caption resting_place death_date death_place years_active birth_place relatives name parents birth_date signature image article_title birth_name occupation death_cause
rita 1947 -rrb- hayworth in '' down to earth '' -lrb- holy u.s. cross cemetery , culver city , california , 14 may 1987 manhattan , new york , u.s. 1931 -- 1972 brooklyn , new york , u.s. eduardo -lrb- nephew -rrb- cansino , jr. -lrb- brother -rrb- richard cansino rita hayworth eduardo cansino , sr. volga hayworth 17 october 1918 rita hayworth signature.svg rita hayworth-publicity . jpg rita hayworth
 margarita carmen cansino actress , dancer alzheimer 's disease
rita hayworth

rita hayworth -lrb- born margarita carmen cansino ; october 17 , 1918may 14 , 1987 -rrb- was an american actress and dancer .
she achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era 's top stars , appearing in a total of 61 films over 37 years .
the press coined the term `` love goddess '' to describe hayworth after she had become the most glamorous screen idol of the 1940s .
she was the top pin-up girl for gis during world war ii .
hayworth is perhaps best known for her performance in the 1946 film noir , `` gilda '' , opposite glenn ford , in which she played the `` femme fatale '' in her first major dramatic role .
fred astaire , with whom she made two films , called her his favorite dance partner .
her greatest success was in the technicolor musical `` cover girl '' -lrb- 1944 -rrb- , with gene kelly .
she is listed as one of the top 25 female motion picture stars of all time in the american film institute 's survey , afi 's 100 years ... 100 stars .
in 1980 hayworth was diagnosed with alzheimer 's disease , which contributed to her death at age 68 .
the public disclosure and discussion of her illness drew international attention to alzheimer 's , then a little-known disease , and helped to greatly increase public and private funding for alzheimer 's research .
