10.15.07: Remembering Rita | New York Social Diary

Remembering Rita

On the stoop: preparing for Halloween. 5:20 p.m. Photo: JH.

In 1956 when Rita Hayworth was filming “Pal Joey” with Frank Sinatra, she told her friend Hermes Pan, the Astaire choreographer, that she was having a difficult time remembering her lines. Hermes had known Rita since the early days of her career before Harry Cohn picked her out of the chorus, so to speak, and made her a star at Columbia Pictures. To the world she was a glamorous sexy film star. To Hermes, she was a sweet, rather shy woman who loved to dance. Rita, he said, only knew how to work hard and take orders from the men in her life, be they Harry Cohn or Ed Judson her first husband who positioned her for Cohn’s eyes, or Orson Welles who has visions of “transforming” her, or Dick Haymes. All of them, he said, “even Aly Khan,” spent her money.

Hermes attributed the business about forgetting the lines to the pressure Rita was feeling in making this picture. She was playing an “older” woman (back when 38 was an older woman) opposite Sinatra whose comeback a few years before had made him an even bigger star. Rita, who had recently divorced Dick Haymes after a two-year marriage (and right after her divorce from Aly Khan), needed the work and needed a boost in her by-then waning career.


	Rita Hayworth as Gilda, 1946.

So Hermes planned each scene for her – where she’d move on what she’d she say at which particular spot. This method helped although it was still difficult for her. It was also a secret from everyone else.

After that incident there were other incidents which in retrospect were symptoms of the encroaching condition – sudden outbursts of temper that were uncharacteristic. Once at Hermes’ house, with Rita, Fred Astaire and his sister Adele, the four were sitting in the living room having an after-dinner drink when Rita, with an outburst of invective, suddenly and violently splashed her glass of scotch all over Adele.

The Astaires left right after that with Adele declaring that she never wanted to see “that awful woman” again. On another night, while driving her home from dinner, she told Hermes about a book she’d been reading -- “The Primal Scream” by Dr. Arthur Janov. Part of Janov’s theory of psychiatric treatment was to get oneself to the level of one’s primal expression – a scream.

The therapy was very much in vogue in the late 60s, early 70s. In describing and then demonstrating the process to Hermes, as they were driving down Coldwater Canyon, Rita started to scream – but a loud, deep, long, blood chilling scream. It was so loud, and she continued as they drove along. Hermes became alarmed that a cop might hear her and stop them, bringing Rita unneeded publicity.

Over the course of years after making “Pal Joey,” Hermes was present with Rita in a number of situations that were erratic and often violent – slamming doors, once brandishing a knife on him, Ann Miller and another friend who were visiting her. For a long time people thought it was her drinking, although Hermes never knew her to drink very much, so much so that he reasoned that she was imbibing secretly before and after he’d see her. As the years passed, and her condition worsened, she became more difficult to deal with. She went out socially in Hollywood but she often appeared to be disoriented (encouraging the speculation about drinking), and the classic picture of a star whose career was over.

Rita and Hermes Pan in a dance number from My Gal Sal.

Hermes Pan when he first knew Rita, in a studio publicity shot with Astaire.

The world now knows what happened to Rita Hayworth. The condition that first showed itself when she was in her late thirties eventually took over her life for more than three decades before it killed her. It was a long and agonizing sentence for a girl who had fame and fortune from bringing joy and happiness to others. That turned out to be a long, sad life for her.

Her daughter by Aly Khan, Princess Yasmin, was fortunately able to care for her mother in her long illness, giving her a bit of dignity in living with the appalling humiliation that is Alzheimer’s. Yasmin has also seen to it that something good can come from her mother’s illness.

The annual Rita Hayworth Gala for Alzheimer’s Association took place last Wednesday night in the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf. The theme was “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” one of the Rodgers and Hart songs from the score of “Pal Joey.”

Princess Yasmin has been surrounded over the years by a large group of friends dedicated to her mother’s cause. It’s a dynamic organization, and when they do their annual gala, it also become a glamorous one, and a big hit. They’ve raised more than $30 million for the cause over the years. Last week’s set new records. They raised more than $2 million. Louise Kornfeld was the Gala Chair, and Nurit Kahane, a longtime loyal supporter, was honoree. For Rita Hayworth, and for all of us.

Anne Hearst

Bonnie Evans

Lauren Day and Bob Roberts

Ivana Trump and Rossano Rubicondi

Arlene and Dr. Allan Lazare

Matthew Rich and Elaine Sargent

Debbie Bancroft and Somers Farkas

Patty Raynes

Peggy Siegal

Ender Mermeci

Feryal Gulman

Caroline Hirsch

Joy and Regis Philbin

Muffie Potter Aston, Grace Meigher, and Barbie Bancroft

Mark Locks and Nancy Corzine

Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Dan Aykroyd, and Donna Dixon Aykroyd

Michael Cominotto, Halley and Marla Helene, and Dennis Basso

Cornelia Bregman, Anne Hearst McInerney, Nancy Corzine, Nurit Kahane Haase, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Louise Kornfeld, Margo Catsimatidis, and Deborah Grubman