Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

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Practically on the eve of departure, a tragic incident occurred which was to change the course of Cyd's life. A telegram was handed to her. It was from her mother advising her that her father was gravely ill. There was no word about her having to come home. She must make up her own mind about it. But her mother, knowing Cyd, knew what she would do. She decided to go to Amarillo at once and see her beloved dad. Her decision gives us an insight into the character of Cyd Charisse, a foretaste of one of the reasons for the success of her marriage with Tony Martin. Hers was no brave 'the-showmust-go-on-my-career-comes-first' philosophy. She was a loving daughter; she loved her father; that was enough. Her place was with them. The troupe sailed without her. Her father died. The young girl, now sixteen years of age and saddened by grief, returned to Hollywood and to the dance troupe. When Nico Charisse saw her again, he was startled by the change in her. When she had left for Texas, she had been a child. Now she was a woman, a very beautiful woman. Grief had molded her, had matured her. Unusually tall for her age, she could pass for several years older. Nico Charisse fell in love with his pupil. He asked her to marry him. May-September marriage Lonely, in need of comfort and strength, Cyd married a man much older than herself. Though she looked like a woman, she was in truth still a child. She had had no youthful experiences with boys, no adolescence, no fun. The time came for the troupe to tour Europe again and this time, Cyd, accompanied by her husband, went with them. In Paris, Nico, Jr. was born. The year was 1942 and the world was at war. The troupe decided to return to the States. Back in Hollywood, Cyd resumed her dance career, but now it took a new turn. David Lichine, choreographer for the troupe, introduced her to Gregory Ratoff, the famous Russian actor and director. Through this introduction, she got parts in pictures like Something to Shout About, Mission to Moscow, Ziegfeld Follies, and The Harvey Girls. She did not cut a particularly wide swathe at this time, but acting in motion pictures intrigued her, and she decided to remain in that medium. Meanwhile, her marriage was crumbling. Though Charisse was kind, Cyd began to realize all she had missed by marrying him. She was hungry for the youth she should have had. They were divorced in 1947. Cyd was only twenty-four years old at the time. Divorce embitters some people; it matures others. It made Cyd a calm, wise, tolerant, understanding woman who had profited by her experience and had learned a new set of values. This was the woman who accepted an invitation from Nat Goldstone, her agent, to attend a party he was giving at the Bel Air Hotel. Goldstone seated her next to a tall, dark, handsome man. "This is Tony Martin," Goldstone said. She found the young man interesting and the feeling was evidently mutual, because he invited her to Chasen's after the party to enjoy a little snack. The date, however, was not a success. Instead of sitting down and quietly conversing with Cyd, Tony table-hopped all evening. She decided she would not go out with him again — this man was not for her. She forgot about him completely. Then one evening Nat Goldstone called her again. "We're seeing the premiere of Black Narcissus next Wednesday night and I called to ask if you'd like to join us all." Cyd gladly accepted the invitation. When she arrived at Nat's home, she was amazed to find that Tony Martin was her escort. "He asked me to invite you," Goldstone whispered to her. She liked Tony much better on this second meeting. He was kind and sweet and very attentive. It is significant that on the occasion of their second meeting, she began to show that deep and remarkable understanding she has of him. She realized he had table-hopped that last time because of his great need and his great love of people. As she saw more and more of him, she found herself falling in love with him. She knew all his faults, but she knew his good qualities too, and to her, the good qualities far outweighed the faults. What was important to her was that she could make this man happy just as he could make her happy. They were good for each other. She could bring her maturity to his small boyishness, her serenity and calm to his restlessness. He was gay and fun-loving and exciting. She had never known such a man. Tony's background Tony Martin was born in Oakland, California. He was born Alvin Morris and he was the only child of a mother and father who was a physician and who died when Tony was only two years old. Thus, the little boy had never known a father's love or a father's guiding hand. As a child, he began to show great musical talent. At the age of twelve, when most youngsters are playing marbles and hooky, Tony was playing the saxophone and the clarinet. At Oakland High School, he was organizer, leader and sax player for a four-piece orchestra. Even as a kid, he was a good earner. He was exceedingly good to his mother, to whom he felt a great responsibility, and handed over most of his earnings to her. Along with his love of music, he early showed an interest in sports; he was sports editor of the student paper, and excellent at baseball and track. After he was graduated from Oakland High, he was enrolled in St. Mary's College since his mother wanted him to follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor. He was an excellent student but while there, he showed a tendency to get himself into difficulties with those in authority. One day, in a moment of youthful exuberance, he played a jazz solo on the college organ. To the school authorities, that was nothing short of sacrilege and he was promptly asked to leave college. Tony seized this opportunity to get into show business where he felt he belonged. He headed for Chicago where he played and sang with a band at night clubs, among them the Chez Paree. Here he met Frances Langford who sold him the idea of going to Hollywood. It was then he assumed the name of Tony Martin and headed back to California. The country was in the depths of the depression and musicals were not being made in Hollywood. He got a job as a singer on the Burns and Allen show and appeared at the Trocadero, then Hollywood's most elegant night spot. His first pictures were Follow the Fleet and Poor Little Rich Girl. One day at the horse races he was introduced to a very pretty girl named Alice Faye. She was a former show girl who was beginning to make a name for herself in motion pictures. Their courtship was one of the stormiest in the annals of Hollywood romances. It was on again, off again, on again. Finally when everyone agreed it was off and probably would not be on, they astounded their friends by eloping