Rita Hayworth's Shocking Transformation 

In 1976 when I was in high school, I had a Saturday job as the receptionist at a hair salon in Beverly Hills. A quiet, sweet blond lady of a certain age would come in each week with another woman who was her assistant. It took me a minute before I realized that she was Rita Hayworth. She would get her hair washed and blowdried and her makeup done. She sat blankly and silently in the chair each week, in her own world, but as her makeup was applied she seemed to focus her gaze and remember who she was. It was very eerie to watch her "become" Rita Hayworth looking in the mirror. Her assistant would chat with me and ask me to get Miss Hayworth a Coke each Saturday. After a few months, she asked me if I would like to be Miss Hayworth's driver. I said yes. I went to her house to pick her up and drive her to the Country Club for lunch. My instructions were not to exceed 15 miles per hour or else Miss Hayworth would get very agitated. She was silent in the car, both to lunch and back to her home. I found the whole situation too sad for words, so I told her assistant that I couldn't continue. May she RIP. Lovely lady.

That poor sweet woman deserved much better. 💔

I've always admired her phenomenal talent. Fred Astaire said privately that Rita was his favorite dance partner. She is also one of the greatest beauties to ever appear on the silver screen. How sad that in her final days, she slipped away mentally. Alzheimer's is a cruel disease. RIP Rita.

Such a beautiful and talented woman! It is criminal how these early actresses were treated. She deserved so much more. So sad.

I think the first time a lot of us ever heard of Alzheimer's was when it was announced Rita Hayworth was a victim. Kudos to her daughter for getting the word out and working so hard to find a cure. We owe a lot to Princess Yasmin.

Thar story of Rita Hayworth's life made this 81 year old man cry 😢

I can't stop crying. That poor beautiful woman. They say how fragile she was. I say how freaking strong.

She was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It is not unusual for Alzheimer’s patients to be angry and depressed. Her daughter took care of her until she died and then became very active in the Alzheimer’s organization.

A family friend had been a nursing student 1948-51. They had a round of training at a mental hospital. The doctor introduced them to a patient who had Alzheimer’s. He told the students that they would probably never meet another patient with Alzheimer’s again in their careers. She was shocked when it came out that Rita Hayworth was diagnosed with it.

Its very difficult if near impossible to break the cycle of being abused. Its an illness to keep choosing abusers. Sad story with such a beautiful person in the lead role. That her daughter stepped up for her and honour her mother through her work is commendable.

So tragic. One knows that parents can make or break a child, but this lady's life shows just how ghastly things can be.

Such a sad account of Rita Hayworth's life, Incredible beauty and talent does not in any way guarantee a happy life, In addition to many of her classic Hollywood movie appearances I caught an older Rita Hayworth TV appearance on the "Carol Burnett Show" in which she sang a little duet with Carol Burnett Rita was still lovely and soft spoken/ I believe she must have been a kind and sensitive soul. Unfortunately, I had heard of her father's cruelty and SA. It is unfair that Rita had to endure so much pain and was unable to achieve her goal of being loved by a good faithful man and a happy home life R.I.P. Ms. Hayworth

I recently found out my great grandfather did the same thing to my grandmother and i really think it caused my grandmother way more problems than anyone could understand.

She was so beautiful

She is my absolute favourite from the golden days of Hollywood. RIP ❤

So heartbreaking 💔.... pray she's at peace now 🙏

She was indeed such a beautiful lady with a wonderful soul. I agree, it's so sad she didn't get the happiness in life she finally got after death. I've always loved her & her work. Enjoyed watching her dance immensely. So graceful. Made it look so easy. I'm glad she won control of her children too. RIP sweet angel & thank you for sharing your talent. 🙏❤

So sorry to hear about the pain of her early life. But glad her daughter was there for her. She was very beautiful. People who've been abused in childhood end up attracting other abusers. RIP Rita🕊️

I can't listen to the pain, abuse, rape and horrendous life Rita Hayworth was subjected to by her father and revolting men during her lifetime, it's too sad for words. Xxx . Xx

How sad a life she had , if only she had met someone who loved & cherished her as she so desperately needed . Poor sweetheart ..

She was such a beautiful and talented woman, if only she had found a man who truly loved her to support and make her happy.

She looked like a kind good soul .Such a talent and she had it tough ❤

She had this g-d given talent to dance ,her beauty and shine was the icing on the cake,my favorite of all time.

My mother told me much of this story plus the kindness of Glen Ford

This a very good video presentation. One small matter is that Rita wasn’t made to dye her hair iniatially. She was actually had her hair died red for the Strawberry blonde after red haired Ann Sheridan turned the role down. It was immediately noticed that Rita looked even better as a redhead. Her red hair also allowed Rita to win the role of Dona Sol in Blood and Sand opposite Tyrone Power after Carole Landis had refused to dye her hair red. I don’t Rita ever disliked being a redhead and it had a positive effect on her career. You are a little generous to Orson Welles who neither a good husband to Rita or a good father to Rebecca. Having said that, it’s a well made video and well edited and a sympathetic study of a beautiful, talented woman who was used and abused for much of her life

Love this iconic lady, what she went through in her life was so horrible, she survived and overcome to become one of the most talented and beautiful actress of all all time. ❤ may she rest in peace lovely angel . ❤❤❤

Her red hair was the most gorgeous. Paired with those green dresses---just stunning. Tragic lady. 😞

Ever since Clara Bow, Hollywood has chewed up beautiful, talented women and spit them out. We learn of their addictions and other problems, but they don't mention why they needed to medicate themselves. They put up with a lot for fame and success. We only know the half of it. They were absolutely tormented. Many women are jealous of them, but if they only knew...the mire beautiful, the more talented, the more they drew abusive men. Rita didn't deserve that. Bless her soul. We're gifted with her body of work. But we didn't see her tears...😥

Excellent tribute to Rita , you deserve more views !!!!!!!!☺️🇬🇧

What a sad story. This spectacular woman was larger than life. RIP. Editing to add...Your presentation was excellent! 👊

Her sadness and horrible marriages were the direct result of her horrible father. An abusive parent *will* ruin your life.

What a beautiful woman.

She was very beautiful and talented. Fred Astaire did say she was her favorite dancer. Unfortunately, she was surrounded by the wrong people. RIP forever.🩷💥

My father said that Rita was the most beautiful woman ever born

Well done! Shining a light on a beautiful and talented woman..who knew so much darkness.

My heart breaks for her. She had enough pain in her life for ten women. I’ll never understand a father or mother doing their child that way. Such monster full of the Devil. Rest in Peace Rita. You deserve it so much. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💔💔💔

Rita was such a wonderful beautiful woman. Her father was an evil pervert who ruined her life. RIP dear Rita my favourite actress 😢 ❤

My stepfather physically beat, verbally berated, and sexually abused me for four years. When visiting between military deployments, my stepfather told me his abuse was my fault. Dear ole dad got a stark, very painful demonstration of the skills aquired during my military service. He never said anything remotely akin to what earned that memorable😅beat😂down, till he passed.

You never stop learning. What are the odds that I would randomly pick this video and thinking of someone with tha same first name and only to learn about a actress and a disease(dementia/ Alzheimer's.Something I work with every day. Awesome and thanks for my memory of thinking about someone from past 🤗 to the real Rita and 🙏..

Rita Hayworth was Hollywood Gold. Rhe most beautiful graceful dancer with. Charisma too die for. Gilda and Affair in Trinidad U could watch all day. I was lucky enough to buy them on DVD on line. Magnificent. Sadly missed.😢❤

So sad. It was said that VICTOR MATURE also wanted to marry her, but she chose ORSON WELLS. Is that true? As for EDWARD JUDSON, even though he was a jerk, his MAKEOVER of HER LOOKS probably greatly supported her rise to stardom. The hair color and hairline were genius moves. She went from pretty brunette to FIERY PHENOMENON.

The Lady from Shanghai is one of my favourite films of all time & Rita is one of my favourite female actors of all time. Just saying 😌

Heart-breaking, brought tears to my eyes. Such beauty and sadness and trauma. Breaks my heart. She looked absolutely stunning with the short platinum hair imho, akin to Marilyn, another of my favourite actresses ❤ you sweet girl. Why is it that those people who want nothing but love never get it! 😔

Rex Reid absolutely trashed her at the time ,no one realized she was in the throes of Altzheimers. How inhuman! She was BEAUTIFUL!

Her case reminds me about Marilyn Monroe 's. An abused childhood, marriying at an early age, painful physical features changes and a male dominating industry. Always seeking to be loved, needed and respected as a human being, woman and actress. So unfair... I like Rita' s performances, she was so natural, classy and a fascinating dancer. My favorite movies are Gilda, Blood and Sand and Cover Girl. R. I. P 🌹

Absolutely heartbreaking 😢

She is top 3 of top 5 female Hollywood that I am swooned.

Ms. Hayworth was the most stunning woman I have ever seen. She deserved the best the world had to offer. When one is as beautiful as Rita, the less enlightened look no further. Sadly that was very often the case with Rita Her strength of spirit allowed her to rise above and achieve stardom.

That's so sad how parents can do that to their children....they isolate them from others immediately and use other means of control so the "secret" doesn't get out. Children who grow up like this may be able to end up doing amazing things, but at the same time they know they are throw-aways. Someone stronger and more powerful will take advantage of them.

It strikes me as so sad that so many people such a actors, actresses singers and other musicians have such terribly sad lives but they give the people who employ them such as the studios and managers so much material gain often to the artists own financial and personal loss. And give so much pleasure by their work. It seem only fair that they should experience some happiness for themselves too. My mother loved Rita Hayworth I hope she is in a place where she is loved and at peace now.❤

Oh my goodness this broke my heart 💔 😢

Im loving your coverage of these womens lives, thanks 👏👏👏

What a sad and tragic story. Evil men abused and manipulated Rita her entire life. The poor thing deserved better, much better! 🇨🇦

What a heartbreaking story of such a beautiful woman, she certainly didn't deserve that awful life.

That was a fascinating presentation.

Of all the Hollywood actresses in the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s, I thought she was the most beautiful. I loved to watch her dance and her smile was radiant.

She was SO incredibly gorgeous, but the abuse she suffered really twisted her mind and psyche. Her father set a horrible pattern of choice of husband's

I am in tears listening to this,poor woman, did she not have any good friends who could have helped her??? It all stems from her vile evil father. I wish though that she could have stood up for herself more& be able to see through these rotten men. You were loved by your fans. RIP sweet lady ❤🙏

"Decent? Me?’’ - pure class.

My God A pure diamond

RIP Rita. You deserved better

That coat in Gilda ,to die for.

She was beautiful it was such a shame for her . Rip 🙏

an excellent presentation, thank you

Such a sad life of this beautiful, talented actress! After her father’s abuse, she didn’t have a chance!

Life can be so unfair to those who don't deserve the raw deal they get.

Rita was a survivor so sad was her childhood trauma is very difficult to overcome

What a sad story, 💔 she deserved a much better life than that, the story just goes to show that no one knows what goes on behind closed doors x

Very nice video, thanks for posting it.

Excellent video, thank you

What a fabulous interview! She looks great for sure 😊. The T. Swift part was the only "blah" part.

Rita is my favorite female star of the golden age of Hollywood. She was a stunning beauty with a touch of vulnerability that made her real. Fred Astaire said she was the best dancer with whom he ever danced. She was blessed with everything but was abused by every man who ever met her. I think I would have cut off my left ___ to be with her.

You make accurate and sensitive bios, I'm a new fan!

Nicely done, and very thorough. Thanks.

There is a special place in Hell for those who abuse children.

Such a thorough video, well done.

After what I read about her childhood abusers, I wouldn't have blamed her if she went completely mad.

Small Correction: Her wartime image was popular with military soldiers, not just officers.

Hearing of Hayworth's serial abuse is heartbreaking... Thanks to her father's abuse during her childhood, she was so vulnerable to narcissists, and their love bombing techniques. So bizarre that Orson Wells wooed her with gaslighting "Mind-reading" tricks. The men in her life from the her childhood on, were disgusting controlling abusers and traffickers. While her experience may seem extreme, the Hollywood culture of sexual exploitation of vulnerable young women is still rampant. Putting Weinstein in prison was a good start. More need to be outed and indicted.

What a shame such a beautiful soul had to suffer so much 🥰

So beautiful and talented with or without the red hair. I don’t watch many older films but I saw her in this one many years ago. I loved it! Also no matter who it is why can’t fathers leave their d daughters alone! It’s sick!

That poor lady. What a shame she never found a loving man to settle with . By god though , she was beautiful. RIP sweetheart

She was really beautiful!!! Of course, not everyone in her life was a monster. She made her choices and everyone has her/his Karma.

Rita gave an intriguing performance in 1970's "Road to Salina."

Fantastic insight.

Thank you for this one. Putting myself in Rita's shoes for a moment, all of the abuse and drama would be worth being famous. Sadly, it seems that she didn't have much choice. RIP RH

Also Shirley Temple had a very abusive childhood as well ...we see this cute little girl with head of curls but apparently behind the scenes that poor child was not being treated well very sad .what goes on

Poor woman, horrible men. Charlton Heston is such a class act. It's a shame she didn't marry him 😕

You are sold the Hollywood dream, and movie stars have a wonderful life when you are a kid, teenager, buying magazines and fan club memberships to eat up every bit about the stars you love. Nobody tells you about the dark side of fame until you are grown up. These starlets that became the faces of Hollywood, Crawford, Grable, Hepburn,Munro etc etc had lives full of tragedy, what they had to do to get the fame they wanted so much, how they were treated by the powerful men of Hollywood (still happening now with the Me too movement etc) it’s very sad. I don’t think there’s an old movie star out there that wasn’t touched by the power of these horrible men. Some of their lives could make more sorrowful movies than the movies they actually starred in.

Poor lady. Thank God for Yasmin

Alcohol can hasten the progress of dementia. Plus, I don't know how many other generations, but many people of her generation could throw that stuff back. What they drank on a daily basis would be called alcoholic in the 2020s. Add in tobacco and plenty of coffee to restrict that blood flow...

Though several areas have been destigmatized in past decades, it may be time to shine a bright light on the crucial importance of conscientious parenting. We've devalued family in western culture, starting in the 70s and it's easy to see the results. Children need to know they're valued by parents who commit to each other and their children. Rita's father was an extreme, but I think she was doomed from the gate because of him. A father's impact on his daughter is enormous and she deserved the opposite of him. It's just heartbreaking. No wonder she felt uncomfortable with decent men who could love. RIP, Rita. I hope she's happy and at peace.

I love Rita Hayworth. She was a very beautiful woman and I loved her in Cover Girl. Her dad deserves to rot in hell for what he did to her as a child. I also feel sad for the psychological damage he did to her that caused her to date all of those jerks. She deserved so much better in her life. I wish she had realized her worth. I know that I do.

And females now just don't get how awful it was for women back then and some still now. This is heartbreaking.

I absolutely loved her she didn’t deserve what she got

Absolutely Beautiful Actress

Hello from Texas 👋 this just breaks my heart. For anyone to be treated this way, makes me wanna hit something!!! It takes a very strong lady to survive what she was forced to endure. I'm thankful for Orson coming to her rescue like he did. On some level he must have seen the little girl searching for real love. I pray for any of her surviving family. I pray that if you need help, then let someone know!! God bless you and your family, in Jesus Name, Amen ❤💔💔💔✝️🙏😞😭

9:57 Thats Joan Fontaine not Rita! I have read a lot of books about her and its very sad her life. Very good video! Thanks! ❤

Beautiful woman

One of the most beautiful women of all time. Think I will hv a full body pillow case made with Rita on one side, and Ava Gardner on the other side.