Rita Hayworth

Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino in New York City in 1918. Her parents were both professional dancers. She shortened her first name at the age of 12 when she joined her father's act, performing in clubs in Tijuana and Agua Caliente, Mexico. It was at one of these revues where she was spotted by a producer from the Fox Film Company, who signed her to a contract. Beginning in 1935, she appeared as Rita Cansino in a number of supporting roles in films including "Under the Pampas Moon" (1935) and "Dante's Inferno" (1935) starring Spencer Tracy. In 1937, she met and married talent manager Edward Judson who changed her eyebrows, her hairline, and her name. Rita Cansino became Rita Hayworth. She landed a seven-year contract with Columbia Pictures, performing in lower budget fare until director Howard Hawks cast her as an unfaithful wife in the Cary Grant film "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939). In the early 1940's, Hayworth vaulted into the world of Hollywood star and sex symbol. Starring opposite the likes of James Cagney, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly, Hayworth was unavoidable in hit movies like "Strawberry Blonde" (1941), "You'll Never Get Rich" (1941), and "Cover Girl" (1944). She graced the cover of Time magazine, and a 1944 photo from Life magazine became a pinup for American servicemen fighting in WWII all around the world. Her risqué 'striptease' (she removed her gloves) in the film "Gilda" (1946) ran afoul of censors and cemented her status as an object of desire. Hayworth's famous marriage to Orson Welles (her second marriage) ended when she filed for divorce while starring in his film "The Lady From Shanghai" (1949). Her third marriage was to Prince Aly Khan, making Hayworth the first Hollywood star to become a princess. She gave up Hollywood while married to Khan, but the marriage ended in divorce and Hayworth went back to the big screen. She married two more times and continued to be a mainstay in the tabloid press as she continued to star in films like "Fire Down Below" (1957), and "The Happy Thieves" (1961). Her last film appearance was "The Wrath of God" (1972). Nine years later, Hayworth's daughter became her legal guardian because, according to the courts, Hayworth was disabled due to chronic alcoholism. It was later found that she suffered from Alzheimer's Disease. Hayworth passed away in 1987.