Rosa Carmina facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rosa Carmina
Rosa Carmina, c. 1950s
Born	Rosa Carmina Riverón Jiménez (1929-11-19) November 19, 1929 (age 95) La Habana, Cuba
Nationality	Cuban Mexican
Occupation	Actress, dancer and singer
Years active	1946–1992
Spouse(s)	Francisco Morales Llanes Juan Orol (1949-1954) Ramón de Florez

Rosa Carmina Riverón Jiménez (born November 19, 1929) is a famous Cuban-Mexican actress, dancer, and singer. She became a big star during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s.

She was discovered in Cuba by the filmmaker Juan Orol, who brought her to Mexico to star in his movies. Her first film was A Woman from the East in 1946. She quickly became popular because of her talent and unique style. She was known for starring in a type of musical movie called "Rumberas film," which featured a lot of dancing.

Some of her most famous movies include Gangsters Versus Cowboys (1948), which is now considered a classic, Tania, the Beautiful Wild Girl (1947), Voyager (1952), and Sandra, the Woman of Fire (1954). Because she often worked with director Juan Orol in his action movies, she earned the nickname "The Queen of the Gangsters." She was also called "Her Majesty The Rumba" for her amazing dancing skills.

Early Life and Discovery

Rosa Carmina Riverón Jiménez was born in Havana, Cuba, on November 19, 1929. She was the youngest of four children. From a young age, she loved dancing and studied at a dance school in Cuba.

In 1946, the Spanish film director Juan Orol was in Cuba looking for a new actress for his movies. He held a contest, but couldn't find the right person. Just as he was about to leave, his agent told him about Rosa Carmina. The agent had seen her perform at her sister's graduation party.

Orol met Rosa the next day and was very impressed. He thought she was perfect for his new movie, A Woman from the East. He offered her a contract to star in three films in Mexico. At first, she said no, but Orol convinced her. She traveled to Mexico with her family to start her career. In Mexico, she took acting classes to improve her skills.

Film Career

Working with Juan Orol

Rosa Carmina's career began with the movie A Woman from the East (1946), directed by Juan Orol. Her next films with him were Tania, the Beautiful Wild Girl (1947) and Gangster's Kingdom (1947).

She also starred in Gangsters Versus Cowboys (1948), which became a famous gangster film. These movies made her a major star in Mexican cinema. She was not just a great dancer, but also a talented singer and actress.

In 1951, she starred in a series of three films based on a popular comic book: The Poor's Hell, Women Perdition, and Men without Soul. These movies were even more successful than the comic books they were based on.

Between 1946 and 1955, Rosa Carmina made sixteen movies with Juan Orol. Some of their other important films together include Sandra, the Woman of Fire (1954) and The Goddess of Tahiti (1953). Her work in these films gave her the title "Queen of the Gangsters" in Mexican movies.

Rosa Carmina, Juan Orol (right) and Gilberto Gonzalez, circa 1950s

Working with Other Directors

Even though she worked a lot with Juan Orol, Rosa Carmina also made movies with other directors and studios. This allowed her to act in different kinds of stories. Some of these films were Treacherous (1950), In the Flesh (1951), and Voyager (1952).

By the mid-1950s, the popularity of Rumberas films began to fade. Rosa started acting in other types of movies. In 1956, she starred in a Spanish-Mexican film called Love Me with Music, which was a big hit in Spain.

She also appeared in action movies known as Luchador films (wrestler films), like The Last Fight (1959). She even acted in fantasy and horror films, such as The Cobra Mystery (1959) and Infernal Face (1963).

In 1975, she appeared in the movie Beauties by Night. One of her most interesting roles was in the 1976 film Captain Pantoja and the Special Services, directed by the famous writer and Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa. Her last movie was a musical for television called Teatro Follies in 1983.

Stage and Television Work

Besides movies, Rosa Carmina was a popular stage performer. She toured all over Mexico and Central and South America, performing in theaters and nightclubs. Her live shows were very successful. She didn't just dance to Caribbean music; she also performed other styles like rock and roll.

In 1976, she starred in a popular musical show at the Blanquita Theater in Mexico City. In the early 1990s, she created a special show called Rumba, poetry and song, which combined music from her films with dance and Cuban poetry.

Rosa Carmina also appeared on television. She made her debut in Mexican soap operas, called telenovelas, in 1984. Her most famous TV roles were in Juana Iris (1985) and Muchachita (1986). Her last acting role was in the popular telenovela Maria Mercedes in 1992, starring the singer Thalía.

Personal Life

Rosa Carmina was married several times. Her second husband was the film director Juan Orol. She currently lives in Spain.

She was so popular that when her dance scenes appeared in movies, audiences would cheer and clap loudly, sometimes asking the theater to replay the scene.

The Mexican artist José Luis Cuevas said that he named the famous Zona Rosa neighborhood in Mexico City in her honor.

Filmography

TV

• La pasión de Isabela (1984)
• Juana Iris (1985)
• Muchachita (1986)
• Morir para vivir (1986)
• Simplemente Maria (1988)
• La Hora Marcada (1990)
• Mi pequeña Soledad (1990)
• María Mercedes (1992)

See also

In Spanish: Rosa Carmina para niños