Memoriam

Cyd Charisse - Dead at 86

by Gregg Mayer

Who amongst us doesn't remember the amazingly sexy married couple and duo: Cyd Charisse and Tony Martin? Amazing to think of Cyd Charisse dying at 86 and it is wonderful to know that her work will live on forever on film.

Whether she was dancing with Astaire or Kelly or doing a song and dance routine with her husband, Charisse was that long-legged ballet, ballroom, musical theatre performer whom everyone wanted to emulate.

Making her film debut in 1942 as Lily Norwood, she appeared in "Something to Shout About," with Janet Blair and Don Ameche. Then came several years performing in small and often anonymous roles until "Singin' in the Rain" came out in 1952.

As Dancers (well) Over 40, many of us remember the first time we saw that extraordinary film, even what grade we were in and with whom we went that day to the cinema. It was one of those magical Comden & Green efforts, directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, and it certainly was the boost that Charisse needed to bring her to the top. And this, considering she was only in one of the dance sequences. Then a year later, Vincente Minnelli gave her her first leading role, in "The Band Wagon," starring Fred Astaire. Minelli went on to direct her in "Brigadoon" in 1954 in which Kelly and Van Johnson starred. Kelly danced with Charisse to "The Heather on the Hill."

It is unclear whether Cyd Charisse was born in 1921 or 1922, but she was born Tula Ellice Finklea in Texas and took dance lessons as a young girl. As a teenager, she was sent to California for professional dance training and joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, in which she performed as Felia Sidorova. During a European tour she met Nico Charisse, another young dancer. They wed in Paris when she was 18, and had a son, Nicky in 1942.

During the 40's, the studios began taking an interest in her, or in "Lily Norwood." When she was cast in "Ziegfeld Follies," the producer preferred the name Charisse to Norwood and that became her stage name forever. In "The Unfinished Dance," Charisse played a ballerina again with child star Margaret O'Brien as a dance student. Then in 1955, she and Kelly performed in the Comden & Green musical, "It's Always Fair Weather," followed by "Silk Stockings" with Astaire in 1957.

Charisse divorced Nico in 1947 and married Tony Martin the following year. He survives her, as does their son Tony Jr. and her son Nicky by her first marriage. Her last film was an Italian drama, "Private Screenings" in 1989 and her belated Broadway debut took place in 1992 in "Grand Hotel," when she replaced Liliane Montevecchi in the leading role of an aging ballerina.

In November 2006, Cyd Charisse was one of the recipients of the National Medal of Arts.

DO40 Remembers Jimmy Slyde

One of the last hoofers of the big-band era, Jimmy Slyde, passed away May 16 at the age of 80. Known as "the tap dancer with silken moves", Slyde enjoyed a career that stretched from swing and bebop to Broadway and film. With an engaging style and a gift for words, he was considered one of the giants of rhythm tap. Critics often complemented him for his ability to glide across the stage effortlessly.

Although he was connected with some of the jazz greats such as Basie, Ellington and Armstrong, his penchant was for bebop. The renowned pianst, Barry Harris, was a close associate of Slyde's and many of the great tap dancers either had studied with him or worshipped him from afar.

He was born James Titus Godbolt in 1927 and began his tap dance lessons as a child in New England. After meeting tap great Bill (Bojangles) Robinson and others, he was hooked and began his performing career with Jimmy Mitchell, who had dubbed himself "Sir Slyde." Known as the Slyde Brothers, they performed in clubs and as an attraction for the major big bands.

By the 1970's, the now re-named Jimmy Slyde has moved to Paris and helped introduce rhythm tap with one of the leading women tap dancers of the time, Sarah Petronio. During this period, he appeard in the Parisian production of the revue "Black and Blue" and also in its Broadway production, which won many Tony nominations and three awards, opening the door for a resurgence of interest in tap in this country.

Slyde appeared in the film "Tap" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Gregory Hines as well as performing in "The Cotton Club," and Tavernier's highly acclaimed "Round Midnight." He was honored with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1999, a Guggenheim fellowship in 2003 and a Dance Magazine award in 2005.

During the 1990's, Slyde was one of several tap elders who presided over now legendary jam sessions at La Cave, a nightclub in Manhattan. Some of the illustrious and international roster of dancers also there included Savion Glover, Tamango, Max Pollak and Roxane Butterfly. Many of today's tap dancers have been paying homage to him in the media this weekend, including Jane Goldberg, who was quoted in the NY Times as saying, "his timing was impeccable. He was a real purist."

Slyde is survived by his wife, Donna and a son, Daryl.

Peter Howard

Peter Howard, the arranger, musical director, composer, conductor and performer, died on April 18 in Englewood, NJ. Born Howard Weiss in 1927, he attended Juilliard and wrote a ballet on Broadway in 1956 for "All is Love" -a short-lived show- following that with the role of asst. production director in the successful "My Fair Lady" from 1956 to 1962. Many more shows followed, from the Comden & Green revue, where he was the pianist, and "Carnival" where he did the dance arrangements, through "Hello, Dolly!", with dance and incidental music arrangements. He was assistant conductor on the original "The Sound of Music," and by the late 60's he had graduated to such shows as "Chicago," "Annie," and "1776." As late as the 80's, Howard worked as musical director for "Barnum," "Harrigan 'n' Hat," "Baby," and "Stepping Out."

Once familiar with a show, Howard tended to remain faithful to it, thus he was called on to work the revivals of "Hello, Dolly!" (twice!), the 1997 revival of "1776," and the 1996 revival of "Chiago," reprising his original tasks from the original shows. He worked on the movie versions of several of these and in later years, Howard toured with a show called "Peter Howard's Broadway". His final Broadway credit was the dance arrangements for Minnelli on Minnelli in 1999.

Alvin Colt

Alvin Colt, a popular local figure for most of his nine decades, passed away on May 4 at 91. One of Broadway's most prolific costume designers, Alvin, as everyone called him by his first name, was a backstage familiar face, especially at Forbidden Broadway and elsewhere in the theatre world. Known for his amazing wit and positive attitude, he exuded such good nature and kindness, that people are realizing how much he is already missed, just days later.

Alvin won a Tony Award for his designs for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "Pipe Dream," and was also nominated for "Greenwillow," "The Sleeping Prince, " "L'il Abner" (who can forget those folks in Dogpatch?) and several other shows.

Other Broadway credits include the original productions of "Guys and Dolls", "Fanny" (who can forget Walter Slezak in that one?!), " The Golden Apple," "Sugar" and "Jerome Robbins' Broadway". In addition, he designed for some of theatre's great dramas, such as "The Seagull," "The Crucible" and " Six Characters in Search of an Author."

All told, Alvin designed over 50 Broadway shows, was nominated for three Tony Awards just in 1956 alone, and two in 1957 and one in 1960. He remained the designer for the popular, long-running Off-Broadway revue, "Forbidden Broadway," up until his death. Last year, the Museum of the City of New York hosted a small exhibition of his work, which included some of the 3000 sketches he donated to the museum.

Sallie Wilson

Sallie Wilson, the renowned dramatic ballerina from American Ballet Theater's hey-day, died at her home in Manhattan on April 27, at age 76. The cause was cancer.

Considered one of America's finest ballerina's in the 60's and 70's, Wilson had a strong stage presence and became particularly etched in America's ballet-going public with her interpretations of the work by Antony Tudor, George Balanchine and Alvin Ailey. In 1966, Wilson made dance history in the Tudor masterpiece, "Pillar of Fire," dancing the leading role of Hagar and becoming the fist dancer with "Ballet Theater" ( as it was then known) to do so since Nora Kaye originated the role in 1942.

Appearing subsequently in Tudor's other major ballets, such as "Jardin aux Lilas" and "Dark Elegies," she became known for her powerful interpretation of her roles and went on to supervise revivals of Tudor's ballets for the New York Theater Ballet, for whom she taught for many years.

Wilson was born in Texas in 1932 and studied dance in NY, joining Ballet Theater in 1949. But because she was lacking in stage experience, she was soon dismissed but had by then attracted the attention of the British choreographer Tudor, who at that time was in charge of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, affiliated as it was with Ballet Theater. So Wilson went on to dance at the Met from 1950 to 1955.

By 1956, Tudor had persuaded Ballet Theater to rehire her and in 1958, Wilson joined NYCity Ballet, where she won praise in "Episodes," a two-part production that also made history by being choreographed by Martha Graham and George Balanchine, to music by the (even then) avant-garde composer, Anton Webern.

In 1960, Wilson married the dancer Ali Pourfarrokh; they were subsequently divorced. At that time, she returned to Ballet Theater and gave her last performance with it in 1980. Occasionally choreographing for regional troupes, she created a production in Venice of Britten's "Prince of the Pagodas," starring Carla Fracci.

One bit of scandal emerged in the 70's, when Wilson, normally a quiet and reserved person, threw a glass of Scotch (single malt, presumably) at Clive Barnes, then the chief dance critic at the NY Times. He had written about the Stuttgart Ballet's production of De Mille's "Fall River Legend" and Wilson thought that Barnes had not recognised her own interpretative achievements in this work, for which she had become renowned. So it would appear that all told, Sallie Wilson had a good innings.

Memoriam - Page 2 Memoriam - Page 3
Memoriam Cyd Charisse - Dead at 86 by Gregg Mayer Who amongst us doesn't remember the amazingly sexy married couple and duo: Cyd Charisse and Tony Martin? Amazing to think of Cyd Charisse dying at 86 and it is wonderful to know that her work will live on forever on film. Whether she was dancing with Astaire or Kelly or doing a song and dance routine with her husband, Charisse was that long-legged ballet, ballroom, musical theatre performer whom everyone wanted to emulate. Making her film debut in 1942 as Lily Norwood, she appeared in "Something to Shout About," with Janet Blair and Don Ameche. Then came several years performing in small and often anonymous roles until "Singin' in the Rain" came out in 1952. As Dancers (well) Over 40, many of us remember the first time we saw that extraordinary film, even what grade we were in and with whom we went that day to the cinema. It was one of those magical Comden & Green efforts, directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, and it certainly was the boost that Charisse needed to bring her to the top. And this, considering she was only in one of the dance sequences. Then a year later, Vincente Minnelli gave her her first leading role, in "The Band Wagon," starring Fred Astaire. Minelli went on to direct her in "Brigadoon" in 1954 in which Kelly and Van Johnson starred. Kelly danced with Charisse to "The Heather on the Hill." It is unclear whether Cyd Charisse was born in 1921 or 1922, but she was born Tula Ellice Finklea in Texas and took dance lessons as a young girl. As a teenager, she was sent to California for professional dance training and joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, in which she performed as Felia Sidorova. During a European tour she met Nico Charisse, another young dancer. They wed in Paris when she was 18, and had a son, Nicky in 1942. During the 40's, the studios began taking an interest in her, or in "Lily Norwood." When she was cast in "Ziegfeld Follies," the producer preferred the name Charisse to Norwood and that became her stage name forever. In "The Unfinished Dance," Charisse played a ballerina again with child star Margaret O'Brien as a dance student. Then in 1955, she and Kelly performed in the Comden & Green musical, "It's Always Fair Weather," followed by "Silk Stockings" with Astaire in 1957. Charisse divorced Nico in 1947 and married Tony Martin the following year. He survives her, as does their son Tony Jr. and her son Nicky by her first marriage. Her last film was an Italian drama, "Private Screenings" in 1989 and her belated Broadway debut took place in 1992 in "Grand Hotel," when she replaced Liliane Montevecchi in the leading role of an aging ballerina. In November 2006, Cyd Charisse was one of the recipients of the National Medal of Arts. DO40 Remembers Jimmy Slyde One of the last hoofers of the big-band era, Jimmy Slyde, passed away May 16 at the age of 80. Known as "the tap dancer with silken moves", Slyde enjoyed a career that stretched from swing and bebop to Broadway and film. With an engaging style and a gift for words, he was considered one of the giants of rhythm tap. Critics often complemented him for his ability to glide across the stage effortlessly. Although he was connected with some of the jazz greats such as Basie, Ellington and Armstrong, his penchant was for bebop. The renowned pianst, Barry Harris, was a close associate of Slyde's and many of the great tap dancers either had studied with him or worshipped him from afar. He was born James Titus Godbolt in 1927 and began his tap dance lessons as a child in New England. After meeting tap great Bill (Bojangles) Robinson and others, he was hooked and began his performing career with Jimmy Mitchell, who had dubbed himself "Sir Slyde." Known as the Slyde Brothers, they performed in clubs and as an attraction for the major big bands. By the 1970's, the now re-named Jimmy Slyde has moved to Paris and helped introduce rhythm tap with one of the leading women tap dancers of the time, Sarah Petronio. During this period, he appeard in the Parisian production of the revue "Black and Blue" and also in its Broadway production, which won many Tony nominations and three awards, opening the door for a resurgence of interest in tap in this country. Slyde appeared in the film "Tap" with Sammy Davis Jr. and Gregory Hines as well as performing in "The Cotton Club," and Tavernier's highly acclaimed "Round Midnight." He was honored with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1999, a Guggenheim fellowship in 2003 and a Dance Magazine award in 2005. During the 1990's, Slyde was one of several tap elders who presided over now legendary jam sessions at La Cave, a nightclub in Manhattan. Some of the illustrious and international roster of dancers also there included Savion Glover, Tamango, Max Pollak and Roxane Butterfly. Many of today's tap dancers have been paying homage to him in the media this weekend, including Jane Goldberg, who was quoted in the NY Times as saying, "his timing was impeccable. He was a real purist." Slyde is survived by his wife, Donna and a son, Daryl. Peter Howard Peter Howard, the arranger, musical director, composer, conductor and performer, died on April 18 in Englewood, NJ. Born Howard Weiss in 1927, he attended Juilliard and wrote a ballet on Broadway in 1956 for "All is Love" -a short-lived show- following that with the role of asst. production director in the successful "My Fair Lady" from 1956 to 1962. Many more shows followed, from the Comden & Green revue, where he was the pianist, and "Carnival" where he did the dance arrangements, through "Hello, Dolly!", with dance and incidental music arrangements. He was assistant conductor on the original "The Sound of Music," and by the late 60's he had graduated to such shows as "Chicago," "Annie," and "1776." As late as the 80's, Howard worked as musical director for "Barnum," "Harrigan 'n' Hat," "Baby," and "Stepping Out." Once familiar with a show, Howard tended to remain faithful to it, thus he was called on to work the revivals of "Hello, Dolly!" (twice!), the 1997 revival of "1776," and the 1996 revival of "Chiago," reprising his original tasks from the original shows. He worked on the movie versions of several of these and in later years, Howard toured with a show called "Peter Howard's Broadway". His final Broadway credit was the dance arrangements for Minnelli on Minnelli in 1999. Alvin Colt Alvin Colt, a popular local figure for most of his nine decades, passed away on May 4 at 91. One of Broadway's most prolific costume designers, Alvin, as everyone called him by his first name, was a backstage familiar face, especially at Forbidden Broadway and elsewhere in the theatre world. Known for his amazing wit and positive attitude, he exuded such good nature and kindness, that people are realizing how much he is already missed, just days later. Alvin won a Tony Award for his designs for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "Pipe Dream," and was also nominated for "Greenwillow," "The Sleeping Prince, " "L'il Abner" (who can forget those folks in Dogpatch?) and several other shows. Other Broadway credits include the original productions of "Guys and Dolls", "Fanny" (who can forget Walter Slezak in that one?!), " The Golden Apple," "Sugar" and "Jerome Robbins' Broadway". In addition, he designed for some of theatre's great dramas, such as "The Seagull," "The Crucible" and " Six Characters in Search of an Author." All told, Alvin designed over 50 Broadway shows, was nominated for three Tony Awards just in 1956 alone, and two in 1957 and one in 1960. He remained the designer for the popular, long-running Off-Broadway revue, "Forbidden Broadway," up until his death. Last year, the Museum of the City of New York hosted a small exhibition of his work, which included some of the 3000 sketches he donated to the museum. Sallie Wilson Sallie Wilson, the renowned dramatic ballerina from American Ballet Theater's hey-day, died at her home in Manhattan on April 27, at age 76. The cause was cancer. Considered one of America's finest ballerina's in the 60's and 70's, Wilson had a strong stage presence and became particularly etched in America's ballet-going public with her interpretations of the work by Antony Tudor, George Balanchine and Alvin Ailey. In 1966, Wilson made dance history in the Tudor masterpiece, "Pillar of Fire," dancing the leading role of Hagar and becoming the fist dancer with "Ballet Theater" ( as it was then known) to do so since Nora Kaye originated the role in 1942. Appearing subsequently in Tudor's other major ballets, such as "Jardin aux Lilas" and "Dark Elegies," she became known for her powerful interpretation of her roles and went on to supervise revivals of Tudor's ballets for the New York Theater Ballet, for whom she taught for many years. Wilson was born in Texas in 1932 and studied dance in NY, joining Ballet Theater in 1949. But because she was lacking in stage experience, she was soon dismissed but had by then attracted the attention of the British choreographer Tudor, who at that time was in charge of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, affiliated as it was with Ballet Theater. So Wilson went on to dance at the Met from 1950 to 1955. By 1956, Tudor had persuaded Ballet Theater to rehire her and in 1958, Wilson joined NYCity Ballet, where she won praise in "Episodes," a two-part production that also made history by being choreographed by Martha Graham and George Balanchine, to music by the (even then) avant-garde composer, Anton Webern. In 1960, Wilson married the dancer Ali Pourfarrokh; they were subsequently divorced. At that time, she returned to Ballet Theater and gave her last performance with it in 1980. Occasionally choreographing for regional troupes, she created a production in Venice of Britten's "Prince of the Pagodas," starring Carla Fracci. One bit of scandal emerged in the 70's, when Wilson, normally a quiet and reserved person, threw a glass of Scotch (single malt, presumably) at Clive Barnes, then the chief dance critic at the NY Times. He had written about the Stuttgart Ballet's production of De Mille's "Fall River Legend" and Wilson thought that Barnes had not recognised her own interpretative achievements in this work, for which she had become renowned. So it would appear that all told, Sallie Wilson had a good innings.