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George Chakiris

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George Chakiris
Chakiris in 2010
Born (1932-09-16) September 16, 1932 (age 92)
Norwood, Ohio, U.S.
Other namesGeorge Kerris
Occupation(s)Actor, dancer
Years active1947–1996, 2021
WebsiteGeorgeChakiris.com

George Chakiris (born September 16, 1932) is an American actor and dancer. He is best known for his appearance in the 1961 film version of West Side Story as Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks gang, for which he won both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.

Life and career

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Early life

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Chakiris was born on September 16, 1932, in Norwood, Ohio, to Stelianos (Steve) and Zoe (née Anastasiadou) Chakiris, Greek immigrants from Turkey. He is one of eight siblings.[1][2][3]

His family moved to Long Beach, California, in 1944. He attended Jefferson Junior High school and was graduated in 1950 from Woodrow Wilson Classical High School, both in Long Beach.[4][5]

Chakiris attended one year at Long Beach City College, but wanted to pursue a career in dance, so he dropped out and moved to Hollywood. He worked in the advertising department of May Company California, a department store, and studied dance at night.[4][5]

Early films

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Marilyn Monroe performing "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). George Chakiris is on the right (uncredited).

Chakiris made his film debut at age 15 in 1947 in the chorus of Song of Love.[5]

For several years he appeared in small roles, usually as a dancer or a member of the chorus in various musical films, including The Great Caruso (1951), Stars and Stripes Forever (1952), Call Me Madam (1953), Second Chance (1953), and The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953).

He was a dancer in Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" number in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and he appeared in Give a Girl a Break (1953) and White Christmas (1954).

He can be seen in the wedding dance in the MGM musical film Brigadoon (1954), and appeared in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954).

Chakiris was sometimes cast in non-Caucasian roles, including in West Side Story as a Puerto Rican and in Diamond Head as a native Hawaiian.

Paramount

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Chakiris appeared uncredited as a dancer in White Christmas (1954) and appeared in a close-up with Rosemary Clooney while she sang "Love, You Didn't Do Right by Me". A publicity photo of this generated fan mail, and Paramount signed him to a movie contract. "I got lucky with the close-up with Rosemary," said Chakiris.[6][7]

Chakiris appeared in The Country Girl (1954) and The Girl Rush (1955), dancing with Rosalind Russell in the latter. He received a positive review from Hedda Hopper.[8]

MGM borrowed him for Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956), and he danced in Las Vegas.[9]

Chakiris had a small non-dancing part in Under Fire (1957).

West Side Story

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About 1958, frustrated with the progress of his career, Chakiris left Hollywood for New York. The stage musical West Side Story had been running for a year on Broadway, and Chakiris auditioned for Jerome Robbins. He was cast in the London production as Riff, leader of the Jets. The musical launched on the West End in late 1958, and Chakiris received excellent reviews, playing it for almost 22 months.[10]

The Mirisch Brothers bought the film rights to West Side Story and screen-tested Chakiris. They thought his dark complexion made him more suited to the role of Bernardo, leader of the Sharks, and cast Russ Tamblyn as Riff. Filming took seven months.[11][4]

The film adaptation of West Side Story (1961) was hugely successful, and Chakiris won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance. This led to a long-term contract with the Mirisch Company.[12]

Chakiris played the lead role in Two and Two Make Six (1962), directed by Freddie Francis.

Chakiris starred as a doctor in the film Diamond Head (1963), opposite Charlton Heston and Yvette Mimieux.[13]

In the early 1960s, he embarked on a career as a pop singer, resulting in a couple of minor hits. In 1960, he recorded a single with producer Joe Meek.

Three-picture deal with Mirisch Brothers

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Chakiris's fee around this time was reported to be $100,000 per movie.[14] His first new film for the Mirisches was Flight from Ashiya (1964), shot in Japan with Yul Brynner and Richard Widmark.

The Mirisches reunited Chakiris with Brynner in Kings of the Sun (1963), an epic about the Mayans, which was a box-office flop. Chakiris went to Italy to make Bebo's Girl (1964) with Claudia Cardinale.

He acted in 633 Squadron (1964), a war movie with Cliff Robertson, the last movie he made for the Mirisches. Chakiris later said he made a mistake with his Hollywood films by looking at the "potential" of them instead of the quality of the roles.[15]

Europe

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Chakiris played a Greek terrorist in Cyprus in a British film, The High Bright Sun (1965), with Dirk Bogarde. He went to Italy for The Mona Lisa Has Been Stolen (1965) and France for Is Paris Burning? (1966).[16]

He appeared with Catherine Deneuve and Gene Kelly in Jacques Demy's French musical film The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967). Around this time, his manager cancelled his contract with Capitol Records.[17] However, he enjoyed his time in Europe, saying he had time to "experiment and refine my craft."[15] He also performed a nightclub act at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, his first stage work since West Side Story. The show was successful and led to Chakiris receiving an offer to appear with Jose Ferrer in a TV production of Kismet (1967). He appeared in The Day the Hot Line Got Hot (1968) in France, and The Big Cube (1969) with Lana Turner in America. He made Sharon Vestida de Rojo (Sharon Dressed in Red) (1970) in Spain.[18]

1970s and 1980s

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In 1969, Chakiris did a stage production of The Corn Is Green in Chicago with Eileen Herlie. He enjoyed the experience and it revived his confidence as an actor. He said all the films he made after West Side Story had been "a waste of time...it was difficult to take them seriously...It was my fault and no one else's".[19]

Chakiris accepted a dramatic role on TV's Medical Center to change his image.[19]

Chakiris as Alex Solkin in Medical Center, 1970

He starred in the first national tour of the Stephen Sondheim musical Company, in the role of Bobby, from 1971-1972.

Chakiris worked heavily on TV in the 1970s and 1980s in Britain and the U.S., guest-starring on Hawaii Five-O, Police Surgeon, Thriller, Notorious Woman, Wonder Woman, Fantasy Island, CHiPs, Matt Houston, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Poor Little Rich Girls, Hell Town and Murder, She Wrote.

He appeared in the final episode (March 22, 1974) of The Partridge Family as an old high school boyfriend to Shirley Partridge (Shirley Jones). Their kiss goodbye was the final scene in the program's run. He also starred in the Terry Marcel film Why Not Stay for Breakfast? (1979).

Chakiris appeared in several episodes of Dallas and had a role on Santa Barbara.

Later career

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Chakiris was top-billed in the vampire film Pale Blood (1990). On TV, he had a recurring role on the series Superboy as Professor Peterson from 1988 to 1990, and guest-starred on Human Target and the miniseries The Girls of Lido.

On stage, he starred in the musical in a Long Beach Civic Light Opera production of The King and I in 1995.[20]

On March 23, 1998, on the 70th Academy Awards telecast, he appeared in the "Oscar's Family Album" segment, a historic gathering of 70 actors who have received both competitive and honorary awards seated onstage together.[21]

He has given occasional television interviews since then, but is mostly retired. His hobby of making sterling silver jewelry has turned into a new occupation,[22] working as a jewelry designer for his own brand, George Chakiris Collections, consisting of handmade original sterling silver jewelry.

In 2012, he presented a musical about veganism titled Loving the Silent Tears.[23][24]

In 2021, Chakiris appeared in the film Not to Forget (2021), which aims to raise awareness and funds for the fight against Alzheimer's disease. The movie, directed by Valerio Zanoli, stars Karen Grassle and five Academy Award winners: George Chakiris, Cloris Leachman, Louis Gossett Jr., Tatum O'Neal, and Olympia Dukakis.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1947 Song of Love Choir boy As George Kerris
1951 The Great Caruso Dancer Uncredited
1952 Stars and Stripes Forever Ballroom dancer Uncredited
1953 Call Me Madam Dancer in 'The Ocarina' Number
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T Dancer As George Kerris
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Dancer ("Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend") Uncredited[25]
Second Chance Background Observer in Dance Sequence Uncredited
Give a Girl a Break Dancer Uncredited
1954 Brigadoon Specialty dancer Uncredited
White Christmas Dancer in 'Mandy' and 'Love' numbers Uncredited
The Country Girl Dancer with pick Uncredited
There's No Business Like Show Business Dancer Uncredited
1955 The Girl Rush Chorus boy, 'Hillbilly Heart' number Uncredited
1956 Meet Me in Las Vegas Young groom As George Kerris
1957 Under Fire Pvt. Steiner Uncredited
1961 West Side Story Bernardo Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1962 Two and Two Make Six Larry Curado
Diamond Head Dr. Dean Kahanna
1963 Kings of the Sun Balam
1964 La ragazza di Bube Bebo English: Bebo's Girl
Flight from Ashiya 2nd Lt. John Gregg
633 Squadron Lt. Erik Bergman
1965 The High Bright Sun Haghios
1966 On a volé la Joconde [fr] Vincent English: The Mona Lisa Has Been Stolen
Is Paris Burning? GI in tank
1967 Les Demoiselles de Rochefort Étienne English: The Young Girls of Rochefort
1968 Le Rouble à Deux Faces Eric Ericson US title: The Day the Hot Line Got Hot
1969 The Big Cube Johnny Allen
Sharon Vestida de Rojo Robert Bowman English: Sharon Dressed in Red
1979 Why Not Stay for Breakfast? George Clark
1982 Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again Himself
1990 Pale Blood Michael Fury
2021 Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It Himself Documentary about Rita Moreno, his costar in West Side Story (1961)
2021 Not to Forget Bank Manager

Selected television appearances

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Year Title Role Notes
1956 Ford Star Jubilee Episode: "You're the Top"
1968 The Carol Burnett Show Episode 18 (January 22, 1968)
1969 The Jackie Gleason Show Episode: "Mousey the Dip"
1970–1975 Medical Center Alex Solkin 3 episodes
1972 Hawaii Five-O Chris Lahani Episode: "Death Is a Company Policy"
1974 The Partridge Family Capt. Chuck "Cuddles" Corwin Episode: ". . . - - - . . . (S.O.S.)"
Thriller Robert Stone Episode: "Kiss Me and Die"
Notorious Woman Frédéric Chopin Miniseries
1978 The New Adventures of Wonder Woman Carlo Indrezzano Episode: "Death in Disguise"
Return to Fantasy Island Pierre
1982 Fantasy Island Captain Claude Dumont Episode: "The Magic Camera/Mata Hari/Valerie"
1983 CHiPs Bernard DeJardine Episode: "Fox Trap"
Matt Houston Brett Cole Episode: "The Showgirl Murders"
1984 Matt Houston Clark Sawyer Episode: "Waltz of Death"
One Life to Live Unknown episodes
Poor Little Rich Girls Prince Rudolph Episode: "The Gentleman Caller"
Nihon no omokage Lafcadio Hearn Japanese miniseries ja:日本の面影
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Angelo Spinelli Episode: "Lost and Found"
1985 Hell Town Ric Montenez Episode: "Let My Jennie Go"
1986 Dallas Nicholas 14 episodes
1988 Santa Barbara Daniel Espinoza
1989 Murder, She Wrote Eric Bowman Episode: "Weave a Tangled Web"
1989–1990 Superboy Professor Peterson 9 episodes
1992 Human Target Robillard Episode: "Chances Are"
1995 Les Filles du Lido Saskia Miniseries
1996 Last of the Summer Wine Max Bernard Episode: "Extra! Extra!"

References

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  1. ^ "Personally Speaking ep. 68 (George Chakiris)". YouTube.
  2. ^ Hamilton County Recorder’s Office, Cincinnati, Ohio.
  3. ^ Chakiris, George (2021). My West Side Story. Lyons Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-1493055470.
  4. ^ a b c Greeks Have a Word for It---Chakiris, Los Angeles Times, December 10, 1961: Q4.
  5. ^ a b c Chakiris, George. My West Side Story. Lyons Press, 2021. Page 10. ISBN 978-1493055470
  6. ^ Kiesewetter, John (December 12, 2011). "George Chakiris makes holiday homecoming". Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, Ohio.
  7. ^ "Biography for George Chakiris" on TCM.com
  8. ^ Hopper, Hedda (February 8, 1955). "Edmond O'Brien Cast in Jack Webb 'Blues'". Los Angeles Times. p. B6.
  9. ^ "Dance Star Does Unique 'Viva Vegas' Role; Kent Taylor in Films Again Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times, July 22, 1955: 17.
  10. ^ Playboys of the Western World Wilson, Angus. The Observer December 14, 1958: 15.
  11. ^ Hopper, Hedda (June 28, 1960). "Vidal Will Write 'Reunion' Script: Tamblyn and Chakiris Join Cast of 'West Side Story'". Los Angeles Times. p. B8.
  12. ^ Mirisch, Walter (April 10, 2008). I Thought We Were Making Movies, Not History. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 201.
  13. ^ Parsons, Louella O. (April 1, 1962). "Constant, Hard Work Pays Off for George". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. p. G2.
  14. ^ Scheuer, Philip K. "Chakiris' Salary Hits Six Figures: Philippine Actor Climbing; Wide Screen for 'Squares'?" Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1962: C9.
  15. ^ a b Scott, John L. "Chakiris Likes Nightclub Life" Los Angeles Times, August 4, 1967: d7.
  16. ^ Briggs, Andrew (September 21, 1965). "Two Signed for 'Paris'". Los Angeles Times. p. c13.
  17. ^ CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD; Gracious dance; George Chakiris remains grateful to choreographer and director Jerome Robbins for 'West Side Story.' King, Susan. Los Angeles Times November 11, 2013: D.3.
  18. ^ Muir, Florabel (September 6, 1967). "Everything Is Roses for George Chakiris". The Washington Post and Times-Herald. p. B13.
  19. ^ a b Browning, Norma Lee (November 22, 1970). "Hollywood Today: George Chakiris Tries Cutting the Ice as Hollywood Looks at His New Image". Chicago Tribune. p. nw2.
  20. ^ Fitzgerald, David (November 11, 2013). "George Chakiris' musical notes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  21. ^ Pond, Steve (2005), The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards, New York, United States: Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-21193-3
  22. ^ Holleran, Scott. A Boy Like That. BoxOfficeMojo.com. March 21, 2003.
  23. ^ "In-Depth with Loving the Silent Tears Guest Speaker: George Chakiris (Vegetarian)". GodsDirectContact.org. 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  24. ^ Wagley, Catherine (October 30, 2012). "That Musical About Veganism Starring Jon Secada and Based on the Poetry of Supreme Master Ching Hai, Explained". LA Weekly. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  25. ^ "Hometowns to Hollywood: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". HometownsToHollywood.com. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
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