Rita Hayworth ~ 91st anniversary of actress' birthday

October 17, 1:55 AMActing ExaminerDeborah Smith Ford

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Acting Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Rita Hayworth                                          (Photo/wiki)

Rita Hayworth was a film actress and dancer who attained fame during the 1940s not only as one of the era's top stars, but also as the era's greatest sex symbol, most notably in Gilda (1946).

Hayworth appeared in 61 films over 37 years and is listed as one of the American Film Institute's Greatest Stars of All Time. 

Born October 17, 1918, this would have been Hayworth's 91st birthday, she died at age 68 on May 14, 1987.

Her stardom was confirmed when she made the cover of Time magazine as Fred Astaire's new dancing partner in You'll Never Get Rich (1941).

Hayworth was hand-picked by Astaire to dance with him. Hayworth had said:

He (Astaire) came to Columbia to make a picture and told Harry Cohn he needed a dancer to be his partner. Cohn said, 'We don't have one.' Astaire said, 'Yes you do. Eduardo Cansino's daughter. I know her father's work, and, if she's danced with him, she must be all right.'"

In 1942 Columbia studio chief Harry Cohn loaned Hayworth out to Fox for two successful pictures: Tales of Manhattan (1942) with Charles Boyer, and the Technicolor My Gal Sal with Victor Mature. Realizing Hayworth's star value, he never loaned her out to another studio again while she remained under contract to Columbia.

Hayworth co-starred with Astaire in You Were Never Lovelier (1942). Although Astaire was more than pleased with Hayworth's dancing and considered her an excellent partner.

Movies were much better in the days when I was doing them."

Although her singing voice was dubbed in her films, Hayworth's expertise dancing abilities set her apart from the other top musical stars of the day, as she was equally adept in ballet, tap, ballroom, and Spanish routines. Hayworth was the first dancer to partner with both Astaire and Kelly on film — the others being Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse, Vera-Ellen, and Leslie Caron.

Hayworth left Columbia after making Fire Down Below (1957) with Robert Mitchum and Jack Lemmon, and her last musical Pal Joey (1957) with Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak. She received good reviews for her acting in such films as Separate Tables (1958) with Burt Lancaster and David Niven, and The Story on Page One (1960) with Anthony Franciosa, and continued working throughout the 1960s.

Hayworth continued to act in films until the early 1970s and made a well-publicized 1971 television appearance on The Carol Burnett Show. Her last film was The Wrath of God (1972).