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Forecourt Ceremony held on Thursday, November 18, 2010
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Born: Cherilyn Sarkisian, May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California
Age at the time of the ceremony: 64
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Cher is perhaps the most recognized female singer in the world. Originally performing with husband Sonny Bono, Cher has proven herself to be an entertainment powerhouse, excelling in almost every medium.
Cher's heritage is Armenian on her father's side; Irish, English, German and Cherokee on her mother's. Cher's parents divorced when she was only ten months old. Her mother remarried to an actor who moved everybody to Los Angeles. Her mother got some work as Georgia Holt in television.
But this marriage did not last, breaking up when Cher was nine. This was followed with a number of marriages and divorces, with Georgia moving the family around the country each time. In fifth grade, Cher was in a school production of Oklahoma! where she learned to fill in for the male roles, developing a low singing voice. In 1961, she saw Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (which played the Chinese in October 1961); Cher adopted Holly Golightly's odd sense of fashion.
Also that year, Georgia married a bank manager named Gilbert LaPiere, who adopted Cher and sent her to the Montclair College Prparatory School; she dropped out at age 16, and left home. Dancing in clubs on the Sunset Strip and networking led to her meeting Sonny Bono in 1962. Bono was working for record producer Phil Spector, who used Cher as a backing vocalist. Cher married Bono in 1964.
Together, they formed an act; Cher suffered from stage fright which lessened with Sonny at her side. She did a cover of "All I Really Want to Do" which became the title of her first album, released in 1965. After recoding "I Got You Babe" Sonny and Cher toured England, where their "look" caused a sensation.
The pair enjoyed several hit singles, including "Baby Don't Go," "The Beat Goes On," All I Ever Need Is You" and "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done." Bono wrote several of these songs. By 1967, Sonny and Cher were top-selling musicians, with Cher beginning to release solo albums.
Hollywood beckoned. Cher guested as "Ramona" on The Man from U.N.C.L.E., aired over NBC in March 1967. William Friedkin directed Sonny and Cher in the musical fantasy Good Times (released in May 1967) with George Sanders (!), but the film flopped. Undaunted, Sonny wrote a script for Cher to star in, which bacame Chastity (released in June 1969) with Barbara London. Cher guested on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, aired over NBC in September 1969.
CBS offered the couple a chance to do their own show. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour premiered in August 1971 and was on the air through 1974. By that time, Cher and Sonny started to argue about money and got themselves divorced. Sonny had tried his own show, but re-teamed with Cher for The Sonny and Cher Show from February 1976 to March 1977.
While continuing with a busy recording and concertizing schedule, Cher found time to play Meat Loaf's girlfriend in Dead Ringer (released in 1981) with Josh Mostel. Stretching her dramatic chops considerably, she starred in director Robert Altman's production of the play and film of Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (which premiered at the Chicago Film Festival in October 1982) with Karen Black.
For director Mike Nichols, she joined the cast of Silkwood (released in December 1983) with Meryl Streep. Although she clashed with director Peter Bogdanovich, her turn as Rusty Dennis in Mask (released in March 1985) with Eric Stoltz, became a critical and financial success, winning her the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Cher played Alexandra Medford The Witches of Eastwick (which played the Chinese in June 1987) with Jack Nicholson, and played a public defender in Suspect (released in October 1987) with Dennis Quaid. After appearing as Oretta Castorini in Moonstruck (released in December 1987) with Nicolas Cage, Cher won the Oscar for Best Actress — high praise indeed.
In a film which mirrored her own childhood, Mermaids (released in December 1990) with Bob Hoskins, was a bumpy affair; Cher fired the first two directors. The picture was eventually signed by Richard Benjamin.
Cher did two cameos in the Robert Altman pictures The Player (released in May 1992) with Tim Robbins, and Ready to Wear (released in December 1994) with Sophia Loren. Cher shone in the very odd Faithful (released in April 1996) with Chazz Palminteri. She directed herself playing a doctor in the 1996 segment of If These Walls Could Talk, aired over HBO in October 1996.
She starred for director Franco Zeffirelli in Tea with Mussolini (released in May 1999) with Maggie Smith, then played herself in the buddy comedy Stuck on You (released in December 2003) with Matt Damon. She played herself on an episode of Will & Grace, aired over CBS in May 2002.
Cher headlined in Burlesque (which had its World Premiere at the Chinese on November, 15, 2010) with Christina Aguilera. Then three days later, she placed her imprints in the Forecourt. She provided the voice for Zookeeper (which played the Chinese in July 2011) with Kevin James, and starred in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (released in July 2018) with Amanda Seyfried. |
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| Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Cher Forecourt block. Executed by unknown, Thursday, November 18, 2010. 48 x 36 inches. |
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| Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California. Cher Forecourt ceremony, Thursday, November 18, 2010. Cher gives a shoutout to the world from her place in the wet cement. |
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