Chita Rivera, legendary American actress, singer, and dancer, died on Tuesday at age 91.
In 1952 Rivera accompanied a friend on an audition for the Broadway production of Call Me Madam. She, not her friend, got the part of principal dancer. She followed this debut with Can-Can, Seventh Heaven, Mr. Wonderful and Shinbone Alley.
Rivera’s profile sky-rocketed in 1957, when she appeared in West Side Story as Anita.
Rivera followed up with roles in the Broadway productions of Bye Bye Birdie (her first Tony nomination), Bajour, Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Threepenny Opera, Kiss Me Kate and Sweet Charity.
She reprised her role in the film version of Sweet Charity withShirley MacLaine in 1969.
In 1975 she originated the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago, and with a cameo in the 2002 film version with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger and Richard Gere.
In 1984 she starred in the Broadway musical The Rink, also starring Liza Minnelli, and won her first Tony Award.
In a car accident in 1986, her leg was broken in 12 places. ‘They tell me my return to Broadway is one of those classic showbiz stories’.
Her return in Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1993 earned her a second Tony.
Ten years later she earned another Tony nomination for her role in Nine.
In 2018, Rivera was honoured with a third Tony for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.
Rivera had roles in TV shows, including Will & Grace.
She recorded numerous cast albums and three solo albums.
Rivera started ballet at the age of 11, and at age 15 she was accepted into George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet in New York.
Rivera was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.