Carmen Miranda Facts

Real Name
Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha

Birthday
February 9, 1909
Marco de Canavezes, Portugall

Measurements
Height
Varying reports from 4’8″ to 5’2″
Weight
100 lbs.
Hair color:
Dark Reddish-brown
Eye color
Hazel (reported by Alice Faye as one being brownish green, the other yellowish-green)

Spouses / Lovers (real and rumoured)
David Sebastian (husband)
Don Ameche (Infatuation)
John Payne (Infatuation…who could blame her?)
John Wayne
Arturo de Cordova (Mexican actor)
Mário Cunha
Assis Valente
Mário Reis
Ary Barroso
César Ladeira
Carlos Alberto Rocha Farias
Getúlio Vargas (President)
Aloysio de Oliveira

Favorite Costume
Colorful “parasol” hatted costume designed by Helen Rose for Nancy Goes To Rio

Truths and Myths
Carmen Miranda was addicted to prescription drugs, however, she did not use cocaine. Nor did she secretly “hide” cocaine in her platform heels as reported by Kenneth Anger’s trashy book “Hollywood Babylon.”

She was captured in photo while dancing with Caeser Romero wearing no underwear. Those closest to her did not perceive this as being “naughty” but simply that it gave her greater freedom of movement for her dance routines.

When Carmen was to be commenced during her funeral, the Catholic preist residing over the service would not agree to do so if she was wearing any makeup, so as to “purify” her corpse.

At the height of her carer, she was making $210,000 a year and was in the Top Ten of “Highest Paid Actors” in the US. This included monies from film, appearances and nightclub performances.

She drank her coffee very strong, with the cup half filled with coffee and half filled with sugar. During World War II, when sugar was rationed, she cut down the amount of sugar in her coffee to only one lump. Her closely guarded secret however, was that she filled the cup half with coffee and the other half with pure honey.

Death
August 5, 1955
Los Angeles, California
Cause
Heart attack