Rita, the Mommy

As Mother's Day approaches, I decided to create a small tribute on the site to honor Rita, not the Hollywood glamour queen, but in a way I'm sure she would have loved to be remembered, as a mother.

Rita and Rebecca Rita and Rebecca

Two pictures of Rita with her first born, Rebecca Welles. Daughter of Rita and Orson, Rita became pregnant with her during pre-production of Tonight and Every Night. Rebecca was born following completion of the film, on December 17, 1944.

Rita with daughters Yasmin and Rebecca "I've always been rather amused when I'm described as a 'Love Goddess' because I've never especially felt like a Love Goddess. I feel like what I am, an actress and a mother." -Rita Hayworth. From quotes like this, being a mother seems to have been the most important role in Rita's life. She had two beautiful daughters and loved being a mommy. Rebecca said "She loved to be alone with us." Yasmin said "We had a close mother-daughter relationship filled with mutual respect and love." As best one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood could, Rita tried to give them a normal childhood. She said, "No matter what they do later, I want Rebecca and Yasmin to lead a normal childhood, which I never had because of working so early in life...I'm their mother, father, sister and pal..." Yasmin works for Alzheimer's research. I'm often asked if I know anything about what Rebecca's life these days. I'm a great fan of Rita's, not a friend of the family's, so I do not know. I do know she lives in Washington state, and I have heard she is a writer.

Rita and Yasmin Princess Yasmin

Rita and Yasmin. Daughter of Rita and Prince Aly Khan, Princess Yasmin was born December 28, 1949. In Rita's final years, when Alzheimer's Disease left her unable to care for herself, Yasmin moved Rita in with her, and cared for her until her death. Ever since, Yasmin has worked to promote understanding of the disease, and through charity funds and benefits, she raises money for research.

Rita and her mother, Volga Hayworth Cansino

I couldn't finish my Mother's Day page without dedicating a section to Volga, Rita's mother. Volga wanted to become a stage actress and ended up a chorus girl of the New York stage, where she met her future husband, Eduardo Cansino. When Rita was born in 1918, Volga gave up the stage and settled down to raise her growing family. By the end of Volga's life, she and Rita had become very close. Rita was devastated by Volga's untimely death in January of 1945. She was only in her 40's.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!
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