Cyd Charisse

Bold, beautiful Cyd Charisse. A dancer/movie star synonymous with the golden era of the movie musical. Sweeping the world off its feet in most of MGM's major musicals, Ms. Charisse delivered an excellent Ninotchka in Cole Porter's Silk Stockings, leaving comparisons to Greta Garbo's original performance at the door. As was often the case in those days, however, Cyd's singing was also left at the door. But the woman is capable of busting out a tune and made her Broadway debut at 70 in Grand Hotel, doing her own singing (obviously) and taking on another Garbo role. Here is the demo for "It's A Chemical Reaction" using Cyd's real vocals.

Shirley Maclaine

It's not that Shirley Maclaine can't sing. She was spotted by a Hollywood agent (sent by Alfred Hitchcock no less) while filling in for Carol Haney in the musical The Pajama Game on Broadway. That resulted in Maclaine making her first film with Hitchcock. The rest is history. Or her story.

Shirley Maclaine does remind us now and then that she is a musical performer, primarily a dancer of comparable skill. Not known as a terrific songstress, her voice is thin yet distinctive. The closest she's ever come to recording in a contemporary "pop" fashion is here with "Where Am I Going?" from Bob Fosse's Sweet Charity.