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Maria Montez
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Maria Montez
María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Móntez, was a Dominican actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films. Her screen image was that of a seductress, dressed in fanciful costumes and sparkling jewels. She became so identified with these adventure epics that she became known as The Queen of Technicolor. Over her career, Montez appeared in 26 films, 21 of which were made in North America, with the last five being made in Europe.
Montez was born María África Antonia de Santo Silas Gracia y Vidal in Barahona, Dominican Republic. Educated at the Sacred Heart Convent in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, she was the second of ten children (Isidoro Gracia Vidal, Aquilino Gracia Vidal) born to Isidoro Gracia y García, a Spaniard, from Garafía, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, and Regla María Teresa Vidal y Recio, a Dominican of Criollo descent, although it is unclear how many survived into adulthood.
Much of her back story was fictionally created by her publicity writers, who invented a story that her father was a well travelled diplomat who, at one time had been based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was to help explain her first marriage to a Northern Irish banker. In truth she was already married before travelling with her husband through France and England before briefly visiting his homeland in 1936. Indeed Belfast didn't have any foreign consulates in the 1930s.
"A finales de 1929, con 17 años, su padre la internó en un colegio de religiosas de Tenerife con la intención de que olvidara a un cincuentón del que se había enamorado. Pero en octubre de 1930, la actriz regresó a su tierra natal y reanudó sus relaciones con el banquero irlandés William G. MacFeeters, con el que terminaría casándose en 1932."
Montez learned English and was educated at a Catholic convent school in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
On 3 July 1939, Montez arrived in New York. Her first job, for $50, was for the cover of a magazine.
Montez was spotted by a film talent scout in New York.[citation needed] Her first film was Boss of Bullion City (1940), a Johnny Mack Brown western produced by Universal Pictures. This was the first film where she played a leading role and the only role where she speaks some Spanish.
Her next film role was in The Invisible Woman (1940). It was made for Universal Pictures, who signed her to a long-term contract starting at $150 a week.
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Maria Montez
María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Móntez, was a Dominican actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films. Her screen image was that of a seductress, dressed in fanciful costumes and sparkling jewels. She became so identified with these adventure epics that she became known as The Queen of Technicolor. Over her career, Montez appeared in 26 films, 21 of which were made in North America, with the last five being made in Europe.
Montez was born María África Antonia de Santo Silas Gracia y Vidal in Barahona, Dominican Republic. Educated at the Sacred Heart Convent in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, she was the second of ten children (Isidoro Gracia Vidal, Aquilino Gracia Vidal) born to Isidoro Gracia y García, a Spaniard, from Garafía, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain, and Regla María Teresa Vidal y Recio, a Dominican of Criollo descent, although it is unclear how many survived into adulthood.
Much of her back story was fictionally created by her publicity writers, who invented a story that her father was a well travelled diplomat who, at one time had been based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was to help explain her first marriage to a Northern Irish banker. In truth she was already married before travelling with her husband through France and England before briefly visiting his homeland in 1936. Indeed Belfast didn't have any foreign consulates in the 1930s.
"A finales de 1929, con 17 años, su padre la internó en un colegio de religiosas de Tenerife con la intención de que olvidara a un cincuentón del que se había enamorado. Pero en octubre de 1930, la actriz regresó a su tierra natal y reanudó sus relaciones con el banquero irlandés William G. MacFeeters, con el que terminaría casándose en 1932."
Montez learned English and was educated at a Catholic convent school in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
On 3 July 1939, Montez arrived in New York. Her first job, for $50, was for the cover of a magazine.
Montez was spotted by a film talent scout in New York.[citation needed] Her first film was Boss of Bullion City (1940), a Johnny Mack Brown western produced by Universal Pictures. This was the first film where she played a leading role and the only role where she speaks some Spanish.
Her next film role was in The Invisible Woman (1940). It was made for Universal Pictures, who signed her to a long-term contract starting at $150 a week.
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