Rita Hayworth

Biography

Spanish dancer 'Eduardo Cansino' (qv)'s daughter Margarita studied dancing beginning in her girlhood. At age 12, the mature-looking Rita joined Eduardo's stage act, in which she was spotted three years later by Fox studio head 'Winfield R. Sheehan' (qv), leading to her first studio contract and film debut at age 16 in _Dante's Inferno (1935)_ (qv). Fox dropped her after five small roles, but expert, exploitative promotion by her first husband Edward Judson soon brought Rita a new contract at Columbia Pictures, where studio head 'Harry Cohn (I)' (qv) changed her surname to Hayworth and approved raising her hairline by electrolysis. After 13 mainly minor roles, Columbia lent her to Warner Bros. for her first big success, _The Strawberry Blonde (1941)_ (qv); her splendid dancing with 'Fred Astaire' (qv) in _You'll Never Get Rich (1941)_ (qv) made her a star. In person Rita was shy, quiet and unassuming; only when the cameras rolled did she turn on the explosive sexual charisma that in _Gilda (1946)_ (qv) made her a superstar. To Rita, though, domestic bliss was a more important, if elusive, goal, and in 1949 she interrupted her career for marriage - unfortunately an unhappy one almost from the start - to the playboy 'Prince Aly Khan' (qv). Her films after her divorce from Khan include perhaps her best straight acting performances, _Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)_ (qv) and _They Came to Cordura (1959)_ (qv). Beginning in 1960 (age 42), early onset of Alzheimer's disease (undiagnosed until 1980) limited Rita's ability. The last few roles in her 60-film career were increasingly small. Almost helpless by 1981, Rita was cared for by her daughter 'Yasmin Khan (I)' (qv) until her death at age 68. Margarita Carmen Cansino was born on October 17, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York, into a family of dancers. Her father, Eduardo was a dancer as was his father before him. He emigrated from Spain in 1913. Rita's mother met Eduardo in 1916 and were married the following year. Rita, herself, studied as a dancer in order to follow in her family's footsteps. She joined her family on stage when she was eight years old when her family was filmed in a movie called _La Fiesta (1926)_ (qv). It was her first film appearance, albeit an uncredited one. Rita was seen dancing by a 20th Century Fox executive and was impressed enough to offer her a contract. Rita's "second" debut was in the film _Cruz Diablo (1934)_ (qv) at age 16. She continued to play small bit parts in several films under the name of "Rita Cansino" until she played the second female lead in _Only Angels Have Wings (1939)_ (qv) when she played Judy McPherson. By this time, she was at Columbia where she was getting top billing but it was the Warner Brothers film _The Strawberry Blonde (1941)_ (qv) that seemed to set her apart from the rest of what she had previously done. This was the film that exuded the warmth and seductive vitality that was to make her famous. Her natural, raw beauty was showcased later that year in _Blood and Sand (1941)_ (qv), filmed in Technicolor. She was probably the second most popular actress after 'Betty Grable' (qv). In _You'll Never Get Rich (1941)_ (qv) with 'Fred Astaire' (qv), was probably the film that moviegoers felt close to Rita. Her dancing, for which she had studied all her life, was astounding. After the hit _Gilda (1946)_ (qv), her career was on the skids. Although she was still making movies, they never approached her earlier success. The drought began between _The Lady from Shanghai (1947)_ (qv) and _Champagne Safari (1954)_ (qv). Then after _Salome (1953)_ (qv), she was not seen again until _Pal Joey (1957)_ (qv). Part of the reasons for the downward spiral was television, but also Rita had been replaced by the new star at Columbia, 'Kim Novak (I)' (qv). After a few, rather forgettable films in the 1960s, her career was essentially over. Her final film was _The Wrath of God (1972)_ (qv). Her career was really never the same after _Gilda (1946)_ (qv). Her dancing had made the film and it had made her. Perhaps 'Gene Ringgold' (qv) said it best when he remarked, "Rita Hayworth is not an actress of great depth. She was a dancer, a glamorous personality, and a sex symbol. These qualities are such that they can carry her no further professionally." Perhaps he was right but Hayworth fans would vehemently disagree with him. Rita, herself, said, "Men fell in love with Gilda, but they wake up with me". Hit with Alzheimer's disease, diagnosed in 1980 after 20 years of symptoms, she died at age 68 on May 14, 1987, in New York City.