Estelita Rodriguez (July 2, 1928 – March 12, 1966) was a Cuban actress best known for her roles in many Westerns with Roy Rogers for

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

, as well as her role in Howard Hawks' ''

Rio Bravo Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

''.

Early life and career

Rodriguez's career began in 1942 when she won a contract with

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

at the age of 14. She continued to go to MGM school in preparation to make a movie. However, MGM dropped her at the last minute, and Rodriguez went back to New York until 1945, when she signed a five-picture deal with

. The studio that same year cast her in her first film, '' Mexicana'' starring

Tito Guízar Federico Arturo Guízar Tolentino (; April 8, 1908 – December 24, 1999), known professionally as Tito Guízar, was a Mexican singer and actor. Along with Dolores del Río, Ramón Novarro and Lupe Vélez, as well as José Mojica, Guízar was ...

Constance Moore Constance Moore (January 18, 1920 or January 18, 1921Additional on April 23, 2017. – September 16, 2005) was an American singer and actress. Her most noted work was in wartime musicals such as ''Show Business'' and ''Atlantic City'' and the ...

, and Leo Carrillo."Estelita Rodriguez"
filmography and respective release dates,

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...

(AFI), Los Angeles, California. Retrieved August 15, 2018. Although that acting opportunity made her career take a better turn, Rodriguez did not enjoy making the movie, reportedly complaining, "Everyone treats me like a kid. I am a mother." She was subsequently cast in 1945 in '' Along the Navajo Trail'', her first Roy Rogers film, and then two years later with Rogers again in ''

On the Old Spanish Trail ''On the Old Spanish Trail'' is a 1947 American Trucolor Western film starring Roy Rogers and directed by William Witney. Plot Cast *Roy Rogers as Roy Rogers *Trigger as Trigger, the Smartest Horse in the West *Tito Guízar as Rico / Th ...

''. Before concluding her career with Republic in 1952, she appeared in a total of nine Roy Rogers productions, as well as in other projects for the studio. Later, Rodriguez worked in a few additional films for

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

, MGM, and

Embassy Pictures Embassy Pictures Corporation (also and later known as Avco Embassy Pictures as well as Embassy Films Associates) was an American independent film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution studio responsible for such fil ...

, including ''

'' in 1959 and ''

Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter ''Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter'' is a low-budget Western horror film released in 1966, in which a fictionalized version of the real-life western outlaw Jesse James encounters the fictional ''grand''daughter (the film's title notw ...

''—her final Hollywood film—in 1966.

Personal life and death

During the days of her early career, Rodriguez married Mexican singer Chu-Chu Martinez; the date of their marriage is unknown. They had one child together, Nina (born 1946) and divorced in 1947. In January 1953, Rodriguez married actor Grant Withers; they divorced in 1955. Her third marriage was to Ismael Alfonso Halfss in 1956; they divorced in 1960. Her fourth and final marriage was to Dr. Ricardo A. Pego in 1961. They remained married until her death. On March 12, 1966, Estelita Pego was found dead on the kitchen floor of her home near North Hollywood/ Van Nuys, California at age 37. No autopsy was performed and her cause of death remains unknown. She is interred at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, Mission Hills, California.

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Estelita Cuban film actresses 1928 births 1966 deaths Burials at San Fernando Mission Cemetery Western (genre) film actresses 20th-century Cuban actresses Cuban emigrants to the United States