Rita Hayworth

Born Margarita Carmen Cansino, Oct. 17, 1918, Brooklyn, NY. Died 1987. Hollywood's "Love Goddess" of the 40's and 50's, she oozed sexuality in '46's "Gilda" and many other films. At 13 she was dancing in Mexican night spots where she was eventually noticed by Fox production boss Winfield Sheehan. She made her screen debut in 1935, playing bits in a number of films under her real name, usually as a dancer. She was eventually transformed from a raven-haired exotic into an auburn-haired sophisticate. Her first promising role was the second female lead in Howard Hawk's "Only Angels Have Wings" in 1939. By the early 40's rapidly developed into a glamorous star. She was the undisputed erotic queen of Hollywood films and naturally the hottest property of Columbia studios.