Rita Hayworth was born Margarita Carmen Cansino, the daughter of Eduardo Cansino (Sr.) and Volga Haworth (sic) in Brooklyn, New York. She was trained as a dancer from childhood, and was on stage by the age of six as a member of The Cansinos, a famous family of Roma Gitano Spanish dancers working in vaudeville. At age sixteen Rita attracted the attention of film producers as part of "The Dancing Cansinos" and was signed by Fox Studios in 1935. After her option was not renewed by Fox, Rita freelanced at minor film studios before signing with Columbia Pictures in 1937.
Rita's metamorphosis began after a name change from Rita Cansino to Rita Hayworth and extensive painful electrolysis to raise her hairline. After two more years of minor roles she gave an impressive performance in Howard Hawks' Only Angels Have Wings (1939) as part of an ensemble cast headed by Cary Grant . Her sensitive portrayal of a disillusioned wife sparked the interest of other studios. Between assignments at Columbia Pictures she was borrowed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer for George Cukor's Susan and God (1940) with Joan Crawford and Warner Brothers for Raoul Walsh's The Strawberry Blonde (1941) with James Cagney.
While on loan to Fox Studios for Rouben Mamoulian's Blood and Sand (1941) starring Tyrone Power, Rita achieved stardom with her sizzling performance as the amoral and seductive Doña Sol des Muire. This Technicolor film forever branded her as one of Hollywood's most beautiful redheads. Ironically, Carole Landis was the original choice for the role but was replaced by Rita Hayworth prior to filming because she refused to dye her blonde hair red. Fox then borrowed Rita from Columbia and dyed her raven hair auburn which soon became Hayworth's best remembered feature. Her stardom was solidified when she made the cover of Time Magazine as Fred Astaire's new dancing partner in You'll Never Get Rich (1941).
The "love goddess" image was cemented with Bob Landry's 1941 Life magazine photograph of her (kneeling on a bed in a silk and lace nightgown), which caused a sensation and became (at over five million copies) one of the most requested wartime pinups. During World War II she ranked with Betty Grable, Dorothy Lamour, Hedy Lamarr, and Lana Turner as the pinup girls most popular with servicemen. Rita would also become Columbia's biggest star of the 1940s, under the watchful eye of studio chief Harry Cohn, who recognized her value. After she made Tales of Manhattan (1942) at Twentieth Century Fox opposite Charles Boyer, Cohn would not allow Hayworth to be loaned out to other studios.
Hayworth's well-known films include the musicals that made her famous: You'll Never Get Rich (1941) and You Were Never Lovelier (1942) (both with Fred Astaire, who wrote in his autobiography that Rita "danced with trained perfection and individuality"), My Gal Sal (1942) with Victor Mature, and her best known musical, Cover Girl (1944) with Gene Kelly. Although her singing voice was dubbed in her movies, Rita was one of Hollywood's best dancers, imbued with power, precision, tremendous enthusiasm, and an unearthly grace. Cohn continued to effectively showcase Hayworth's talents in Technicolor films: Tonight and Every Night (1945) with Lee Bowman, and Down to Earth (1947), with Larry Parks. Her erotic appeal was most notable in Gilda (1946), a black-and-white film noir directed by Charles Vidor, which encountered some difficulty with censors. This role — in which Hayworth in black satin performed a legendary one-glove striptease — made her into a cultural icon as the ultimate femme fatale. Alluding to her bombshell status, in 1946 her likeness was placed on the first nuclear bomb to be tested after World War II at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, as part of Operation Crossroads.
Hayworth performed one of her best remembered dance routines, the samba from 1945's Tonight and Every Night, while pregnant with her first child, Rebecca Welles. Hayworth was also the first dancer to partner both Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly on film - the others being Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse, Vera Ellen, and Leslie Caron.
Hayworth gave one of her most acclaimed performances in Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai (1948), though it failed at the box office. The failure was in part attributed to the fact that director/co-star Welles had Hayworth's famous red locks cut off and the rest dyed blonde for her role. This was done without Harry Cohn's knowledge or approval who was furious over the change. Her next film, The Loves of Carmen (1948) with Glenn Ford, was the first film co-produced by Columbia and Rita's own production company, The Beckworth Corporation (named for her daughter Rebecca). It was Columbia's biggest moneymaker for that year. She received a percentage of the profits from this and all of her subsequent films until 1955, when Hayworth dissolved Beckworth to pay off debts she owed to Columbia.
Rita left her film career in 1948 to marry Prince Aly Khan, the heir to the Aga Khan III, leader of Shia Ismaili Muslims. The couple moved to Europe, causing a media frenzy. Joseph L. Mankiewicz, in writing and directing 1954's The Barefoot Contessa, was said to have based his title character, Maria Vargas (played on film by Ava Gardner), on Hayworth's life and her marriage to Khan.
After the marriage collapsed in 1951, Hayworth returned to America with great fanfare to film a string of hit films: Affair in Trinidad (1952) with favorite costar Glenn Ford, Salome (1953) with Charles Laughton and Stewart Granger, and Miss Sadie Thompson (1953) with Jose Ferrer and Aldo Ray, for which her performance won critical acclaim. Then she was off the big screen for another four years, due mainly to a tumultuous marriage to singer Dick Haymes. In 1957, after making Fire Down Below with Robert Mitchum and Jack Lemmon, and her last musical Pal Joey with Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak, Rita finally left Columbia. She got good reviews for her acting in such films as Separate Tables (1958) with Burt Lancaster and The Story on Page One (1960) with Anthony Franciosa, and continued working throughout the 1960s. Hayworth made her last film, The Wrath of God , in 1972.
After about 1960, Hayworth suffered from extremely early onset of Alzheimer's disease, which was not diagnosed until 1980. She continued to act in films until the early-1970s and made a well-publicized appearance on The Carol Burnett Show near the end of her career. In 1977, Hayworth was the recipient of the National Screen Heritage Award (see above photo). Lynda Carter starred in a 1983 biopic of her life. She lived in an apartment at the San Remo in New York City.
Following her death from Alzheimer's in 1987 at age 68, she was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California; location: Grotto, Lot 196, Grave 6 (right of main sidewalk, near the curb). Her marker includes the inscription ""To yesterday's companionship and tomorrow's reunion."
One of the major fundraisers for the Alzheimer's Association is the annual Rita Hayworth Gala, which is held in New York City and Chicago. Hayworth’s daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, has been the hostess for these events, which since 1985 have raised more than $42 million for the Association.
Bewitched
Rita Hayworth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But a fool can have her charms
I'm in love and don't I show it
Like a babe in arms
Love's the same old situation
Lately I've not slept a wink
Since this crazy situation
I'm wild again, beguiled again
A whimpering, simpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
Love came and told me, shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I
I lost my heart, but what of it
She is cold I agree
She might laugh, but I love it
Although the laugh's on me
I'll sing to her, bring spring to her
And long, for the day when I'll cling to her
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I
The lyrics to "Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered" by Rita Hayworth reflect the emotional state of someone who has fallen deeply in love with someone who may not reciprocate their feelings. The singer acknowledges that the person they love may not necessarily be the best for them, but they cannot help being drawn to them nevertheless. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who is willing to endure any pain in order to be with the object of their affection.
The repetition of the phrase "Bewitched, bothered and bewildered" highlights the singer's emotional turmoil and confusion. They acknowledge the irrationality of their feelings, but are powerless to resist them. The lyrics also reflect the singer's determination to win over their love interest, even if it means enduring rejection or ridicule. However, despite the challenges they face, the singer remains hopeful, singing about their desire to bring happiness and joy to the object of their affection.
Overall, the lyrics to "Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered" capture the complexity of love and the emotions that come with it. They showcase the joy and pain that love can bring, and the determination and hope that it inspires in people.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a fool and don't I know it
I am aware that she is not very intelligent, but she still manages to captivate me with her personality and appearance.
But a fool can have her charms
Despite her lack of intelligence, there is something alluring about her that I cannot resist.
I'm in love and don't I show it
My feelings for her are evident and apparent to others.
Like a babe in arms
My love for her is pure and innocent, like that of a child.
Love's the same old situation
This experience of falling in love is a familiar one that occurs again and again.
Lately I've not slept a wink
I am so consumed by my feelings for her that I am unable to sleep.
Since this crazy situation
My infatuation with her is causing me to feel disoriented and confused.
Has me on the blink
My emotions are causing me to malfunction, like a broken machine.
I'm wild again, beguiled again
My heart is racing and I am under her spell once more.
A whimpering, simpering child again
My love for her has reduced me to a weak and helpless state.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I
I am under her spell, feeling confused and uncertain about my emotions.
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
My mind is so consumed by thoughts of her that I cannot bring myself to rest.
Love came and told me, shouldn't sleep
My love for her is so strong that it prevents me from getting the rest I need.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I
Her hold on me is so strong that I am feeling disoriented and unsure of myself.
I lost my heart, but what of it
I gave my heart to her completely, but now I am unsure of what to do with myself.
She is cold I agree
She is not reciprocating my feelings, yet I acknowledge and accept this fact.
She might laugh, but I love it
Even if she were to mock me or my affections, I still love her.
Although the laugh's on me
I am the one who is left vulnerable and exposed, while she remains in control of the situation.
I'll sing to her, bring spring to her
In an attempt to win her affection, I will serenade her and bring her happiness.
And long, for the day when I'll cling to her
I am yearning for the moment when I can hold her close and be with her forever.
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I
My emotions are in turmoil, leaving me feeling helpless and uncertain about my future with her.
Lyrics © DistroKid, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertgold3868
She was dubbed by ghost singer Jo Ann Greer, but Rita's expressions and body language helped to sell the song. This vocal ghost was so close to Rita's voice; it was a terrific match-up. According to Wikipedia, Greer sang for Hayworth in Affair in Trinidad, Miss Sadie Thompson, and Pal Joey. When the latter two soundtrack albums were released by Mercury Records and Capitol Records respectively, however, Greer's name was not even listed, in order to preserve the illusion that it was Hayworth who sang. Greer and Hayworth enjoyed a good working relationship on all three of the films they did together. Hayworth would attend Greer's recording sessions and dance barefoot for her in front of the microphone, so that Greer could follow her breathing and movements as she sang.
@harlankrissoff9966
Did Marnie Nixon ever album covers credit for all the movies she dubbed like My Fair Lady? Voice over artists had a very sad career when no one knows your're there. JUST IMHO
@clairethemixtape8771
I love watching Rita's performances, but after knowing how life and the people around have been so cruel to her, watching her now, though still beautiful, brings me grief. If she is granted a second life, I hope she has or had a good and kinder one.
@WhirledPublishing
Marilyn Monroe was also treated horribly - and so was Princess Diana - and billions of other women.
@Bonnietron
"the only good man is a blind one"
@miamann9229
Oh no! I love this scene I thought Rita sang this song?!