 Cherilyn Sarkisian La Piere was born May 20th, 1946, in El Centro,
California. The surprisingly shy youngster was the daughter of a struggling
actress mother, and a father that left Cher and her mother when she was three
years old. Poor, and looking to pursue an acting career, Cher headed for LA at
age 16, leaving behind her family and her chances of obtaining a high school
diploma.
In 1963, destiny changed for Cher when she and music producer Sonny Bono had a
chance encounter at a coffee shop. The two became friends and eventually moved
in together, despite the 11-year age difference between them. By the time they
sang their hit, "I Got You, Babe", the pair were lovers, and the song became a
theme song for hippie lovebirds everywhere.
Before hitting it big with "I Got You, Babe", Sonny and Cher performed in venues
such as bowling alleys, under the name Caesar and Cleo. Cher's solo recordings
under the monikers Bonnie Jo Mason and Cherilyn were also ill-fated attempts,
and Sonny and Cher only saw stardom once they sang the 1965 Bono-penned love
song.
Known as much for their groovy attire as for their following hits, "Baby Don't
Go" and "Just You", Sonny and Cher's stardom was short-lived. They had one more
hit in 1967, "The Beat Goes On", before getting married in 1969 and disappearing
into 60's pop culture.
After one more solo hit for Cher, "You Better Sit Down Kids", things went
downhill for Sonny and Cher. The exotic brunette ventured into film with the
Bono-funded Chastity and Good Times, but to no avail.
After being degraded to nothing more than a Las Vegas lounge act and a distant
memory, CBS made Sonny and Cher an offer they couldn't refuse: a one-hour
television variety show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. The couple was
back, displaying the chemistry that had attracted their fans years ago. The show
also appealed to feminists who loved Cher's strong, independent woman persona,
as well as the fact that this beauty did not look like the poster girl for an
all-American woman.
Cher returned to the pop charts, but the troubled married life of Sonny and Cher
brought their marriage and their successful show to an end. After marrying her
second husband, Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers, Cher retuned to television
with what started out as her own variety series, but ultimately became The
Sonny and Cher Show.
By 1979, The show was cancelled after 2 seasons, while Cher and a
heroine-addicted alcoholic Allman were divorced. Wanting to return to her
original passion -- acting -- Cher's career as a respected actress took off
after her work in the onstage performance, Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy
Dean Jimmy Dean. She landed a role opposite Hollywood A-list actress Meryl
Streep in Silkwood.
Proving that Cher was a born actress, she received an Academy Award nomination
for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Silkwood, and followed up
this performance with roles in Mask, The Witches of Eastwick,
Suspect, and Moonstruck. Her role in the latter, also starring
Nicolas Cage, garnered Cher the Academy Award for Best Actress.
After hit singles in the late 80's such as "If I Could Turn Back Time" and
"Heart of Stone", and a role in Mermaids co-starring Winona Ryder, Cher
had reached a point of exhaustion. Her chronic fatigue led her to turn to
infomercials and fitness videos, which placed a stigma on the career of the
Oscar and Emmy winning actress.
A tabloid favorite and the butt of comedian's jokes, Cher successfully made a
comeback to the top with a hit album in 1998, Believe. After losing her
status as well as the respect of audiences and those in the industry, not to
mention the tragic death of long-time friend and ex-husband, Sonny Bono, Cher
rebounded back into the music industry with a remarkable comeback.
Her dance-infused album was a hit in dance clubs and amongst her gay following (Cher
is also a gay activist). The best-selling album in her 4-decade long career, and
one of Europe's best-selling albums, Believe proved that Cher is a
strong-willed, independent woman with boundless determination.
Cher returned to the big-screen last summer with her role in the female
star-studded film, Tea With Mussolini. Previously romantically linked
with Kiss' Gene Simmons, David Geffen and Richie Sambora, Cher is the mother of
Chastity, an open lesbian and daughter of the late Sonny Bono, and Elijah Blue
Allman, the son of Gregg Allman.
Active in causes such as AIDS, gay rights and the Children's Craniofacial
Association, Cher has also added producer to her resume, with her role in
the HBO drama If These Walls Could Talk.
If history repeats itself, we certainly haven't seen the last of this
fascinating performer.
Contact Grabow for more information or to book Cher for your next
corporate or private event.
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