The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1944-06-29


no one was more
surprised than lit
tie Marguerite Rita HaywOrth
Carmen Cansino
herself. Despite the Shakespearean
forebears on her mothers side OF
this half Latin from Manhattan, OF
her ancestor, Joseph HawOrth, who
trouped with Edwin Booth, Rita had
never made serious pretensions to
being a dramatic actress.
Shouting Her Metal
Rita's new picture, Tonight and
Every Night" with its setting
London theater that never misses a
show throughout the great blitz OF
1941, is a vehicle highly surcharged
with drama, along with the tradl-
tional gayety of show folks and the
romantic speedup that is phase of
the war. And that, my friends, will
call for real trouping.
Rita's marriage with OrsOn Welles
did something for her, even if it was
only being cut in halves by him
during his magic show. Orson is
like a whirling dervish-never still
and always thinking about some new
angle either of politics or show bust
ness.
But I really believe it was more
Gene Kelly's influence than Orson's
when it came to her acting in
"Cover Girl" 1t was Genes big
chance, and he worked like gal
ley slave morning, noon and night.
Not only with his own part but with
every other part in the picture. Such
unselfshness and diligence is bound
to have its reward.
Family Background
Mamma Cansino (nee Haworth)
wanted Rita to be an actress, of
course. Papa Cansino wanted her
to grow up to be dancer.
So now both parents are happy.
Rita was born in New York, Octo
Der II, 1918. Her father was born in
Seville, Spain; her mother in Wash
ington, D. C. Rita's two brothers,
Eduardo Jr. and Vernon, are both
in the army.
She started dancing with her
father at the age of four, made her
professional debut with him at six.
She was quickly retired, however,
because the Cansino act was so agile
and robust they were afraid little
Marguerite might get in the way
and get hurt.
On Her Way
At IA Rita really joined the Dane
ing Cansinos. Two years later she
was dancing with her father in
Hollywood movie road shows. This
led to a two years engagement at
Aqua Caliente Casino, outside Tia
Juana.
During that time she committed
to Hollywood to do a dancing turn
in t'Dante's Inferno" The picture
failed, but not Rita.
Her real chance was with War
ner Baxter in "Under the Pampas
Moon" and her first good part was
with the late Warner GLAND in
"Charlie Chan in Egypt"
Not long after that she moved to
Columbia and adopted her mothers
family name, plus ''y'' to simplify
its pronunciation.
sCoUer Girl Did 1t
Her fan following dates from a
small role with Cary Grant and
Jean Arthur in ''Only Angels Have
Wings" Soon after that Ann Sheri-
dan refused to do strawberry
Blonde" with James Cagney and
Olivia De Havilland. Rita stepped
in, and her stock flew up. After that
it was the Spanish charmer in
sBlood and Sand" Then co-star-
ring role with Fred Astaire in
"You'h Never Get Rich" Follow
ing that, my Gal Sal' and re-
peat with Astaire in "You Were
Never Lovelier."
But it remained for "Cover Girl, y
with its sincere tale of a hoofer from
Brooklyn, to really put her on top
And now it's time out until another
"Cover Grip or a little ''Man from
Mars" makes its appearance, anc
maybe later on-history.