Born Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo, Texas, in 1922, she was a delicate child who contracted polio before six. Doctors prescribed ballet to rebuild her strength, never guessing those careful exercises would lead to one of cinema’s most magnetic presences. The nickname “Cyd” came from her brother’s lisped attempt at “Sis,” and with it began the transformation from frail Texas girl to screen goddess.... Continues…