Madonna: Hindsight is 50/50—Part 3

Find the other parts here.

Coco Chanel

Born: August 19, 1883, Saumur, France

Died: January 10, 1971

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel was not born into wealth and privilege, she earned her way into it by creating designs that suggested it. 

Her first hat-and-accessories shops, in Paris and Deauville, opened when she was 30. She gained a reputation for daring innovation, including the collarless suit (introduced when she was 41) that is synonymous with her name today. Her most revolutionary contribution might be her reliances on menswear as womenswear, a decidedly modern look for the early part of the 20th Century—slacks were presented as style statements as well as comfortable to wear.

Her "little black dress" was a sensation for its risqué construction and for first being presented in  Playboy Magazine. It commented perfectly on Chanel's carefully crafted image of a forward-thinking woman unafraid to, "Express yourself, don't repress yourself..."

Her personal style was as celebrated and recognized as what she sent down the runway and sold in her shops—a severe dark bob and a slash of bright-red lips, layers of pearls mixed with costume jewlery and a variety of veils, smart hats and her own suits.

In 1938, Chanel withdrew from the world of fashion for 15 years, largely due to the strains of maintaining clientele during wartime. Her liaison with a Nazi officer during the occupation earned her the hatred of many of her fellow Parisians. But by 1953, she had made a powerful comeback, one that would cement her legacy as the ultimate female designer of all time.

A perfume in her name, Marilyn Monroe's preferred Chanel No. 5 (launched in 1921), is the best-selling fragrance of all time.

In 1969, Katharine Hepburn played Chanel in a hit show on Broadway, just two years before the style icon/business magnate's death in her Paris apartment.

***

Cyd Charisse

Born: March 8, 1922, Amarillo, TX

Died: June 17, 2008

Born Tula Ellice Finklea, the future Cyd Charisse received her distinctive nickname from a brother who could not pronounce "sis."

As a child, Charisse contracted polio, which nearly robbed her of the ability to walk. To combat its debilitating effects, she threw herself into ballet classes, strengthening herself and becoming a sensational hoofer in the process. By 14, she was dancing in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

French & Saunders take on Charisse.

At 17, she wed and gave birth to a child a few years later, but never gave up on her dream of dancing for a living. (She would later divorce and marry Tony Martin, with whom she stayed until her death.) A move to L.A. resulted in many appearances as a dancer in MGM films, which built until she found herself having danced with the two greatest male dancers in Hollywood history, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

Among her most famous performances are in Ziegfeld Follies (1944), Singin' In The Rain (1952), Brigadoon (1954) The Band Wagon (1953) and Silk Stockings (1957), films in which she displayed an unparalleled dancing prowess and what would come to be known as her signature: her miles-long, willowy legs.

By the late 1950s, Charisse mostly retired from dancing, but made game-show and acting appearances steadily throughout the years. Notably, she filmed scenes for Something's Got To Give, the 1962 film from which Marilyn Monroe was fired before dying at 36.

Around the age of 50, Charisse was making TV guest appearances, her regal beauty intact. Into her sixties, she popped up in music videos for "I Want To Be Your Property" by Blue Mercedes and "Alright" by Janet Jackson, along with releasing a fitness video for senior citizens.

Charisse made her Broadway debut at 70 in Grand Hotel, playing an aging ballerina.

Charisse shortly after turning 50 in the early ’70s.

***

Cher

Born: May 20, 1946, El Centro, California

Cherilyn Sarkisian has, throughout her 62 years, overcome what for others might have been insurmountable odds—being born into poverty, being typecast as a hippie when that trend ended, caring little for her own music, divorcing the famous husband whose name was indelibly attached to hers via ampersand—to become one of the most enduring entertainment icons of all time.

Cher's part-Cherokee mother raised her alone, giving in to her desire for acting lessons despite their non-existent income. After high school, she ventured into L.A., where she found work as a backup singer. An affair with Warren Beatty under her belt, she met Sonny Bono—almost a dozen years her senior—and fell for him hard. As a duo (first named Caesar and Cleo), they released a string of unsuccessful singles, hampered by poor imaging. As themselves—Sonny & Cher—they had a smash hit in 1965 with "I Got You Babe," which led to another 11 hit singles over the next seven years.

In the late '60s, Sonny & Cher's live act began to outshine their recorded music, with Cher's nerves demanding an entertaining cover—she would insult her husband as they sang their songs. Riding high on their success, they attempted to cash in with movies, resulting in the back-to-back bombs Good Time (1967) and Chastity (1969), the latter of which was also the name of their daughter, born the same year.

With their music failing to chart, the duo took to TV, repeating their nightclub act in the hugely successful Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. In it, Cher's penchant for withering one-liners and slinkier-than-thou Bob Mackie costumes revitalized her public persona, taking her to a new level of fame. With television success came musical cash-ins, including popular singles like "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" (1971), "Half Breed" (1973) and "Dark Lady" (1974). In 1974, she wont a Golden Globe for her performance on the show, which ended the same year amidst a bitter divorce.

Cher wasn't as popular minus Sonny—her own Cher Show was short-lived— and Sonny was even less so. Despite remarrying (Gregg Allman) and having a child, Sonny & Cher tried a new series together in 1976 that failed.

Like Madonna, Cher's many affairs and relationships have provided fodder for the tabloids, including trysts with now openly gay David Geffen, KISS's Gene Simmons and the infamous "Bagel Boy," Rob Camiletti.

Cher could also be said to have laid the groundwork for Madonna's career-long re-invention tour; in 1979, she reintroduced herself to the public as a disco star famous for skin-baring album covers before a musical slump in the early '80s that led her to focus on acting. Her first major role was as a transsexual in the Broadway show Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean—her performance in the show and in the ensuing Robert Altman movie was hailed as a major break-through for a beginning actress heading toward 40.

In the '80s, Cher excelled in the cinema with acclaimed performances in films as diverse as Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985) and a tri-fecta of hits—Suspect, The Witches Of Eastwick and Moonstruck—in 1987 that culminated with her acceptance of a Best Actress Oscar for the latter.

Don't Bungle The Jungle, babe!

Just as her sudden TV success had earlier revived interest in her music, her out-of-nowhere movie success led to a relaunching of her career as a popstar. She began reaching the Top 40 again consistently in 1987, touring and building on all of her earlier hits. In 1989, Madonna and then-friend Sandra Bernhard paid homage to Sonny & Cher by singing "I Got You Babe" at the Don't Bungle The Jungle rainforest benefit.

Cher has crossed paths with Madonna—she was backstage as Madonna prepared her MTV Awards "Like A Virgin" appearance in 1984, was a surprise guest at her wedding to Sean Penn in 1985 and attended a charity event with her and Donatella Versace in 1998. Despite sharing a publicist—Liz Rosenberg—Cher was quoted as saying of the younger, bad-karma chameleon, "She could afford to be a little more magnanimous and a little less of a cunt." Perhaps because of sharing a publicist, Madonna went on the record as saying she longed to direct a music video for Cher's song "Dove L'Amore."

The early and mid-'90s were a wash for Cher, who suffered from mysterious health issues (said to be related to Epstein-Barr Syndrome). She appeared in disastrous infomercials for Lori Davis Hair Care products, earning ridicule. Her pop career cooled and her film career came to a screeching halt thanks to her inability to work, or her disinterest once having won acting's highest accolade. Having dabbled in many fields, it would seem Cher's heart is not in any of them.

At age 50, Cher bombed in the film Faithful but co-produced and starred in If These Walls Could Talk, an HBO movie on abortion. She directed the segment in which she appeared. Unlike Madonna, Cher had already been famous for over 30 years by the time she hit 50.

In 1998, Sonny Bono, a Republican congressman, died in a freak accident. Cher's heartfelt eulogy was widely broadcast, and an ensuing TV special was a ratings hit. In all probability, though she would not have wished death on Sonny in exchange for it, the next chapter in Cher's career was probably turbo-charged by these highly emotional public events.

At age 52, Cher released the unapologetic pop/dance album Believe. The lead single was a smash in Europe but seemed destined to fail in the U.S., where Cher's age and only-your-mother-would-like-her vibe doomed her at radio—at first. Over time and thanks in part to a shame-on-you campaign by Billboard Magazine, "Believe" was given massive support. It became the #1 song of the year and by far Cher's biggest global hit. This revitalization brought with it her memoirs and more musical success, albeit nothing in the same league as "Believe."

Her movie career never regained its footing, but her concerts were big business, including a farewell tour that ran three years, selling out venues and garnering huge TV ratings. Cher at 62 is ensconced at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas performing her hits on a revolving-door basis with Elton John and Bette Midler.

Cher at 50, playing Studio 54's closing two days after her birthday.

***

Cher

Born: May 20, 1946, El Centro, California

Cherilyn Sarkisian has, throughout her 62 years, overcome what for others might have been insurmountable odds—being born into poverty, being typecast as a hippie when that trend ended, caring little for her own music, divorcing the famous husband whose name was indelibly attached to hers via ampersand—to become one of the most enduring entertainment icons of all time.

Cher's part-Cherokee mother raised her alone, giving in to her desire for acting lessons despite their non-existent income. After high school, she ventured into L.A., where she found work as a backup singer. An affair with Warren Beatty under her belt, she met Sonny Bono—almost a dozen years her senior—and fell for him hard. As a duo (first named Caesar and Cleo), they released a string of unsuccessful singles, hampered by poor imaging. As themselves—Sonny & Cher—they had a smash hit in 1965 with "I Got You Babe," which led to another 11 hit singles over the next seven years.

In the late '60s, Sonny & Cher's live act began to outshine their recorded music, with Cher's nerves demanding an entertaining cover—she would insult her husband as they sang their songs. Riding high on their success, they attempted to cash in with movies, resulting in the back-to-back bombs Good Time (1967) and Chastity (1969), the latter of which was also the name of their daughter, born the same year.

With their music failing to chart, the duo took to TV, repeating their nightclub act in the hugely successful Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. In it, Cher's penchant for withering one-liners and slinkier-than-thou Bob Mackie costumes revitalized her public persona, taking her to a new level of fame. With television success came musical cash-ins, including popular singles like "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" (1971), "Half Breed" (1973) and "Dark Lady" (1974). In 1974, she wont a Golden Globe for her performance on the show, which ended the same year amidst a bitter divorce.

Cher wasn't as popular minus Sonny—her own Cher Show was short-lived— and Sonny was even less so. Despite remarrying (Gregg Allman) and having a child, Sonny & Cher tried a new series together in 1976 that failed.

Like Madonna, Cher's many affairs and relationships have provided fodder for the tabloids, including trysts with now openly gay David Geffen, KISS's Gene Simmons and the infamous "Bagel Boy," Rob Camiletti.

Cher could also be said to have laid the groundwork for Madonna's career-long re-invention tour; in 1979, she reintroduced herself to the public as a disco star famous for skin-baring album covers before a musical slump in the early '80s that led her to focus on acting. Her first major role was as a transsexual in the Broadway show Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean—her performance in the show and in the ensuing Robert Altman movie was hailed as a major break-through for a beginning actress heading toward 40.

In the '80s, Cher excelled in the cinema with acclaimed performances in films as diverse as Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985) and a tri-fecta of hits—Suspect, The Witches Of Eastwick and Moonstruck—in 1987 that culminated with her acceptance of a Best Actress Oscar for the latter.

Don't Bungle The Jungle, babe!

Just as her sudden TV success had earlier revived interest in her music, her out-of-nowhere movie success led to a relaunching of her career as a popstar. She began reaching the Top 40 again consistently in 1987, touring and building on all of her earlier hits. In 1989, Madonna and then-friend Sandra Bernhard paid homage to Sonny & Cher by singing "I Got You Babe" at the Don't Bungle The Jungle rainforest benefit.

Cher has crossed paths with Madonna—she was backstage as Madonna prepared her MTV Awards "Like A Virgin" appearance in 1984, was a surprise guest at her wedding to Sean Penn in 1985 and attended a charity event with her and Donatella Versace in 1998. Despite sharing a publicist—Liz Rosenberg—Cher was quoted as saying of the younger, bad-karma chameleon, "She could afford to be a little more magnanimous and a little less of a cunt." Perhaps because of sharing a publicist, Madonna went on the record as saying she longed to direct a music video for Cher's song "Dove L'Amore."

The early and mid-'90s were a wash for Cher, who suffered from mysterious health issues (said to be related to Epstein-Barr Syndrome). She appeared in disastrous infomercials for Lori Davis Hair Care products, earning ridicule. Her pop career cooled and her film career came to a screeching halt thanks to her inability to work, or her disinterest once having won acting's highest accolade. Having dabbled in many fields, it would seem Cher's heart is not in any of them.

At age 50, Cher bombed in the film Faithful but co-produced and starred in If These Walls Could Talk, an HBO movie on abortion. She directed the segment in which she appeared. Unlike Madonna, Cher had already been famous for over 30 years by the time she hit 50.

In 1998, Sonny Bono, a Republican congressman, died in a freak accident. Cher's heartfelt eulogy was widely broadcast, and an ensuing TV special was a ratings hit. In all probability, though she would not have wished death on Sonny in exchange for it, the next chapter in Cher's career was probably turbo-charged by these highly emotional public events.

At age 52, Cher released the unapologetic pop/dance album Believe. The lead single was a smash in Europe but seemed destined to fail in the U.S., where Cher's age and only-your-mother-would-like-her vibe doomed her at radio—at first. Over time and thanks in part to a shame-on-you campaign by Billboard Magazine, "Believe" was given massive support. It became the #1 song of the year and by far Cher's biggest global hit. This revitalization brought with it her memoirs and more musical success, albeit nothing in the same league as "Believe."

Her movie career never regained its footing, but her concerts were big business, including a farewell tour that ran three years, selling out venues and garnering huge TV ratings. Cher at 62 is ensconced at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas performing her hits on a revolving-door basis with Elton John and Bette Midler.

Cher at 50, playing Studio 54's closing two days after her birthday.

Comments

[david]

loved this part, especially the Cyd Charisse piece.

[heph]

Speaking of French & Saunders,
there is a reference to Cyd Charisse in Ab Fab - The Last Shout. ;)