As a Mexican aristocrat, Hollywood star Dolores del Rio displayed an intrinsic elegance. Born María de los Dolores Asúnsolo y López Negrete, the raven-haired youth had to fly the coop when her family lost everything during the Mexican Revolution. When she and her mother escaped, they masqueraded as peasants. This was the first acting stint for the legendary Latina. Boasting a career of more than 50 years, Ms. del Rio is considered an icon in Mexican cinema, one of the first big crossover stars, and a pioneer of the two-piece swimsuit! While appearing in silent films (Resurrection, Ramona, Evangeline, High Steppers) of the 1920s, the exotic ingénue was compared to Rudolph Valentino since both were Latin lovers. When talkies arrived in the new decade, Dolores showed off her singing and dancing assets. The ravishing actress continued to reveal her range in musical comedies (Flying Down to Rio, I Live for Love, In Caliente) and romantic melodramas (Devil’s Playground, Madame Du Barry, María Candelaria). Her performance in the drama Las Abandonadas (1944) paid off with Mexico’s Academy Award. Off camera, Dolores reportedly slept 16 hours a day as part of her beauty regimen, which must have worked since Marlene Dietrich called her “the most beautiful woman in Hollywood.” Judge for yourself in Bird of Paradise (1932). Set in the South Seas, the pre-Code flick features the be-thonged babe seemingly skinny-dipping with Joel McCrea. If that’s not hot enough, the hottie performs a Hawaiian dance. No wonder so many people wanted to lei her!
