Dolores del Río (August 3, 1904 - April 11, 1983) was a Mexican actress of the 20th century, active in 53 feature films, 1 telemovies and 8 stage plays over 53 years from 1925 and 1978.
Del Río began her career in Hollywood in 1925 and made her film debut in Joanna. Over the next five decades, she appeared in a range of genres, including contemporary crime melodramas, musical films, comedies and romantic dramas.
During the 1920s, her career flourished with success in Silent films such as Resurrection (1927), Ramona (1928) and Evangeline (1929). With the advent of talkies, her Hollywood career continued through the 1930s and until 1943, in notable films such as Bird of Paradise (1932), Flying Down to Rio (1933), Madame Du Barry, Wonder Bar (1934) and Journey into Fear (1943). In 1943, del Río returned to Mexico and became in one of the most important female stars of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Among her most outstanding films in Mexico are Wild Flower (1943), María Candelaria (1943), Las abandonadas (1944), Bugambilia (1944) and La Malquerida (1949).
In the 1960s, del Río opted for work in stage. She starred in successful stage projects in her native country. She also participated in some American TV series. Her final appearance in a theatrically released film was a supporting role in The Children of Sanchez in 1978.
Screen Films 53 Telemovies 1 Theatre 8 TV documentaries 1
Feature films 1925 – 1929 Year Title Role Director Other cast members Studio 1925 Joanna Carlotta Da Silva Edwin Carewe Dorothy Mackaill, Jack Mullah First National Pictures 1926 High Steppers Evelyn Iffield Edwin Carewe Mary Astor, Lloyd Hughes, Rita Carewe First National Pictures 1926 The Whole Town's Talking Rita Renault Edward Laemmle Edward Everett Horton, Trixie Friganza Universal 1926 Pals First Jeanne Lammont Edwin Carewe Lloyd Hughes, George Cooper, Edward Earle First National Pictures 1926 What Price Glory? Charmaine de la Cognac Raoul Walsh Victor McLaglen, Edmund Lowe Fox 1927 Resurrection Katyusha Maslova Edwin Carewe Rod La Rocque, Rita Carewe, Vera Lewis First National Pictures 1927 The Loves of Carmen Carmen Raoul Walsh Victor McLaglen, Don Alvarado, Carmen Costello Fox 1927 No Other Woman Carmelita de Granados Lou Tellegen Don Alvarado, Ben Bard, Paulette Duval Fox 1928 The Gateway of the Moon Chela (Toni) John Griffith Wray Walter Pidgeon, Leslie Fenton Fox 1928 The Trail of '98 Berna Clarence Brown Ralph Forbes, Tenen Holtz MGM 1928 Ramona Ramona Edwin Carewe Warner Baxter, Roland Drew United Artists 1928 The Red Dance Tasia Raoul Walsh Charles Farrell, Ivan Linow Fox 1928 Revenge Rascha Edwin Carewe James A. Marcus, Le Roy Mason First National Pictures 1929 Evangeline Evangeline Edwin Carewe Roland Drew, Alec B. Francis United Artists
1930 – 1942 Year Title Role Director Other cast members Studio 1930 The Bad One lita George Fitzmaurice Edmund Lowe, Don Alvarado United Artists 1932 Girl of the Rio Dolores Romero Herbert Brenon Norman Foster, Leo Carrillo, Andrea Palma RKO 1932 Bird of Paradise Luana King Vidor Joel McCrea, John Halliday RKO 1933 Flying Down to Rio Belinnha de Rezende Thornton Freeland Gene Raymond, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Raoul Roulien RKO 1934 Wonder Bar Inéz Lloyd Bacon Al Jolson, Kay Francis, Ricardo Cortez, Dick Powell Warner Bros. 1934 Madame Du Barry Madame DuBarry William Dieterle Reginald Owen, Victor Jory Warner Bros. 1935 In Caliente Rita Gómez Lloyd Bacon Pat O'Brien, Edward Everett Horton, Glenda Farrell Warner Bros. 1935 I Live for Love Donna Alvarez Busby Berkeley Everett Marshall, Don Alvarado Warner Bros. 1936 The Widow from Monte Carlo Duchess of Rye Arthur Greville Collins Warren William, Colin Clive Warner Bros. 1936 Accused Gaby Seymour Thornton Freeland Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Florence Desmond Criterion Films 1937 Devil's Playground Carmen Erle C. Kenton Chester Morris, Richard Dix Columbia 1937 Lancer Spy Dolores Daria Sunnell Gregory Ratoff George Sanders, Peter Lorre 20th Century Fox 1937 Ali Baba Goes to Town Brief cameo David Butler Eddie Cantor, Gypsy Rose Lee 20th Century Fox 1938 International Settlement Lenore Dixon Eugene Forde George Sanders, John Carradine, June Lang 20th Century Fox 1940 The Man from Dakota Eugenia Sanford Leslie Fenton Wallace Beery, John Howard MGM 1943 Journey into Fear Josette Martell Orson Welles Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Ruth Warrick, Agnes Moorehead RKO
1943 – 1959 Year Title Role Director Other cast members Studio 1943 Wild Flower Esperanza Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Emilio Fernández, Miguel Angel Ferriz Films Mundiales 1944 María Candelaria María Candelaria Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Miguel Inclán, Alberto Galán Films Mundiales 1945 Las Abandonadas Margarita Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Victor Junco, Arturo Soto Rangel Films Mundiales 1945 Bugambilia Amalia de los Robles Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Julio Villarreal, Stella Inda Films Mundiales 1945 La Selva de Fuego Estrella Fernando de Fuentes Arturo de Córdova, Miguel Inclán, Luis Beristáin Grovas 1946 La Otra María Méndez / Magdalena Méndez Roberto Gavaldón Victor Junco, Agustín Irusta, José Baviera Mercurio 1947 The Fugitive María Dolores John Ford Henry Fonda, Pedro Armendáriz, Ward Bond, Leo Carrillo RKO 1948 Story of a Bad Woman Mrs. Erlynne Luis Saslavsky María Duval, Fernando Lamas, Alberto Closas Argentina Sono Film 1949 The Unloved Woman Raymunda Emilio Fernández Pedro Armendáriz, Columba Domínguez, Roberto Cañedo Cabrera Films 1950 La casa chica Amalia Roberto Gavaldón Miroslava Stern, Roberto Cañedo, Domingo Soler FILMEX 1951 Desired Deseada Roberto Gavaldón Jorge Mistral, Anabel Gutiérrez, Arturo Soto Rangel Sansón 1951 Doña Perfecta Doña Perfecta Alejandro Galindo Esther Fernández, Carlos Navarro, Julio Villarreal Cabrera 1953 Reportaje (Episode: "The Marriage") Maria Cristina Emilio Fernández Arturo de Córdova ANDA, PECIME, Tele-Voz 1953 El Niño y la Niebla Martha Roberto Gavaldón Pedro Lopez Lagar, Alejandro Ciangherotti Jr., Eduardo Noriega Grovas 1955 Señora Ama Dominica Julio Bracho José Suárez, Ma. Luz Galicia Diana Films 1958 Where Are Our Children Going? Rosa Benito Alazraki Tito Junco, Martha Mijares, Andrea Palma FILMEX 1959 La Cucaracha Isabel, the Widow Ismael Rodriguez María Félix, Emilio Fernández, Pedro Armendáriz Películas Rodríguez
1960 – 1978 Year Title Role Director Other cast members Studio 1960 Flaming Star Neddy Burton Don Siegel Elvis Presley, Barbara Eden, Steve Forrest, John McIntire 20th Century Fox 1961 El Pecado de una Madre Gabriela Alfonso Corona Blake Libertad Lamarque, Enrique Rambal, Pedro Geraldo Brooks 1964 Cheyenne Autumn Spanish Woman John Ford Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, Karl Malden, Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalbán, Gilbert Roland, James Stewart, Edward G. Robinson Warner Bros. 1965 The Man who Bought Paradise (TV Movie) Mona Ralph Nelson Buster Keaton, Paul Lukas, Angie Dickinson CBS 1966 La Dama del Alba La Peregrina Francisco Robira Veleta Juliette Villard, Yelena Samarina Rovira Beleta 1966 Casa de Mujeres Gilda Moreno "La Doña" Julian Soler Elsa Aguirre, Marta Romero, Elsa Cárdenas, Rosa María Vázquez, María Duval, Susana Cabrera 1967 More than a Miracle Queen Mother Francesco Rossi Sophia Loren, Omar Sharif Cinecittà 1978 The Children of Sanchez Grandma Hall Bartlett Anthony Quinn, Katy Jurado, Lupita Ferrer, Lucía Méndez Bartlett, Camarel, CONACINE
Short subjects Year Title Notes 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 (Archive Footage)
Documentary Year Title Notes 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 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 StarsEpisode : An Old Spanish Custom Herself John Brahm Leon Askin, Cesar Romero 1958 The United States Steel HourEpisode : The Public Prosecutor Theresia Taillen Robert Stevens John Baragrey, Alexander Clark 1960 The Dinah Shore Chevy ShowEpisode : Mexican Fiesta Herself Rolando Aguilar Gilbert Roland, Ricardo Montalbán, Tito Guízar 1965 The Man who Bought Paradise Mona Ralph Nelson Buster Keaton, Paul Lukas, Angie Dickinson 1966 I Spy Episode: Return to Glory Serita Richard C. Sarafian Robert Culp, Bill Cosby, Victor Jory 1966 BrandedEpisode: The Ghost of Murietta 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 Guillermo Saldaña 1970 Maratón Rosa Mexicano Herself / Host María Félix, Libertad Lamarque, Raphael, Carmen Montejo, María Elena Marqués 1970 Marcus Welby M.D. Episode: The Legacy 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 1959The Road to Rome Amitis Teatro de los Insurgentes, Mexico CityWolf 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 + Silver Ariel 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