Biography of CherDate of Birth
20 May 1946, El Centro, California, USA
Birth Name
Cheryl Sarkisian LaPiere
Height
5' 7˝" (1.71 m)
Spouse
Gregg Allman (30 June 1975 - 16 January 1979) (divorced) 1 child
Sonny Bono (27 October 1964 - 26 June 1975) (divorced) 1 child
Trivia
Mother, with Gregg Allman, of Elijah Allman.
Diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 30.
Had started dating producer David Geffen after she and estranged husband Sonny Bono split up.
Was living with rock musician Gene Simmons of KISS for several years.
Her half-sister, Georganne LaPiere, was the first wife of Michael Madsen.
Offered the part of Thelma in Thelma & Louise (1991).
Half-sister-in-law of Michael Madsen.
Her father was Armenian, her mother was reputedly part Cherokee, since one of Cher's great-great-grandparents is said to be Cherokee, but none of her currently-known ancestors are described as anything other than White.
Legally changed her name from "Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPiere Bono Allman" to simply "Cher.".
Beat out Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" for the best selling single of 1998 with "Believe."
Wanted to play Morticia in the The Addams Family (1991), but the part went to Anjelica Huston.
Her favourite makeup artist, Kevyn Aucoin, died in 2002 of a brain tumor.
Has mostly been living in London, UK over the last few years.
Holds the record for the the longest gap between #1 hits ("Dark Lady" 1974, "Believe" 1999).
Holds the record for oldest female artist with a #1 hit ("Believe").
Son, Elijah Allman, fronts the band Deadsy.
Half-sister-in-law of actress Virginia Madsen.
Is tying with Mako as the Oscar-nominated actor throughout history with the shortest name. Technically wins, as her name is only one syllable and is her actual legal name.
Suffers from fear of flying.
Wears size 8 shoes.
Cher's very first recording was novelty record "I Love You Ringo," under the name of Bonnie Jo Mason in 1963.
Her parents married and divorced 3 times.
Measurements: 32B-24-36 (in 1990), 34C-24-35 1/2 (after breast lift surgery), 35 1/2 -25 1/2-36 (late 1990s), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).
She won a Grammy in 1999 for the song "Believe" and an Emmy in 2003 for a special on her farewell concert tour.
Spoke the eulogy at ex-husband Sonny Bono's funeral.
Ranked #43 on VH1's "100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll."
Wore braces as an adult.
Her 1998 hit single "Believe" was ranked #60 on VH1's 100 Greatest Dance Songs.
A 2002 Rolling Stone article estimated her wealth at over $600 million. Since then she has embarked on a hugely successful farewell tour that is still going and released a greatest hits CD that has spent weeks in the the Billboard Top 10.
Is a big Katharine Hepburn fan.
Although her music video "If I Could Turn Back Time" is often cited as the first video to be banned by MTV, this is not true. The Rolling Stones ("Neighbors"), The Ramones ("Psychotherapy") and Laura Branigan all had videos banned several years beforehand.
Mother, with Sonny Bono, of Chastity Bono.
Mother, Georgia Holt was a fan of Lana Turner. Original birth name Cherlyn was named after Lana Turner's daughter Cheryl Crane.
Is the only certified female performer in music history to have had a U.S #1 single in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.
She and Barbra Streisand are the only two female performers in the U.S. to have had a #1 hit and won an Oscar.
Has appeared solo on the cover of People magazine a near record 13 times.
In addition to her Oscar and Emmy wins, Cher won a 2000 Grammy for the song "Believe" as Best Dance Recording.
US-born Cher is the most famous Hollywood personality of Armenian ethnicity. Acclaimed USSR-born filmmaker Sergei Parajanov is the most famous non-Hollywood Armenian cinema personality.
In a recent poll, A&E's Biography Magazine ranked her as people's Number 3 favorite actress of all time behind her two Hollywood idols, Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn.
She was the subject of an episode of "The X Files" (1993) called "The Post-Modern Prometheus" (5X06; first aired November 3, 1997). This episode concerned a deformed man who adored Cher because of her role in Mask (1985), in which her character cared for her deformed son. Several Cher songs appeared on the soundtrack of this episode, including "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves" and "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore". At the end of the episode, Mulder and Scully take the Cher fan to a Cher concert, where they hear her sing her cover of "Walkin' in Memphis". Cher, an "X-Files" fan, was asked to play herself in this scene but declined the producers' offer. However, she revealed on The X-Files Movie Special (1998) (TV) that once the episode aired, she regretted not having appeared in it.
Was called to be offered the role in The Witches of Eastwick (1987) on the morning of her 40th birthday.
Her Oscar-winning part in Moonstruck (1987) was originally offered to Sally Field, who turned it down.
She has had rhinoplasty and other cosmetic surgeries.
From 2002-2005, she has had an immense success with her "Living Proof Farewell Tour", spanning the globe, making her the world's top diva. She also holds the record for longest-running tour and most money grossed than any female artist in history.
Is one of only five actors/actresses to have both a number one single and an Oscar for acting. The others are Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Jamie Foxx, and Bing Crosby.
All of her Emmy nominations have been for variety series or music programs with her name in the title.
Ranked #26 on VH1's 100 Sexiest Artists.
Personal Quotes
I don't like my voice that much. I think I'm a much better actress than singer. Singing is like going to a party at someone else's house. Acting is like having the party at your own house. When you go to someone else's house for a party, it's not your responsibility at all, but when you have the party at your own house, there's a lot of responsibility. Everyone has to have a good time. So for me, acting is deeper.
In this business you have to be tough, and if someone pushes me really far I can certainly be impossible. I've always said, "If you're nice they walk over you and if you stand up for yourself they call you a bitch."
I'm not a role model, nor have I ever tried to be a role model. The only thing about me as a role model is I've managed to stay here and be working and survive. For 40 years.
I'm like a bumper car. When I did an infomercial I was fodder for every TV comedy show. I couldn't get a job. People said I was a huge joke. I've been a joke so many times. I've been on my way out since I started, but I'm strong-willed. My mother is so much tougher than I am and my grandmother is so much tougher than my mother.
I haven't a clue why I've lasted so long. There's no reason. There are many people more talented than me. I think it's luck.
[People magazine, 9/1/85] I was a shy ugly kid who led a big fantasy life. I thought I was an angel sent from heaven, to cure polio. When Dr. Salk [Jonas Salk] did that I was really pissed off.
The trouble with some women, they get all excited about nothing - and then they marry him.
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