Rita Hayworth

American actress (1918–1987)

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Lived 1918–1987, aged 69United States

United States ActorsActor

Wikipedia
95 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1918–1987
Aged 69
Known for
Gilda
1946

Summary

Updated 2026-08-31

She was "The Love Goddess" — the second most-requested pin-up of World War II, the woman in the black satin glove in Gilda, Fred Astaire's favorite partner. The 1940s belonged to her face.

Biography

About

Born Margarita Carmen Cansino on October 17, 1918, she danced her way into Hollywood and became one of the Golden Age's top stars across 61 films over 38 years. The breakthrough came with Gilda in 1946, a film noir opposite Glenn Ford where she played the femme fatale and cemented the image the press had already named. She moved through Only Angels Have Wings, Blood and Sand, two musicals with Astaire — You'll Never Get Rich and You Were Never Lovelier — and Cover Girl with Gene Kelly, then later Pal Joey and Separate Tables. In 1980 she was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. She…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Rita Hayworth

Rita Hayworth

said1977

Men fell in love with Gilda, but they wake up with me.

— As quoted in Rita Hayworth : Portrait of a Love Goddess (1977) by John Kobal

Rita Hayworth

said25 Oct 1970

Just because I was married to Aly Khan, people think I'm rich. Well, I'm not. I never got a dime from Aly or from any of my husbands.

— As quoted in New York Times (October 25, 1970)

Rita Hayworth

said25 Oct 1970

Dancing in Tijuana when I was 13 — that was my "summer camp." How else do you think I could keep up with Fred Astaire when I was 19?

— As quoted in New York Times (25 October 1970)

Rita Hayworth

said16 Oct 1969

Nobody makes up my mind for me. They used to at Columbia.

— As quoted in "Rita Remains Striking, Trim, Busy" in The Palm Beach Post (October 16, 1969)

Rita Hayworth

said16 Oct 1969

Everybody else does nude scenes, but I don't. I never made nude movies. I didn't have to do that. I danced. … I was provocative, I guess in some things.

— As quoted in "Rita Remains Striking, Trim, Busy" in The Palm Beach Post (October 16, 1969)]

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