Carmen Miranda

Carmen Miranda was born in the north of the small Portuguese town of Framework Canaveses. She was the second daughter of Jose Maria Cunha Pinto (1887-1938) and Maria Emília Miranda (1886-1971). Shortly after his birth, his father, Jose Maria, emigrated to Brazil and settled in Rio de Janeiro (then capital), where he opened a barber shop. In 1910, following his mother, along with his eldest daughter, Olinda, and Carmen. Carmen never returned to Portugal. Once in Brazil, their parents have more children, namely: Amaro (1911), Cecilia (1913), Aurora (1915-2005) and Oscar (1916).

Carmen went to school, the Convent of Santa Teresa of Lisieux. Its very Catholic parents fail to achieve their dreams show business, so it kept secret for years. In his spare time, often sang at parties and festivals around the city. The sister Carmen, Olinda, he contracted tuberculosis, and returned to Portugal for treatment. Carmen got his first job in a tie shop at the age of 14, to help pay for his sister's medical treatment. Subsequently, he worked in a boutique, La Femme Chic, where he learned to make hats. At no time, she started her own small business hat that became very profitable. Olinda, meanwhile, remained in Portugal until his death in 1931.

Carmen was discovered and given an opportunity to perform on a local radio station. One thing led to another, and was followed by a career as a singer of samba for 10 years before she was invited to New York City to act in a show on Broadway. In Brazil, which was seen as a musical innovator, and was one of the first superstars of samba long before his arrival in the United States. She also made six films in Brazil.

Carmen came to the United States in 1939 with his band, the Bando da Lua, and achieved stardom in the early 1940s. He was encouraged by the government of the United States of America in his career as part of President Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy, designed to strengthen ties with Latin America and Europe; It was believed that in the delivery of content such as yours, policy would be better received by the American public. She was the highest-paid performer in the country for several years in the 1940s, and in 1945, was the highest-paid women in the United States, earning more than $ 200,000 that year, according to IRS records.

Carmen made a total of 14 Hollywood films between 1940 and 1953. As a singer, who sold more than 10 million copies worldwide [citation needed]. She received the nickname "The Brazilian bomb."

Carmen's is a Hollywood image of a generic Latinness that is blurring the distinction between Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, as well as between the samba, tango and the habanera. It was carefully stylized and outlandishly decorated. It was often shown wearing platform sandals and partidores the amount of fruit, becoming known as "the lady in the tutti-JL hat." At only 5 feet (1.52 meters), these stores did appear almost larger than life on screen.

She is very aware of the tensions in his career. During a visit to Brazil in 1940, was highly criticized for giving in to American commercialism and projecting a false image of Brazil. She responded with the Portuguese language song "Que Voltei Disseram Americanizada" or "Say I've Come Back Americanized." Another song, "Bananas Is My Business," is based on a line in one of his films and directed his image. She is very annoyed by the criticism and did not return to Brazil again for 14 years.

Carmen not drink or smoke until her late 30s. In addition to their addiction to alcohol and snuff, Carmen regularly use amphetamines and barbiturates, which weakened his heart.

Carmen died of a heart attack following an appearance on The Jimmy Durante Show. The network A & E Biography episode with Carmen Miranda included the tragic kinescope footage of his appearance on 4 August. After completing a number of dance unknowingly Carmen suffered a mild heart attack, and nearly sank. During was at his side, and helped to maintain for their feet. Carmen then smiled, waved to the crowd and walked away for the last time. "The bomb Brazilian" died the next morning at the age of 46.

The official cause of his death because of the death certificate was untreated for toxemia (later known as preeclampsia), and heart failure resulting from a pregnancy. His body was taken back to Brazil and shortly after the Brazilian government declared a period of national mourning. He was buried at the Sao Joao Batista cemetery in Rio de Janeiro. His funeral procession, on the road to the cemetery, was accompanied by about half a million people. wiki