What was the Relationship history for Dolores Del Rio? Net worth 2023, Age, Education, Parents, Love Life, Career, Bio, Wiki

Quick Facts

Full name María de los Dolores Asúnsolo y López Negrete
Known as Dolores del Río
Birthday August 3, 1904
Country Mexico
Nationality Mexican
Sun sign Leo
Place of birth Victoria de Durango, Durango, Mexico
Date of death 11 April, 1983 (aged 78)

Dolores del Río, born María de los Dolores Asúnsolo y López Negrete, was a Mexican actress, dancer, and singer. Known for her work in films such as Joanna, Resurrection, Devil’s Playground, Wild Flower, and The Unloved Woman, Dolores del Río was one of the first major female Latin stars who became a Hollywood star in the 1920s and 1930s.

With an illustrious career spanning over five decades, Dolores del Río is often regarded as one of the most influential female figures in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.

How much was the Net worth of Dolores Del Rio?

At the time of her passing, the Bird of Paradise actress’s estimated net worth was USD 1.6 million. There is little doubt that Dolores del Rio led a luxury life because of her outstanding net worth.

Dolores del Rio Documentary - Hollywood Walk of Fame - YouTube
Dolores Del Rio Net worth 2023 Via YouTube

The actress, who came from an affluent background, did have some financial hardships, though. Initially, during the Mexican Revolution, her family lost everything. Then, following her union with Jaime Martnez del Ro, the del Ro family lost everything when the global cotton market crashed in 1924.

Early Years: Where was Dolores Del Rio born?

On August 3, 1904, Dolores del Rio was born. She was born in Mexico’s Victoria de Durango. Her horoscope is a Leo. Those born under this sign are noted for their optimism, humor, and generosity. They also frequently exhibit rigidity, obstinacy, and haughtiness.

Mexican national Dolores del Rio was born at Victoria de Durango. Dolores was a Mexican Roman Catholic who practiced Catholicism. She was of Spanish descent, though.

Who are the Family Members of Dolores Del Rio?

The daughter of and Antonia López Negrete was Dolores del Rio. She was the granddaughter of the director of the Bank of Durango and hailed from an affluent farming family.

The actress came from one of Mexico’s richest families, whose ancestry may be traced to viceregal aristocracy in Spain. During the Porfiriato, Jes Leonardo Asnsolo Jacques and Antonia López Negrete belonged to the Mexican nobility.

Dolores’ family, while being born into an aristocratic one, lost everything during the Mexican Revolution. Her family made the decision to flee as a result, as the uprising put the Durango noble families that Pancho Villa was guiding in the region in danger.

Dolores del Rio and Family (1927) | Dolores del rio, Hollywood star, Silent  film
Dolores del Rio and Family (1927) Via Pinterest

Father of Dolores, Jess Leonardo Asnsolo Jacques, fled to America. Dolores and her mother Antonia López Negrete managed to flee to Mexico City while posing as peasants, nonetheless.

Thankfully, they were reunited in 1912. Upon their reunification, Dolores and her family resided in Mexico City under Francisco I. Madero’s protection. Antonia, the mother of Dolores, had a cousin named Madero.

Dolores once recalled her experiences of meeting the president and stated,

“I was very young when my mother brought me to the capital to meet her cousin Don Panchito, as she affectionately called him, Madero, then President of the Republic, who would sit me on her knees and would give me a huge red balloon.”

Saint-Joseph Convent was Dolores’ place of study. The nuns at her school required all of the pupils, including Dolores, to speak French at all times when she was a student there.

Dolores’ mother once brought her to a performance of the Russian dancer’s Ana Pavlova ballet. Dolores was very moved by the performance and made the decision to pursue a career in dance as a result.

What was the Relationship history for Dolores Del Rio?

Jaime Martínez Del Río

Dolores del Rio married Jaime Martnez del Rio, an affluent author with a law degree, when she was just fifteen years old. Dolores was eighteen years older than Jaime Martnez del Rio. The union of Dolores with Jaime Martnez del Ro was beneficial to her in numerous ways. The Mexican bombshell’s spouse gave her the creative last name.

But, the marriage also gave her the opportunity to keep taking part in the aristocratic pleasures she had grown accustomed to. Dolores and Jaime Martnez took a two-year honeymoon after getting married. The newlyweds went on a tour of Europe.

Dolores performed a magnificent dance routine for the Spanish kings during one of their stays there, who were awestruck by her after witnessing her dance for the Moroccan army men. Jaime started concentrating his time and efforts on the expanding cotton at Hacienda Las Cruces in Nazas, Durango, after returning to Mexico.

Dolores del Río with her first-husband Jaime Martínez del Río photo. Via celebcritics.com

Regrettably, the couple experienced a severe financial problem as a result of the 1924 global cotton market meltdown. When Jaime and Dolores could no longer support themselves financially, they moved to Mexico City and started living with their separate families.

Similar to this, Dolores was forced to sell her jewelry in order to provide for her and her husband during the continuous crisis. Also, Dolores was expecting a child at the time. However, she miscarried as a result of inevitable problems. The doctors warned Dolores against becoming pregnant again since it could endanger her life.

In the late 1920s, when Dolores del Ro’s Hollywood career grew, her marriage to Jaime Martnez deteriorated. Jaime found it difficult to adjust to his new role as Dolores’ husband, a movie star.

Likewise, the couple encountered numerous marital issues following Dolores’ miscarriage. Jaime and Dolores momentarily split apart as a result. Dolores soon after filed for divorce. The pair broke up in 1928. After their divorce, Jaime passed away in Germany six months later.

Cedric Gibbons

Dolores del Rio and Cedric Gibbons, an art director for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, first met at a party held at Hearst Castle in 1930. Soon after, they started dating, and on August 6, 1930, they got married.

The del Ro-Gibbons were the center of media attention during the beginning of the 1930s. The del Ro-Gibbons, one of the era’s most well-known Hollywood couples, were known for hosting “Sunday breakfasts” in their Art Deco home at 757 Kingman Avenue in Pacific Palisades.

Soon after walking down the aisle with Gibbons, Dolores del Ro developed a severe kidney ailment, which required her to spend a lot of time in bed. Del Ro’s career experienced a serious setback as a result.

Dolores was added to Metro-Goldwyn-list Mayer’s of “box office poison” despite her husband’s efforts to support del Ro’s faltering career. Dolores del Ro, whose career was in decline, sought comfort in actor and director Orson Welles, whom she met at a gathering Darryl Zanuck hosted.

Despite Dolores’ marriage to Cedric Gibbons, the two fell in love right away and started dating. In the end, del Ro and Gibbons’ marriage was dissolved by the affair. The couple split up in 1941.

Orson Welles

The friendship between Dolores del Rio and Orson Welles became well-known. They dated from 1939 to 1943, a period of four years. Welles was joined by Dolores del Rio while the movie Citizen Kane was being made. In a similar vein, del Ro supported Welles even after the movie sparked a media crisis for openly denouncing media mogul William Randolph Hearst.

Regrettably, their friendship was permanently altered when Nelson Rockefeller hired Orson Welles to travel to South America as a goodwill ambassador. Welles worked on the Rio de Janeiro carnival movie while he was in South America.

There, the filmmaker allegedly engaged in promiscuity, and word of this quickly made its way to America. Dolores del Ro sent Welles a telegram to end their relationship, but the actor never replied.

Rebecca Welles, daughter of Orson Welles, claims

“My father considered Dolores the great love of his life. She is a living legend in the history of my family.”

Welles had an obsessional love affair with Dolores del Rio up until the end of his life.

Lewis A. Riley

Del Ro first met American businessman Lewis A. Riley in Acapulco at the beginning of the 1950s. Riley abandoned their relationship and started dating Del Ro despite having an affair with Bette Davis. Lewis Riley and Dolores del Ro wed in New York in 1959, over ten years after they first fell in love. Del Ro passed away in 1983, ending the couple’s marriage.

Dolores del Río and Lewis Riley
Dolores del Río and Lewis Riley Via celebcritics.com

Some Unofficial Relationships of Dolores Del Río

The relationship between the Mexican actress and actors Errol Flynn, John Farrow, Erich Maria Remarque, Archibaldo Burns, and Tito Junco was supposed to exist. Many guys were charmed by Dolores’ beauty and grace.

In order to be close to her, Mexican filmmaker Emilio Fernández acknowledged that he participated as an extra in a number of her Hollywood productions. The director once remarked:

“I fell in love with her, but she always ignored me. I adored her… really I adored her.”

Strong rumors also circulated around Dolores del Rio’s purported bisexuality. Actress from Devil’s Playground is said to have been one of Frida Kahlo’s lovers.

What was the Professional Career of Dolores Del Rio?

Early in 1925, del Ro and her first husband, Jaime Martnez del Ro, were visited by the painters Adolfo Best Maugard and American filmmaker Edwin Carewe. Carewe encouraged the couple to work in Hollywood after persuading Jaime that his wife might become a movie star. Jaime assumed that accepting this offer would take the couple out of their financial difficulties and would also help him realize his dream of working as a screenwriter in Hollywood.

Dolores Del Rio photo
Dolores Del Rio photo Via celebcritics.com

In order to launch Dolores’ Hollywood career, the pair journeyed to the United States by train against the desires of their families. Carewe assumed his roles as Dolores’ agent, manager, producer, and director as soon as she arrived in the country. In an effort to draw attention to Dolores, Carewe published a story in the top Hollywood magazines that stated:

Dolores del Rio, an heiress and the First Lady of High Mexican Society, arrived in Hollywood with a shipment of shawls and combs worth $50,000. (is said to be the richest girl in her country thanks to the fortune of her husband and her parents). She will make her acting debut in the Joanna movie, starring her discoverer Edwin Carewe. Below is a list of all the films, shows, plays, short films, and documentaries in which Dolores del Rio appeared.

Filmography:

1925 – 1929:

Year Title Role Director Other cast members
1925 Joanna Carlotta Da Silva Edwin Carewe Dorothy Mackaill, Jack Mullah
1926 High Steppers Evelyn Iffield Edwin Carewe Mary Astor, Lloyd Hughes, Rita Carewe
1926 The Whole Town’s Talking Rita Renault Edward Laemmle Edward Everett Horton, Trixie Friganza
1926 Pals First Jeanne Lammont Edwin Carewe Lloyd Hughes, George Cooper, Edward Earle
1926 What Price Glory? Charmaine de la Cognac Raoul Walsh Victor McLaglen, Edmund Lowe
1927 Resurrection Katyusha Maslova Edwin Carewe Rod La Rocque, Rita Carewe, Vera Lewis
1927 The Loves of Carmen Carmen Raoul Walsh Victor McLaglen, Don Alvarado, Carmen Costello
1927 No Other Woman Carmelita de Granados Lou Tellegen Don Alvarado, Ben Bard, Paulette Duval
1928 The Gateway of the Moon Chela (Toni) John Griffith Wray Walter Pidgeon, Leslie Fenton
1928 The Trail of ’98 Berna Clarence Brown Ralph Forbes, Tenen Holtz
1928 Ramona Ramona Edwin Carewe Warner Baxter, Roland Drew
1928 The Red Dance Tasia Raoul Walsh Charles Farrell, Ivan Linow
1928 Revenge Rascha Edwin Carewe James A. Marcus, Le Roy Mason
1929 Evangeline Evangeline Edwin Carewe Roland Drew, Alec B. Francis

1930 – 1942:

Year Title Role Director Other cast members
1930 The Bad One Lita George Fitzmaurice Edmund Lowe, Don Alvarado
1932 Girl of the Rio Dolores Romero Herbert Brenon Norman Foster, Leo Carrillo, Andrea Palma
1932 Bird of Paradise Luana King Vidor Joel McCrea, John Halliday
1933 Flying Down to Rio Belinnha de Rezende Thornton Freeland Gene Raymond, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Raoul Roulien
1934 Wonder Bar Inéz Lloyd Bacon Al Jolson, Kay Francis, Ricardo Cortez, Dick Powell
1934 Madame Du Barry Madame DuBarry William Dieterle Reginald Owen, Victor Jory
1935 In Caliente Rita Gómez Lloyd Bacon Pat O’Brien, Edward Everett Horton, Glenda Farrell
1935 I Live for Love Donna Alvarez Busby Berkeley Everett Marshall, Don Alvarado
1936 The Widow from Monte Carlo Duchess of Rye Arthur Greville Collins Warren William, Colin Clive
1936 Accused Gaby Seymour Thornton Freeland Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Florence Desmond
1937 Devil’s Playground Carmen Erle C. Kenton Chester Morris, Richard Dix
1937 Lancer Spy Dolores Daria Sunnell Gregory Ratoff George Sanders, Peter Lorre
1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town Brief cameo David Butler Eddie Cantor, Gypsy Rose Lee
1938 International Settlement Lenore Dixon Eugene Forde George Sanders, John Carradine, June Lang
1940 The Man from Dakota Eugenia Sanford Leslie Fenton Wallace Beery, John Howard
1943 Journey into Fear Josette Martell Orson Welles Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead

1943 – 1959:

Year Title Role Director Other cast members
1943 Wild Flower Esperanza Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Emilio Fernández, Miguel Angel Ferriz
1944 María Candelaria María Candelaria Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Miguel Inclán, Alberto Galán
1945 Las Abandonadas Margarita Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Victor Junco, Arturo Soto Rangel
1945 Bugambilia Amalia de los Robles Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Julio Villarreal, Stella Inda
1945 La Selva de Fuego Estrella Fernando de Fuentes Arturo de Córdova, Miguel Inclán
1946 La Otra María Méndez / Magdalena Méndez Roberto Gavaldón Victor Junco, Agustín Irusta
1947 The Fugitive María Dolores John Ford Henry Fonda, Pedro Armendáriz, Ward Bond, Leo Carrillo
1948 Story of a Bad Woman Mrs. Erlynne Luis Saslavsky María Duval, Francisco de Paula, Alberto Closas
1949 The Unloved Woman Raymunda Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Columba Domínguez, Roberto Cañedo
1950 La casa chica Amalia Roberto Gavaldón Miroslava Stern, Roberto Cañedo, Domingo Soler
1951 Desired Deseada Roberto Gavaldón Jorge Mistral, Anabel Gutiérrez
1951 Doña Perfecta Doña Perfecta Alejandro Galindo Esther Fernández, Carlos Navarro, Julio Villarreal
1953 Reportaje Maria Cristina Emilio Fernández Arturo de Córdova, María Félix, Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante
1953 El Niño y la Niebla Martha Roberto Gavaldón Pedro Lopez Lagar, Alejandro Ciangherotti Jr., Eduardo Noriega
1955 Señora Ama Dominica Julio Bracho José Suárez, Ma. Luz Galicia
1958 Where Are Our Children Going? Rosa Benito Alazraki Tito Junco, Martha Mijares, Andrea Palma
1959 La Cucaracha Isabel, the Widow Ismael Rodriguez María Félix, Emilio Fernández, Pedro Armendáriz

1960 – 1978:

Year Title Role Director Other cast members
1960 Flaming Star Neddy Burton Don Siegel Elvis Presley, Barbara Eden, Steve Forrest, John McIntire
1961 El Pecado de una Madre Gabriela Alfonso Corona Blake Libertad Lamarque, Enrique Rambal, Pedro Geraldo
1964 Cheyenne Autumn Spanish Woman John Ford Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, Karl Malden, Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland, James Stewart, Edward G. Robinson
1966 La Dama del Alba La Peregrina Francisco Robira Veleta Juliette Villard, Yelena Samarina
1966 Casa de Mujeres Gilda “La Doña” Julian Soler Elsa Aguirre, Fernando Soler, Elsa Cárdenas, Carlos López Moctezuma
1967 More than a Miracle Queen Mother Francesco Rossi Sophia Loren, Omar Sharif
1978 The Children of Sanchez Grandma Hall Bartlett Anthony Quinn, Katy Jurado, Lupita Ferrer, Lucía Méndez

Short Films:

Year Title
1926 WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1926
1930 Screen Snapshots Series 9, No. 14
1930 Screen Snapshots Series 9, No. 23
1930 Screen Snapshots Series 19, No. 24
1935 A dream comes true: The Making of An Unusual Motion Picture
1935 A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1937 Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 7
1937 Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 8
1939 Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 10
1940 Meet the Stars # 1: Chinese Garden Festival
1941 Meet the Stars # 2: Baby Stars
1954 Screen Snapshots: Hollywood goes to Mexico
1967 Río Blanco
1968 Mexico ’68: Instantaneous /Dolores del Río’s Mexico
1983 Zelig

Documentary:

Year Title
1928 Die Filmstad Hollywood
1956 Torero!
1961 Hollywood: The Golden Years
1969 Hollywood: The Selznick Years
1971 The American West of John Ford
1976 Salsa
1979 Mexico de mis amores
2002 The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2003 Dolores del Río: The Mexican Diva of Hollywood
2012 Arena : Screen Goddesses

Television Series:

Year Title Role Director Other main cast members
1951 Trio by the Lamplight Paul Tripp
1951 The Kate Smith Evening Hour Herself Kate Smith (host), Victor Borge
1957 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Herself John Brahm Leon Askin, Cesar Romero
1958 The United States Steel Hour Theresa Taillen Robert Stevens John Baragrey, Alexander Clark
1960 The Dinah Shore Chevy Show Herself Rolando Aguilar Gilbert Roland, Ricardo Montalban, Tito Guízar
1965 The Man who Bought Paradise Mona Ralph Nelson Buster Keaton, Paul Lukas, Angie Dickinson
1966 I Spy Serita Richard C. Sarafian Robert Culp, Bill Cosby, Victor Jory
1966 Branded Antonia Molinera William Witney Chuck Connors
1966 A Bob Hope Comedy Special Herself Jack Shea Bob Hope, Michael Caine, Cantinflas, Glenn Ford, Gina Lollobrigida, Jayne Mansfield, Merle Oberon, Silvia Pinal
1968 Dolores del Río (T.V BIography) Herself
1970 Maratón Rosa Mexicano Herself / Host María Félix, Libertad Lamarque, Raphael, Carmen Montejo, María Elena Marqués
1970 Marcus Welby M.D. Carlotta Lopez de Guadalupe Daniel Petrie Robert Young, James Brolin, Janet Blair

Theatre:

Year Play Role Theatre Other notable cast members
1941 The Mercury Wonder Show Many roles California State Fair Orson Welles
1956 Anastacia Anastacia Romanov Falmouth Playhouse, Massachusetts Lili Darvas, Alan Shayne, Stephen Elliott, Boris Tumarin
1958 Lady Windermere’s Fan Mrs. Erlynne Teatro Virginia Fábregas, Mexico City / Teatro Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina (México) María Rivas, Carlos Navarro, Joaquín Cordero, Anita Blanch, Tito Junco, (Argentina) Alberto Closas, Ana Luisa Peluffo
1959 The Road to Rome Amitis Teatro de los Insurgentes, Mexico City Wolf Ruvinskis, Raúl Ramírez, Jorge del Campo, Rosenda Monteros
1961 La despedida Herself Million Dollar Theater, Los Angeles, California Jorge Martínez de Hoyos
1962 Ghosts Mrs. Helen Alving Sala Chopin, Mexico City Julián Soler, Adriana Roel, Jorge del Campo,
1963 Dear Liar: A Comedy of Letter Mrs. Patrick Campbell Teatro de los Insurgentes, Mexico City Ignacio López Tarso
1964 La Vidente (La Voyante) La Vidente Teatro de los Insurgentes, Mexico City Fernando Luján, Jacqueline Andere, Marilú Elízaga, Blanca Sánchez, Narciso Busquets, Magda Donato, Tamara Garina
1967 The Queen and the Rebels Algira Teatro Hidalgo, Mexico City Ignacio López Tarso, Narciso Busquets, Patricia Morán
1970 The Lady of the Camellias Marguerite Gautier Teatro Hidalgo, Mexico City Carlos Bracho, Marilú Elízaga, Germán Robles, Angélica Aragón

Awards:

Year Film Result Award Category
1944 Las abandonadas Won Silver Ariel Award Best Actress
1946 La Otra Nominated Silver Ariel Award Best Actress
1949 La Casa Chica Nominated Silver Ariel Award Best Actress
1951 Doña Perfecta Won Silver Ariel Award Best Actress
1953 El Niño y la Niebla Won Silver Ariel Award Best Actress
1975 Honorific Award Won Golden Ariel Award Contribution to the Mexican Cinema

Honorary Awards:

Year Award Category
1926 WAMPAS Baby Stars A promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers honored thirteen young actresses each year they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom.
1943 Instituto de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas de México Best Actress (Flor Silvestre)
1957 Asociacion Nacional de Actores Medal for her outstanding scenic work abroad.
1952 Neiman Marcus Fashion Award Medal for the best dressed woman in America
1961 Hollywood Walk of Fame Motion Pictures (Location: 1630 Vine Street)
1965 Sarape de Plata (PECIME) Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the talkies in Mexico.
1967 Organization of American States Medal for her cultural contribution to the peoples of America
1974 Diosa de Plata Award (PECIME) Motion Pictures Contribution
1975 Mexican Legion of Honor Diploma for artistic merit
1978 Mexican American Institute of Cultural Relations Award for artistic merit
1982 George Eastman Award George Eastman House established the George Eastman Award for distinguished contribution to the art of film
1993 The Four Ladies The Four Ladies of Hollywood gazebo at the western border of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The domed structure is held aloft by four caryatids sculpted by Harl West to represent the Mexican actress Dolores del Río, African-American actress Dorothy Dandridge, Asian-American actress Anna May Wong and the multi-ethnic, Brooklyn-born actress Mae West.

What was the Death Cause of Dolores Del Rio?

Near the end of her life, the Spanish bombshell struggled with a number of health concerns. She was identified as having osteomyelitis in 1978. Similar to that, she received a hepatitis B diagnosis in 1981. In addition, del Ro had arthritis. Del Ro was taken to Scripps Hospital in 1982 when her cirrhosis developed as a result of her hepatitis.

Sadly, del Ro passed away from her sickness on April 11, 1983. She died at Newport Beach, California, at the age of 78. Her ashes were transported from the United States to Panteón de Dolores, Mexico, following her funeral.

Body Measurement: How tall is Dolores Dol Rio?

Dolores del Rio was renowned for her beauty and grace and was regarded as the world’s most iconic portrayal of Mexico’s female face as well as a legendary figure in both American and Mexican movies. The Hispanic bombshell measured 5 feet, 3 inches tall. She had the most beautiful face and lovely brown eyes. She also possessed brown hair.

Trivia

  • Dolores del Río was one of America’s first Latina film stars. She moved to Hollywood at the age of 21.
  • Dolores had a longstanding feud with actress Lupe Velez. On one occasion, Velez called Dolores a “bird of bad omen”. Likewise, Velez would often imitate Dolores in public as a way of mocking the Joanna actress. As a result, Dolores was terrified to meet Velez.
  • The Mexican starlet was known not only for her acting and dancing abilities but also for her timeless beauty. Describing her elegance and beauty, George Bernard Shaw once said, “The two most beautiful things in the world are the Taj Mahal and Dolores del Río.”
  • Dolores was discovered by filmmaker Edwin Carewe who convinced her that she could become a Hollywood star. Carewe, who worked as Dolores’s agent, manager, producer, and director in Hollywood, was obsessed with her and was determined to win her over.
  • The Mexican diva’s beauty regimen included lying flat on the floor for extended periods of time every day. She referred to this practice as her “first beauty rule.”
  • Dolores del Río was the first actress to wear a bikini on screen. She flaunted a bikini in the film, Flying Down to Rio.

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