American actress and dancer, one of the top film stars and pin-ups of the 1940s, defined by the title role in "Gilda".
Background
Born Margarita Carmen Cansino in Brooklyn, New York, to a Spanish dancing father and Ziegfeld Follies showgirl mother, she performed with her family troupe across Tijuana and Mexico City before being signed by Fox at 16.
Career
After several years in B-pictures, Howard Hawks’ “Only Angels Have Wings” (1939) led to leading-lady status at Columbia Pictures. “Gilda” (1946) made her an international icon; she also starred opposite Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in musicals.
Style
Hayworth’s redesign as a redhead, electrolysis to raise her hairline, and dancing skill all came from her Columbia transformation. She was the first American actress to marry an Eastern royal — Prince Aly Khan — and gave the last extended interview of her life in 1972.
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