Moved to Hollywood in her early teens

Toured the U.S. with Ballet Russe's corp de ballet

Toured Europe with the Ballet Russe in the late 1930s

Offered dancing roles in Gregory Ratoff's "Something to Shout About" and "Mission to Moscow"

Signed to MGM contract

Danced (unbilled) in a ballet around Fred Astaire in "Ziegfeld Follies"

Film acting debut in "The Harvey Girls"

Offered second lead role in "Easter Parade"; broke leg and role went to Ann Miller

First dramatic film role in "East Side, West Side"

Lost lead role opposite Gene Kelly in "An American in Paris" because of pregnancy

Played first romantic lead opposite Ricardo Montalban in "Mark of the Renegade"

Achieved star status as Gene Kelly's dance partner in the climactic 'Broadway Melody' number of "Singin' in the Rain"

First female lead, opposite Fred Astaire, in the musical "The Band Wagon"

Played last starring role, opposite Fred Astaire, in the musical "Silk Stockings"

Continued for several years thereafter in non-musicals which sometimes included a dance number or two

Hosted the TV variety special, "Meet Cyd Charisse"

Made her nightclub debut with husband Tony Martin

Starred in two TV concert performance specials, "The Cyd Charisse Special" and "Center Stage: Cyd Charisse"

Published dual autobiography with Tony Martin, The Two of Us

Made Broadway debut as a replacement for Liliane Montevecchi in the musical, "Grand Hotel"

Co-hosted the documentary, "That's Entertainment III," a salute to MGM musicals from the late 1920s through the 50s