George Chakiris

Biography

George Chakiris is an American actor and dancer who built a career in musical films before winning an Academy Award for West Side Story (1961). Born in Norwood, Ohio, he moved with his family to Long Beach, California, and studied dance at night while working in a department store. He made his film debut at 15 in the chorus of Song of Love and spent years in small dancing parts in musicals such as The Great Caruso (1951), Call Me Madam (1953), The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953) and White Christmas (1954), where a close-up during a Rosemary Clooney number drew enough fan mail to land him a Paramount contract. Cast as Bernardo in West Side Story, he won the Academy Award and a Golden Globe for best supporting actor. Later credits include Is Paris Burning? (1966), The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967), Pale Blood (1990) and Not to Forget (2021), along with stage and television work.

94years old

Turns 95 on September 16in 338 days

Born September 16, 1932Norwood
Star sign: VirgoThe sign runs August 23 to September 22
Also credited as George Kerris

Movie Career

Films: 19
Career span: 70 years1951 to 2021

Genres

Drama53%, 10 films
Musical37%, 7 films
Romance37%, 7 films
Comedy32%, 6 films
Music16%, 3 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

Big break
Chakiris's big break came from a close-up in White Christmas while Rosemary Clooney sang, which generated fan mail and led Paramount to sign him.
A role that slipped away
For the West Side Story film, Chakiris was switched from Riff to Bernardo because his dark complexion was thought more suited to the Sharks leader, and Russ Tamblyn took Riff.
First role
In 1947, when he was 15, Chakiris appeared in his first film, Song of Love, as a member of the chorus.
Beyond film
Chakiris took the part of Bobby in the Stephen Sondheim musical Company on its first national tour, playing the role in 1971 and 1972.
A change of course
Chakiris launched a pop singing career in the early 1960s, which produced a few minor hits. His two charting albums, George-Chakiris and Memories Are Made of This, reached No. 28 and No. 45 in the US.

George Chakiris movies on Netflix

Not To Forget2021IMDb rating 5.2as Bank Manager
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It2021IMDb rating 7.6as Himself
Pale Blood1990IMDb rating 5.0as Michael Fury
The Big Cube1969IMDb rating 4.3as Johnny Allen
The Young Girls of Rochefort1967IMDb rating 7.7as Etienne
Is Paris Burning?1966IMDb rating 6.8as GI in Tank
633 Squadron1964IMDb rating 6.4as Lt. Erik Bergman
Flight from Ashiya1964IMDb rating 5.4as 2nd Lt. John Gregg
Kings of the Sun1963IMDb rating 6.1as Balam
Flower Drum Song1961IMDb rating 6.9as Dancer (song "Chop Suey")
West Side Story1961IMDb rating 7.6as Bernardo
Brigadoon1954IMDb rating 6.8as Specialty Dancer
The Country Girl1954IMDb rating 7.2as Dancer in Play
There's No Business Like Show Business1954IMDb rating 6.4as Dancer
White Christmas1954IMDb rating 7.6as Dancer
Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8as Dancer in The Ocarina Number
Give a Girl a Break1953IMDb rating 6.3as Dancer
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.1953IMDb rating 6.7as Dancer
The Great Caruso1951IMDb rating 6.5as Dancer

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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West Side Story1961 Crime, Drama, Musical, Romanceas Bernardo
IMDb rating 7.6129K votes
633 Squadron1964 Drama, Waras Lt. Erik Bergman
IMDb rating 6.45.1K votes
Not To Forget2021as Bank Manager
IMDb rating 5.211K votes
The Young Girls of Rochefort1967as Etienne
IMDb rating 7.714K votes
Kings of the Sun1963as Balam
IMDb rating 6.12.5K votes
Is Paris Burning?1966as GI in Tank
IMDb rating 6.85.6K votes
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.1953as Dancer
IMDb rating 6.74.9K votes
Pale Blood1990as Michael Fury
IMDb rating 5.0929 votes

Most often with

Walter Lang directed two of these films. Bess Flowers appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Bess Flowers

Michel Piccoli

Bing Crosby

Gene Kelly

Yul Brynner

Rita MorenoWalter LangDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bess Flowers3 films together, 1951 to 1954
Bess Flowers's page
- White Christmas1954IMDb rating 7.6Chakiris as DancerFlowers as Club Patron
- Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8Chakiris as Dancer in The Ocarina NumberFlowers as Lady Seated Behind Duchess
- The Great Caruso1951IMDb rating 6.5Chakiris as DancerFlowers as Front Row Audience Member at 'Lucia di Lammermoor'
Michel Piccoli2 films together, 1966 to 1967
Michel Piccoli's page
- The Young Girls of Rochefort1967IMDb rating 7.7Chakiris as EtiennePiccoli as Simon Dame
- Is Paris Burning?1966IMDb rating 6.8Chakiris as GI in TankPiccoli as Edgar Pisani
Bing Crosby2 films together, 1954
Bing Crosby's page
- The Country Girl1954IMDb rating 7.2Chakiris as Dancer in PlayCrosby as Frank Elgin
- White Christmas1954IMDb rating 7.6Chakiris as DancerCrosby as Bob Wallace
Gene Kelly2 films together, 1954 to 1967
Gene Kelly's page
- The Young Girls of Rochefort1967IMDb rating 7.7Chakiris as EtienneKelly as Andy Miller
- Brigadoon1954IMDb rating 6.8Chakiris as Specialty DancerKelly as Tommy Albright
Yul Brynner2 films together, 1963 to 1964
Yul Brynner's page
- Flight from Ashiya1964IMDb rating 5.4Chakiris as 2nd Lt. John GreggBrynner as TSgt. Mike Takashima
- Kings of the Sun1963IMDb rating 6.1Chakiris as BalamBrynner as Chief Black Eagle
Rita Moreno2 films together, 1961 to 2021
Rita Moreno's page
- Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It2021IMDb rating 7.6Chakiris as HimselfMoreno as Himself
- West Side Story1961IMDb rating 7.6Chakiris as BernardoMoreno as Anita
Walter LangDirector, 2 films, 1953 to 1954
All films by Walter Lang
- There's No Business Like Show Business1954IMDb rating 6.4Chakiris as Dancer
- Call Me Madam1953IMDb rating 6.8Chakiris as Dancer in The Ocarina Number
Also two films together5 more actors
- Percy HeltonWhite Christmas (1954) and Call Me Madam (1953)
- Donald O'ConnorThere's No Business Like Show Business (1954) and Call Me Madam (1953)
- Mitzi GaynorRita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (2021) and There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
- Ethel MermanThere's No Business Like Show Business (1954) and Call Me Madam (1953)
- Vera-EllenWhite Christmas (1954) and Call Me Madam (1953)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Two awards and honors, two of them major.

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George Chakiris's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Academy Awards
1962	Best Supporting Actor	West Side Story	Won
Golden Globes
1962	Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture	West Side Story	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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