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IMDbPro

Rita Hayworth(1918-1987)

  • Actress
  • Producer
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,0001827
Rita Hayworth
Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency.
Play trailer2:11
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
17 Videos
99+ Photos
Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York, into a family of dancers. Her father, Eduardo Cansino Reina, was a dancer as was his father before him. He emigrated from Spain in 1913. Rita's American mother, Volga Margaret (Hayworth), who was of mostly Irish descent, 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). It was her first film appearance, albeit an uncredited one. Sotted by Fox studio head Winfield R. Sheehan, she signed her first studio contract, and make her film debut at age sixteen, in Dante's Inferno (1935), followed by Cruz Diablo (1934). She continued to play small bit parts in several films under the name of "Rita Cansino". 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 changed her surname to Hayworth and approved raising her hairline by electrolysis. She played the second female lead, Judy McPherson, in Only Angels Have Wings (1939). After thirteen minor roles, Columbia lent her to Warner Bros. for her first big success, The Strawberry Blonde (1941); her splendid dancing with Fred Astaire in You'll Never Get Rich (1941) made her a star. 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), filmed in Technicolor.

Rita was probably the second most popular actress after Betty Grable. In You'll Never Get Rich (1941) with Fred Astaire, 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) (her dancing had made the film and it had made her), 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) and Champagne Safari (1954). Then after Salome (1953), she was not seen again until Pal Joey (1957). Part of the reasons for the downward spiral was television, but also Rita had been replaced by a new star at Columbia, Kim Novak.

Rita, herself, said, "Men fell in love with Gilda, but they wake up with me". 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) 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. Her films after her divorce from Khan include perhaps her best straight acting performances, Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) and They Came to Cordura (1959).

After a few, rather forgettable films in the 1960s, her career was essentially over. Her final film was The Wrath of God (1972). Her career was really never the same after Gilda (1946). Perhaps Gene Ringgold 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.

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. With 20 years of symptoms, Rita was cared for by her daughter, Yasmin Khan, until Rita's death at age 68 on May 14, 1987, in New York City.
BornOctober 17, 1918
DiedMay 14, 1987(68)
BornOctober 17, 1918
DiedMay 14, 1987(68)
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,0001827
  • Awards
    • 5 wins & 2 nominations

Photos1077

Rita Hayworth and Dan Rowan in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
Rita Hayworth in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
Rita Hayworth and Dennis Allen in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth and Charles Vidor
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth and Charles Vidor

Known for:

Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1946)
Gilda
7.6
  • Gilda
  • 1946
Rita Hayworth in The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
The Lady from Shanghai
7.5
  • Elsa Bannister
  • 1947
Rita Hayworth, Victor Mature, and Carole Landis in My Gal Sal (1942)
My Gal Sal
6.2
  • Sally Elliott
  • 1942
Rita Hayworth in Cover Girl (1944)
Cover Girl
6.7
  • Rusty Parker
  • Maribelle Hicks
  • 1944

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress

  • The Wrath of God (1972)
    The Wrath of God
    • Señora De La Plata
    • 1972
  • Dan Rowan and Dick Martin (aka Rowan & Martin) 1975
    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
    • Guest Performer
    • TV Series
    • 1971
  • The Road to Salina (1970)
    The Road to Salina
    • Mara
    • 1970
  • The Naked Zoo (1970)
    The Naked Zoo
    • Helen Golden
    • 1970
  • I bastardi (1968)
    I bastardi
    • Martha Williams
    • 1968
  • The Rover (1967)
    The Rover
    • Aunt Caterina
    • 1967
  • Rita Hayworth, Marcello Mastroianni, Senta Berger, Stephen Boyd, Yul Brynner, Angie Dickinson, Omar Sharif, Trevor Howard, Hugh Griffith, Jack Hawkins, E.G. Marshall, Anthony Quayle, Gilbert Roland, Harold Sakata, Barry Sullivan, and Eli Wallach in The Poppy Is Also a Flower (1966)
    The Poppy Is Also a Flower
    • Monique Marko
    • TV Movie
    • 1966
  • Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, and Elke Sommer in The Money Trap (1965)
    The Money Trap
    • Rosalie Kenny
    • 1965
  • Rita Hayworth, John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale, and John Smith in Circus World (1964)
    Circus World
    • Lili Alfredo
    • 1964
  • The Happy Thieves (1961)
    The Happy Thieves
    • Eve Lewis
    • 1961
  • Rita Hayworth, Anthony Franciosa, and Gig Young in The Story on Page One (1959)
    The Story on Page One
    • Josephine Brown
    • Jo Morris
    • 1959
  • Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Richard Conte, Tab Hunter, Michael Callan, and Dick York in They Came to Cordura (1959)
    They Came to Cordura
    • Adelaide Geary
    • 1959
  • Separate Tables (1958)
    Separate Tables
    • Ann Shankland
    • 1958
  • Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, and Kim Novak in Pal Joey (1957)
    Pal Joey
    • Mrs. Vera Prentice-Simpson
    • 1957
  • Fire Down Below (1957)
    Fire Down Below
    • Irena
    • 1957

Producer

  • The Happy Thieves (1961)
    The Happy Thieves
    • executive producer (uncredited)
    • 1961
  • Salome (1953)
    Salome
    • producer (uncredited)
    • 1953
  • Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford in Affair in Trinidad (1952)
    Affair in Trinidad
    • producer (uncredited)
    • 1952
  • Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford in The Loves of Carmen (1948)
    The Loves of Carmen
    • executive producer (uncredited)
    • 1948

Soundtrack

  • Minnie Driver, Anna Paquin, Sophie Okonedo, Kit Harington, and Dominique Fishback in Modern Love (2019)
    Modern Love
    • performer: "Put The Blame on Mame"
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Dome Project
    • performer: "Put The Blame On Mame"
    • Video
    • 2010
  • Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me (2009)
    Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me
    • performer: "I'm Old Fashioned"
    • TV Movie
    • 2009
  • Michael Jackson in This Is It (2009)
    This Is It
    • performer: "Put The Blame On Mame"
    • 2009
  • Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing (2009)
    Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
    • performer: "Make Way for Tomorrow" (uncredited)
    • Video
    • 2009
  • American Masters (1985)
    American Masters
    • performer: "Put the Blame on Mame" (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1999
  • Marika Lagercrantz, Per Oscarsson, and Philip Zandén in Drömmen om Rita (1993)
    Drömmen om Rita
    • performer: "Amado Mio (Please Turn Over)"
    • 1993
  • Geena Davis, Dustin Hoffman, and Andy Garcia in Hero (1992)
    Hero
    • performer: "Put the Blame On Mame" (uncredited)
    • 1992
  • Betty Grable in Fred Astaire Salutes the Fox Musicals (1974)
    Fred Astaire Salutes the Fox Musicals
    • performer: "On the Gay White Way"
    • TV Movie
    • 1974
  • Dan Rowan and Dick Martin (aka Rowan & Martin) 1975
    Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
    • performer: "As Long as You Do It, Do It With Taste" (uncredited)
    • TV Series
    • 1971
  • Merv Griffin in The Merv Griffin Show (1962)
    The Merv Griffin Show
    • performer: "I'm Old-Fashioned"
    • TV Series
    • 1971
  • Carol Burnett in The Carol Burnett Show (1967)
    The Carol Burnett Show
    • performer: "Mutual Admiration Society"
    • TV Series
    • 1971
  • The Love Goddesses (1965)
    The Love Goddesses
    • performer: "Put the Blame on Mame"
    • 1965
  • Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, and Kim Novak in Pal Joey (1957)
    Pal Joey
    • performer: "Zip", "What Do I Care For a Dame", "Bewitched" (uncredited)
    • 1957
  • Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)
    Miss Sadie Thompson
    • performer: "Hear No Evil, See No Evil (Speak No Evil)", "The Heat Is On!", "Sadie Thompson's Song (The Blue Pacific Blues)" (uncredited)
    • 1953

Videos17

Trailer
Trailer 3:45
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:41
Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:07
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:34
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 3:08
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:53
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:11
Official Trailer
You'll Never Get Rich
Trailer 2:07
You'll Never Get Rich
Salome
Trailer 3:07
Salome
Miss Sadie Thompson
Trailer 3:00
Miss Sadie Thompson
You Were Never Lovelier
Trailer 2:05
You Were Never Lovelier
Cover Girl
Trailer 2:07
Cover Girl

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative names
    • Rita Cansino
  • Height
    • 5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
  • Born
    • October 17, 1918
    • Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
  • Died
    • May 14, 1987
    • New York City, New York, USA(Alzheimer's disease)
  • Spouses
      James HillFebruary 2, 1958 - September 7, 1961 (divorced)
  • Children
      Rebecca Welles
  • Parents
      Volga Margaret Hayworth
  • Relatives
      Vernon Cansino(Sibling)
  • Other works
    More FBI celebrity crime files.
  • Publicity listings
    • 4 Biographical Movies
    • 17 Print Biographies
    • 2 Portrayals
    • 1 Interview
    • 198 Articles
    • 27 Pictorials
    • 826 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    On May 27, 1949, she married Prince Aly Khan. Many people forget that Rita, not Grace Kelly, was the first movie star to become a princess.
  • Quotes
    [To writer Virginia Van Upp] Every man I have ever known has fallen in love with Gilda and awakened with me.
  • Trademark
      Seductive deep voice
  • Nickname
    • The Love Goddess
  • Salaries
      The Naked Zoo
      (1970)
      50,000

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