Katy Jurado

 

Katy Jurado was born in 1924 in Mexico.  She came from a family with many singers and musicians, and her godfather was even an actor.  At about 19, she was in her first movie, produced in Mexico during The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema.  Her parents did not approve and threatened to send her to boarding school.  She continued acting without her parents’ consent, and soon, married another Mexican actor to hopefully help her career.  She worked also as a reporter, which eventually introduced her to ties in Hollywood and lead to her being casted in High Noon by Stanley Kramer. 

Between her time in Mexican and Hollywood film, she developed a constant role as the stereotypical and sexualized woman.  She also could barely speak English when she began acting in Hollywood, but quickly learned.  She won many awards from Golden Globes to Oscars, and eventually even worked on Broadway.  During the ‘50s, Jurado acted in many Westerns, which became a staple of her career.  Over her career, she was never at the receiving end of any communist claims, but she did gain roles after other actresses were accused.  After that she continued making more films between Hollywood and in Mexico, mostly dramas.  Eventually she settled down in Mexico and lived to 78.