George Chakiris (born September 16, 1932) is an American dancer, singer and actor. He is best known for his role as Bernardo in the 1961 film version of West Side Story, which earned him an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. Prior to West Side Story, Chakiris appeared uncredited in many musicals such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), White Christmas (1954), and Brigadoon (1954) as a dancer or chorus member. After West Side Story, he had starring roles in several lesser-known critical and commercial failures such as Diamond Head (1962), Kings of the Sun (1963), and The High Bright Sun (1965). On stage, his most notable role was as Bobby in the first national tour of Stephen Sondheim's Company. He had guest roles in many television series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including appearances on Dallas, Superboy, and the series finale of The Patridge Family. Chakiris emerged from retirement to act in the film Not to Forget (2021), which aims to raise awareness of Alzheimer's disease.

Filmography

• 2022Marilyn, Her Final Secret
• 2021Not to Forget — Bank Manager
• 2009Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1960's — (archive footage)
• Les Filles du Lido — Saskia
• 1990Pale Blood — Michael Fury
• Superboy — Professor Peterson
• Hell Town — Ric Montenez
• 1985That's Dancing! — Bernardo
• Murder, She Wrote — Eric Bowman
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King — Angelo Spinelli
• 1982Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again — George Chakiris
• Matt Houston — Brett Cole, Clark Sawyer
• 1979Why Not Stay For Breakfast? — George Clark
• 1978Return to Fantasy Island — Pierre
• CHiPs — Bernard DeJardine
• Ten from the Twenties — James Dell
• Wonder Woman — Carlo Indrezzano
• 1974Kiss Me and Die — Robert Stone
• Notorious Woman — Frédéric Chopin
• Thriller — Robert Stone
• The Partridge Family — Captain Chuck Corwin
• Hawaii Five-O — Chris Lahani
• Medical Center — Dr. John Martins, Alex Solkin, Dr. Christopher
• 1969Sharon in Scarlet — Robert Bowman
• 1969The Big Cube — Johnny Allen
• 1968The Day the Hot Line Got Hot — Eric Ericson
• 1967Kismet — The Caliph
• 1967The Young Girls of Rochefort — Etienne
• 1966Is Paris Burning? — GI in Tank
• 1966The Mona Lisa Has Been Stolen — Vincent
• 1964633 Squadron — Lieutenant Erik Bergman
• 1964Bebo's Girl — Bube
• 1964Flight from Ashiya — 2nd Lt. John Gregg
• 1964The High Bright Sun — Haghios
• 1963Kings of the Sun — Balam
• 1962Diamond Head — Dr. Dean Kahana
• 1962Two and Two Make Six — Larry Curado
• 1961Flower Drum Song — Dancer (song "Chop Suey") (uncredited)
• 1961West Side Story — Bernardo
• 1957Under Fire — Pvt. Steiner
• 1956Meet Me in Las Vegas — Young Groom
• 1955The Girl Rush — Dancer
• 1954Brigadoon — Dancer (uncredited), Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
• 1954The Country Girl — Dancer in Play (uncredited)
• 1954There's No Business Like Show Business — Dancer (uncredited)
• 1954White Christmas — Dancer (uncredited)
• 1953Call Me Madam — Dancer in The Ocarina Number (uncredited)
• 1953Gentlemen Prefer Blondes — Chorus Boy (uncredited)
• 1953Give a Girl a Break — Dancer
• 1953The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. — Dancer
• 1951The Great Caruso — Dancer (uncredited)
• 1947Song of Love — Choir Boy

Appearances as themselves (15)

• 2021Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It — Self
• 2013Loving the Silent Tears: The Musical — Self - Guest Speaker
• 2008Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History — Self
• 2002AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America's Greatest Love Stories — Self
• 1993The Young Girls Turn 25 — Self (archive footage)
• 1982Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady — Self
• Les Rendez-vous du dimanche — Self
• Midi Première — Self
• Numéro un — Self, Self - Host, Self (archive footage)
• Système 2 — Self
• The Carol Burnett Show — Self
• 1966Behind the screens : Les demoiselles de Rochefort — Self
• The Mike Douglas Show — Self
• The Oscars — Self
• Golden Globe Awards — Self - Nominee, Self - Presenter