Maria Africa Gracia Vidal, known professionally as Maria Montez, was a Dominican motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films.
37 Facts About Maria Montez
2.
Maria Montez became so identified with these adventure epics that she became known as The Queen of Technicolor.
3.
Over her career, Montez appeared in 26 films, 21 of which were made in North America, with the last five being made in Europe.
4.
Maria Montez learned English and was educated at a Catholic convent school in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
5.
Maria Montez was spotted by a film talent scout in New York.
6.
Maria Montez had small decorative roles in two films with the comedy team of Richard Arlen and Andy Devine, Lucky Devils and Raiders of the Desert; the Los Angeles Times said she "was attractive as the oasis charmer" in the latter.
7.
Maria Montez appeared in Moonlight in Hawaii and Bombay Clipper.
8.
Maria Montez had a small part in That Night in Rio, made at 20th Century Fox.
9.
Maria Montez leaned on the vampish tradition set up by Nazimova and Theda Bara.
10.
Maria Montez's name became synonymous with exotic enchantresses in sheer harem pantaloons.
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Maria Montez graduated to leading parts with South of Tahiti, co-starring Brian Donlevy.
12.
Maria Montez replaced Peggy Moran in the title role of The Mystery of Marie Roget.
13.
Maria Montez claimed in 1942 she was making $250 a week.
14.
Maria Montez wanted to portray Cleopatra, but instead Universal reunited her with Hall and Sabu in White Savage.
15.
In 1943 Maria Montez was awarded two medals from the Dominican government for her efforts in promoting friendly relations between the US and her native land.
16.
Maria Montez did appear in Follow the Boys, Universal's all-star musical, and Bowery to Broadway.
17.
Maria Montez said she was "tired of being a fairy tale princess all the time" and wanted to learn to act.
18.
Maria Montez fought with Universal for different, more varied parts.
19.
Maria Montez was suspended for refusing the lead in Frontier Gal; her role was taken by Yvonne De Carlo, who had become a similar sort of star like Maria Montez and began to supplant the latter's position at the studio.
20.
In 1946 Maria Montez visited France with Aumont and both became excited about the prospect of making films there.
21.
Maria Montez sued Universal for $250,000 over the billing issue; the matter was settled out of court.
22.
In February 1948 Universal reported Maria Montez has earned $78,375 that year.
23.
Maria Montez was announced for Queen of Hearts, this time not the Elizabeth of Austria project but an adaptation of a European play by Louis Verneuil, Cousin from Warsaw.
24.
Maria Montez endorsed Max Factor Cosmetics, Jergens Lotion, Deltah Pearls, Lux Soap, and Woodbury Powder.
25.
Aumont had begun writing plays and Maria Montez appeared in the one-woman production, L'lle Heureuse ; reviews were poor, however.
26.
In September 1949 it was announced Maria Montez would make The Queen of Sheba with Michael Redgrave for director Francois Villiers; the film was not made, however.
27.
Maria Montez appeared in an Italian swashbuckler, The Thief of Venice, with a Hollywood director, John Brahm.
28.
Maria Montez wrote three books, two of which were published, as well as penning a number of poems.
29.
Aumont had to leave a few days after wedding Maria Montez to serve in the Free French Forces which were fighting against Nazi Germany in the European Theatre of World War II.
30.
The 39-year-old Maria Montez died in Suresnes, France, on 7 September 1951 after apparently suffering a heart attack and drowning while taking a hot bath.
31.
Maria Montez was buried in the Cimetiere du Montparnasse in Paris.
32.
Maria Montez left the bulk of her $200,000 estate to her husband and their five-year-old daughter.
33.
Shortly after her death, a street in the city of Barahona, Maria Montez's birthplace, was named in her honor.
34.
In 1995, Maria Montez was awarded the International Posthumous Cassandra, which was received by her daughter, Tina Aumont.
35.
Maria Montez wrote an aesthetic manifesto titled "The Perfect Filmic Appositeness of Maria Montez", and made elaborate homages to her films in his own, including his notorious Flaming Creatures.
36.
Maria Montez is a key character in Gore Vidal's 1974 novel Myron, his sequel to Myra Breckenridge.
37.
Maria Montez is mentioned by name in The Boys in the Band, both the play and the film.