María Antonia García Vidal de Santo Silas (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951) was a Dominican motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s as an exotic beauty starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure films. Her screen image was that of a hot-blooded Latin seductress, dressed in fanciful costumes and sparkling jewels. She became so identified with these adventure epics that she became known as "The Queen of Technicolor." Over her career, Montez appeared in 26 films, 21 of which were made in North America and five in Europe.
[After meeting Orson Welles] He is as spectacular as I am!
2
[on her film debut in The Invisible Woman (1940)] When I see myself on the screen, I am so beautiful, I jump for joy!
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[on viewing Arabian Nights (1942)] When I look at myself, I am so beautiful I scream with joy!
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Fact
1
She was educated in a convent in the Canary Islands.
2
In 1951 she won a lawsuit against Seymour Nebenzal for $50,000 over money she was owed from the flop "Siren of Atlantis." As the picture made no money, she never collected.
3
Despite being born in the Dominican Republic, she was actually Spanish, the daughter of the Honorary Spanish vice-consul in Santo Domingo.
4
She was a passionate believer in astrology.
5
Was a major iconic figure of gay camp in the 1950s & '60s. In addition to being a character who appears in various Andy Warhol's films of the 1960s (played by Mario Montez, she appeared as a major character in Gore Vidal's 1974 novel "Myron," his sequel to "Myra Breckinridge".
6
Female impersonator/"drag queen" Mario Montez (born Rene Rivera) modeled his drag person (and name) on her.
7
Accepted Jean-Pierre Aumont's marriage proposal despite the fact that his "duties as a French officer" would call him overseas a few days after the wedding. She jokingly cracked that he had left her "to cold showers.".
8
For her stage name, Maria chose the last name of Montez in honor of dancer Lola Montes, a favorite of Maria's father. However, she was overruled by the studio when she insisted on spelling it with an S, not a Z.
9
The second daughter of ten children, her father was a textile exporter and the Honorary Vice Consul of Spain in the Dominican Republic.
$300,000
