George Chakiris
American actor and dancer
Who is George Chakiris?
George Chakiris (born September 16, 1932) is an American actor and dancer. Chakiris was born in Norwood, Ohio, to Stelianos (Steve) and Zoe (née Anastasiadou) Chakiris, Greek immigrants from Turkey. His family moved to Long Beach, California, in 1944. He attended Jefferson Junior High school and was graduated in 1950 from Woodrow Wilson Classical High School, both in Long Beach. Chakiris attended one year at Long Beach City College, but wanted to pursue a career in dance, so he dropped out and moved to Hollywood. He worked in the advertising department of May Company California, a department store, and studied dance at night. Chakiris made his film debut at age 15 in 1947 in the chorus of Song of Love.
Historical significance
He is best known for his appearance in the 1961 film version of West Side Story as Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks gang, for which he won both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.
