Biography
An Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award-winning American pop culture institution, Cher's one-of-a-kind persona made her an inspiration for the working-class woman and a gay icon frequently imitated on the drag runway. From her beginnings in pop music and ultimate title of one of its top-selling female artists of all time, exotic-looking Cher was known for outrageous costumes and her aching, powerful contralto. But her eventual acting …
Latest Tv Credits
1 - 4 of 4
Career Milestones
1946 | Father abandoned family when Cher was a few months old |
1950 | Placed in a Catholic home until mother could save enough money to support her |
1962 | Ran away from home at age 16 and met Sonny Bono, who was working for record producer Phil Spector |
1963 | Worked as background vocalist for Spector recordings (of the Ronettes and the Crystals) |
1964 | Began performing with Bono as 'Caesar and Cleo' |
1964 | Recorded first song, "Ringo, I Love You," under the pseudonym of Bonnie Jo Mason; produced by Phil Spector |
1965 | Changed name to 'Sonny and Cher'; reached Top Ten with the singles "Baby Don't Go" and "I Got You Babe" |
1965 | Film acting debut in "Wild on the Beach" |
1967 | Played herself in William Friedkin's "Good Times" |
1969 | Acted the title role in "Chastity"; written by Sonny Bono |
1969 | Debuted the Sonny and Cher nightclub act |
1971 | Appeared on TV in "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" (CBS) |
1975 | Had solo TV series, "Cher" (CBS) |
1976 | After their divorce, re-teamed with Bono for "The Sonny and Cher Show" (CBS) |
1981 | Off-Broadway acting debut in "Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" |
1982 | Reprised role of Cissy in movie version of "Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" |
1983 | Played Meryl Streep's lesbian friend in Mike Nichols' "Silkwood"; earned first Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress |
1985 | Formed film production company, Isis |
1985 | Played the mother of a severely disfigured boy (Eric Stoltz) in Peter Bogdanovich's "Mask" |
1987 | Returned to her recording career with the album Cher |
1987 | Teamed with Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer for "The Witches of Eastwick" |
1987 | Won an Academy Award playing a frumpy bookkeeper in Norman Jewison's "Moonstruck" |
1989 | Released the album Heart of Stone, with the hit single "If I Could Turn Back Time" |
1990 | Last film for six years, "Mermaids" |
1991 | First exercise video released, "CherFitness: A New Attitude" |
1994 | Collaborated with MTV's cartoon "Beavis and Butt-head" for a rock version of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" |
1996 | Made directing debut with a segment of HBO's "If These Walls Could Talk"; also starred in the segment she directed; earned a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actress |
1996 | Returned to the big screen in the disappointing "Faithful" |
1998 | Paid tribute to Bono in the CBS special "Sonny and Me: Cher Remembers"; executive produced |
1998 | Published her first memoir, The First Time |
1998 | Released her 23rd studio album, Believe; the title song became the biggest hit of Cher's entire career |
1999 | Returned to films in the ensemble of Franco Zeffirelli's "Tea With Mussolini" |
2002 | Traveled with her "Living Proof: The Farewell Tour"; aired on NBC in 2003; and later in 2003 released the album Live: The Farewell Tour |
2003 | Earned a Grammy nomination for the song "Love One Another" |
2003 | Had a cameo apperance in the Farrelly brothers comedy "Stuck on You" |
2008 | Returned to performing at Las Vegas' Caesar's Palace, in the show titled "Cher at the Colosseum" |
2010 | Played a club's proprietor and headliner in "Burlesque" |
2011 | Nominated for the 2011 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture ("You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" from "Burlesque") |
Awards
1972 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Program - Variety or Musical in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour |
1972 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series - Musical in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour |
1973 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour |
1973 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Musical Series in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour |
1974 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music-Variety Series in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour |
1975 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy-Variety or Music Series in Cher |
1982 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean |
1983 | Academy Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in Silkwood |
1983 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Silkwood |
1984 | BAFTA Award for Supporting Actress in Silkwood |
1985 | Cannes Film Festival for Best Actress in Mask |
1985 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama in Mask |
1987 | Academy Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Moonstruck |
1987 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Moonstruck |
1988 | BAFTA Award for Actress In a Leading Role in Moonstruck |
1996 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television in If These Walls Could Talk |
1999 | Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording |
2003 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special in Cher: The Farewell Tour |
2010 | Critics' Choice Award for Best Song in Burlesque |