Movie Hair – Screen Legends
2/9/1909 to 8/5/1955
Carmen was a young hatmaker before she was invited to display her singing talents at a music academy. That attempt proved successful and she went on to become a popular singer in clubs and on radio in Brazil. It was during this time that she developed the costume with the distinctive fruit hat from the traditional headdress seen on black women fruit sellers. In the mid-thirties, a theatrical producer named Lee Shubert saw her act in Brazil and offered her a spot on his new Broadway show. Knowing the need for a real Brazilian band to keep the appropriate music true, she insisted that her backup band be included in the deal. With the help of the Brazilian government who saw the good national image opportunity in Carmen, her demand was met. She proved to be a hit on Broadway, though her image was that of a foreign bimbo because she didn’t know English. She later made films, but by then much of Brazil thought she became too "Americanized". When the US entered World War II, South America became the subject of American diplomatic attention, because it was an alternative source for raw materials that previously came from Europe. Carmen was the showpiece of Hollywood's contribution to this attitude of trans-Continental friendliness. Unfortunately, in doing so, Carmen became trapped in the image of the fruit dancer that every producer insisted on having. Even her attempt at a break-out role in Copacanba had to have her doing the same dance act for part of the film. It proved to be a disaster in many ways since it failed and she married the producer of the film, David Sebastian. The marriage was not a happy one, but Carmen was a good Catholic and never considered a divorce. Instead she kept up a grueling schedule of shows, taking uppers and downers to remain functional, even when they began to damage her health. Eventually she collapsed and her doctor ordered her to go back to Brazil. She recovered and returned to America to resume the grind until she died of a heart attack hours after her final appearance on the Jimmy Durante Show.
 See More Styles  |
Carmen Miranda
2/9/1909 to 8/5/1955
Carmen was a young hatmaker before she was invited to display her singing talents at a music academy. That attempt proved successful and she went on to become a popular singer in clubs and on radio in Brazil. It was during this time that she developed the costume with the distinctive fruit hat from the traditional headdress seen on black women fruit sellers. In the mid-thirties, a theatrical producer named Lee Shubert saw her act in Brazil and offered her a spot on his new Broadway show. Knowing the need for a real Brazilian band to keep the appropriate music true, she insisted that her backup band be included in the deal. With the help of the Brazilian government who saw the good national image opportunity in Carmen, her demand was met. She proved to be a hit on Broadway, though her image was that of a foreign bimbo because she didn’t know English. She later made films, but by then much of Brazil thought she became too "Americanized". When the US entered World War II, South America became the subject of American diplomatic attention, because it was an alternative source for raw materials that previously came from Europe. Carmen was the showpiece of Hollywood's contribution to this attitude of trans-Continental friendliness. Unfortunately, in doing so, Carmen became trapped in the image of the fruit dancer that every producer insisted on having. Even her attempt at a break-out role in Copacanba had to have her doing the same dance act for part of the film. It proved to be a disaster in many ways since it failed and she married the producer of the film, David Sebastian. The marriage was not a happy one, but Carmen was a good Catholic and never considered a divorce. Instead she kept up a grueling schedule of shows, taking uppers and downers to remain functional, even when they began to damage her health. Eventually she collapsed and her doctor ordered her to go back to Brazil. She recovered and returned to America to resume the grind until she died of a heart attack hours after her final appearance on the Jimmy Durante Show.
You might also like...
Six most fabulous wedding hairstyle trends this season
Asgar Saboo, celebrity hairstylist to the likes of Cindy Crawford, Eva Longoria & Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan gives you a step by step guide to on how to get the perfect wedding hairstyle for this season on the big day!...
Autumn Winter Trends
Want to know the must-have look for this season? Naturtint hair stylist, Kerry Capewell has the debrief, explaining all the key Autumn-Winter hair trends...
Top Five Ways To Colour Your Hair Naturally This Summer
Asgar Saboo, celebrity hairstylist to the likes of Cindy Crawford & Eva Longoria is here to give you a step by step guide on how to create gorgeous hue's with natural remedies, for an unaltered style that's perfect for the summer sun....
Bridal Checklist
Weddings are big business, and those that are successful rely on a solid checklist of organized procedures, techniques and resources...
How To Wear The Key Hair Trends On Your Wedding Day
Hair accessories were huge at Fashion Week A/W16, with embellished hair proving to be a key beauty trend of the new season...