#María Montez la Reina del Tecnicolor

[tina-aumont]

Young and beautiful María África Gracia Vidal (future Maria Montez on screen) pictured in Barahona in 1931. She was between 18 and 19 years old when these pictures were taken.

Photos from “María Montez La Reina del Tecnicolor”, book written by Antonio Pérez Arnay, Filmoteca Canaria 1995; “De María África a María Montez, un mito en Technicolor” documentary directed by Jesús Reyes Mota, 2014 and "Santo Domingo Invita - María Montez, Su Vida"

[cinedominicano]

“PASEO DEL CINE DOWNTOWN” HONRA CON UNA ESTRELLA LA TRAYECTORIA DE ARCHIE LOPEZ, CHEDDY GARCIA, AGLIBERTO MELENDEZ Y MARIA MONTEZ

Santo Domingo D. N.  En un evento abierto al público, el pasado miércoles 15, el grupo Caribbean Cinemas dejó develadas en su segundo año las estrellas del “Paseo del Cine Downtown”, donde fueron reconocidos: Archie López, Cheddy García, Agliberto Meléndez y la fenecida actriz reina del tecnicolor María Montez, representada por Dominic Fuentes. Este gran evento que se realiza con el fin de…

[tina-aumont]

Tina's super beautiful mum trying a dress.

Unknown further details.

Maria Montez (1940′s)

[tina-aumont]

María África Gracia Vidal (future Maria Montez on screen), aged 18, pictured circa September 1930 reading "Cine Mundial" magazine.

As a little girl she was interested in doing cinema (when no one ever talked about it) and she knew she would succeed in the Film Industry. When she was very young, she always did some theatre plays in front of her family and friends.

Photos from “De María África a María Montez, un mito en Technicolor” documentary directed by Jesús Reyes Mota, 2014 and “María Montez La Reina del Tecnicolor”, book written by Antonio Pérez Arnay, Filmoteca Canaria 1995.

[tina-aumont]

Los Orígenes de la família Gracia

[Joaquín Gracia Anadón y María Antónia García Martín bisabuelos de Tina Aumont]

Joaquín Gracia Anadón - bisabuelo de Tina Aumont por parte de madre -, nació el 23 de mayo de 1841 en el municipio de Estercuel (Teruel), hijo de Pablo Gracia González, de la misma naturaleza, y de Tomasa Anadón Andrés, nacida en La Mata de los Olmos (Teruel). Sus abuelos paternos fueron Pedro Pablo Gracia y Ramona González, los maternos, Joaquín y María Teresa Andrés. Era bisnieto de Francisco Gracia e Isabel Ana Luño y de Francisco Anadón e Isabel Julve. Tomasa Anadón Andrés murió en Muniesa (Teruel) el 8 de mayo de 1867.

María Antonia García Martín - bisabuela de Tina Aumont por parte de madre -, nació en Garafía (La Palma), el 28 de septiembre de 1842. Era hija de Francisco Agustín García Medina y de María Antonia Martín Sánchez.

Cuando Joaquín Gracia Anadón tenía quince meses falleció su padre y junto a su madre se trasladó a casa de unos tíos en La Mata de los Olmos (Teruel), donde vivió durante su infancia y juventud. A la edad de 21 años fue llamado a filas e ingresa en el Batallón de Alcaníz. Más tarde fue enviado a la guerra de la isla de Santo Domingo y, terminada esta pasó a la isla de Cuba.

En Cuba conoció a María Antonia García Martín, que era natural de Garafía (las Palmas), ella era la mujer que sería su esposa.

Ambos contrajeron matrimonio, en la Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Luz de Garafía, el 17 de junio de 1872, inscrito en el Registro Civil del mismo municipio el 22 de abril de 1875. Establecieron el domicilio familiar en la Lomada de Santo Domingo, en el municipio de Garafia, lugar donde aún hoy se conserva la vivienda familiar.

El matrimonio del aragonés y la canaria tuvo seis hijos:

1. Isidoro, nacido el 3 de abril de 1873 2. Aquilino, nacido el 3 de enero de 1875 3. Tomasa, nacida el 31 de diciembre de 1876 4. Joaquín, nacido el 9 de mayo de 1878 5. Gaudencia, nacida el  12 de febrero de 1882 6. Agustín, que falleció menor

María Antonia García Martín, murió en Garafía el 21 de marzo de 1904, a los 61 años.

Joaquín Gracia Anadón, murió en Garafía, el 28 de febrero de 1913, a los 72 años de edad, de hemorragia cerebral.

[Isidoro Gracia García, abuelo materno de Tina Aumont, fotografiado en su juventud]

Isidoro Gracia García nace en Garafía el 3 de abril de 1873, hijo de Joaquín Gracia Anadón, natural de Estercuel (Teruel), y de María Antonia García Martín, natural de Garafía, en la isla de La Palma.

Cuando Isidoro sólamente tenía diez años de edad fue sometido a un interrogatorio judicial, respecto del incendio de la Casa Consistorial de Garafía, cuyos cargos habían sido imputados a su padre. Este hecho, debió marcar de por vida a Isidoro Gracia García.

Las dificultades económicas de la familia obligaron a Isidoro y a su hermano Joaquín a emigrar en busca de fortuna, primero a Cuba y posteriormente a la República Dominicana, donde fijaron su residencia en la localidad de Barahona alrederores de 1904.

Isidoro se estableció como «comerciante de mucho crédito». Se dedicó a los prósperos negocios del textil y a la exportación de madera guayacán (Lignum vitae).

Su capacidad empresarial y sus facultades humanas le valieron el nombramiento por el entonces ministro de Estado (hoy, ministro de Asuntos Exteriores) como vicecónsul honorario, previa solicitud del Real Consulado de España en el país.

En Barahona fue donde Isidoro conoció a la que se convertiría en su compañera y, tras casi 16 años de convivencia, en su esposa, María Teresa Vidal Recio. Fruto de esta unión nacieron diez hijos. Isidoro y María Teresa contrayeron matrimonio el 7 de enero de 1925, para entonces ya habían nacido la mayoría de sus hijos. La segunda de estos fue María África Gracia Vidal, más conocida como María Montez en la gran pantalla, y los dos últimos vendrían después: Jaime, en 1927, y Teresa, en 1930.

A parte de esta numerosa descendencia, Isidoro tuvo otros dos hijos extramatrimoniales (Orbito y Gaudencio), y acogió a Antonio López (Toño), huérfano de un gran amigo. Se trataba así, de una gran familia.

Isidoro Gracia García fallece en Barahona en 1933.

[María África Gracia Vidal fotografiada en 1930 antes de dar su salto a la fama]

A la orilla del mar Caribe, en Barahona (República Dominicana), nació, el 6 de junio de 1912, María África Gracia Vidal, hija del canario Isidoro Gracia García y de Teresa María Vidal, natural de Baní. Según sus biógrafos dominicanos, su nombre de pila fue deseo de su padre «en homenaje a su tierra natal, la Isla de la Palma (una de las Islas Canarias), que aunque pertenezca a España está localizada en el continente africano».

María fue la segunda de once hermanos: Isidoro, María África, Aquilino, Joaquín, David, Ada, Consuelo, Luz, Luis, Jaime y Teresita.

Desde pequeña, la futura actriz mostró interés por el teatro y el cine. Llegó a escribir pequeñas obras dramáticas que representaba ante sus amigos y familia. Aprendió inglés sin profesor alguno, contando sólo con asiduas lecturas en revistas y periódicos. Aún con estudios básicos, se atrevió con la publicación de tres libros y varios poemas sueltos, que firmaba con su verdadero nombre, María África Gracia.

Durante su vida María Montez mantuvo correspondencia con su primo Armando Gracia San Fiel (1913-1997) que residía en Madrid; las cartas muestran la personalidad sencilla de la actriz, próxima, comunicativa y curiosa por sus familiares palmeros coincidiendo con el momento en que ya se encontraba en la cumbre de su carrera cinematográfica.

La estrella también tuvo siempre presentes sus raíces aragonesas. En una carta de 1944 a su primo residente en Madrid, María contempla como posibles destinos para darle un hogar confortable a su madre "Barcelona o Teruel". En otro documento, afirma que está "muerta de curiosidad" por conocer todos los detalles posibles de la familia Gracia, un apellido "muy aragonés", según explica la investigadora María Victoria Hernández.

Entre los documentos analizados por la investigadora, Maria Victoria Hernandez, destaca una carta de 1944 en la que se puede leer: "Tan pronto se acabe la maldita guerra -la II Guerra Mundial-, mamá piensa ir a vivir a España, tal vez a Barcelona o Teruel para formar un hogar donde esté nuestra familia". En otra misiva de 1945 se interesa por "si hay buena universidad en Zaragoza" ante la expectativa de que estudien allí tres hermanos pequeños de la artista. También pide información sobre cuánto costaría en la capital aragonesa "alquilar un apartamento chico", y pregunta "cómo es el clima y qué tal es la vida allí".

María Montez se sentía orgullosa de su sangre paterna. Cuando en 1949 le preguntaron, en el Festival de Cine de Venecia, su verdadera nacionalidad, respondió:

«Pero, hijo mío, ¿de dónde cree usted que soy? ¿Acaso turca? Mi padre, palmero, y mi madre, dominicana, y mi verdadero apellido, Gracia. Esto de “Montez” es el postizo para el cine y el teatro»

El cariño por sus orígenes lo demuestra cuando, unos días antes de su muerte, el productor español Cesáreo González le ofrece hacer la película “La maja de Goya”. María declara a la prensa que la filmaría con su auténtico apellido, Gracia, y responde a un periodista francés: «Me eduqué en Santa Cruz de Tenerife, y he tenido siempre para todo lo español verdadera admiración. […] estoy segura que allí todos verán muy bien que yo trabaje con mi verdadero nombre, pero a nadie le habrá de satisfacer tanto como a mí».

Foto de la inauguración de la exposición de María Montez, con la presencia del Sr. Alcalde Yeray Rodríguez, y de dos primas segundas de María Montez, Pilar García Pombrol y Pilar Cabrera Pombrol. Garafía, octubre de 2012. Del blog Garafia@s.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Fuentes consultadas:

Las raíces Turolenses de una diva (Heraldo, 26.10.2008)

Los Orígenes palmeros de la actriz María Montez (October/November 2009)

Personalidades Garafianas (12.2012)

La Exposición de María Montez viaja a Gran Canaria (El Apurón, 21.11.2013)

Dos Actrices Internacionales descendientes de un Luño (Plenas Zaragoza 14.12.2016)

Fotos del libro "María Montez La Reina del Tecnicolor", de Antonio Pérez Arnay (Filmoteca Canaria 1995) - Las fotos de este libro no están sujetas a ningún copyright.

[tina-aumont]

Books!

Hi everybody, at the begining of the year I purchased the two María Montez Books shown here, and I also have the biography of Tina Aumont that was published in 2019.

These books have wonderful photos of María, her family and Tina, and also have beautiful information of them.

I'm very happy to have them cause I will understand better these great big family.

@74paris told me that all Aumont, Villiers and Gracia/Montez descendants are still in touch, they really love eachother and they have a strong bond, even all their descendants are considered cousins among them, which is really beautiful keeping in mind that they are a one BIG family. In a youtube interview Dominic Fuentes said that once a year all the cousins meet so they don't lose any contact.

Although Marisa Pavan tried to separate them, love won because love was stronger, and even at her denial, Tina kept contact with her brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick and Jean-Claude helped her a lot and went with her at their father funeral.

Love always wins!

Eleni

xoxoxo

[tina-aumont]

“Saludos afectuosos al pueblo español, mi pueblo, que pronto tendré el inmenso placer de visitar. Estoy tan contenta de trabajar en España! María Montez”

“Affectionate greetings to the Spanish people, my people, who I will soon have the immense pleasure of visiting. I am so happy to work in Spain! María Montez”

This is a postcard announcing that María would come to Spain to film “La Maja de Goya”, a film produced by Cesáreo González. He contacted her with the contract and the script and she agreed to take part on the film. The film was about to start by September 1951 but since 1949 the Spanish producer wanted to work with the Dominican Star.

Cesareo González was the one who promoted Mexican actress and singer María Félix and launched her career in European films. She first worked with him in "La Corona Negra" in 1951. This was a Spanish film co-produced by France and Italy.

[Mexican actress and singer María Félix pictured in 1947]

This photo was first printed in Spanish magazine Primer Plano number 560 from July 1951.

[Left: the magazine cover, featuring Ava Gardner, right the photo printed from the magazine]

Antonio Pérez Arnay had the magazine and was interested in getting the photo for his book "María Montez La Reina del Tecnicolor", and finally, he had a copy from the original one (believed to be in the Spanish Filmotheque) and could publish it in his great and unique book for María Montez.

Very special thanks to @74paris for the information given and the pics provided here.

[tina-aumont]

Litte Tina, aged 13 with her dad, step mother and half brother Jean-Claude Aumont in Madrid, Spain in 1959 while a break of "Solomon and Sheba" filming.

It's a beautiful thing that Tina visited Spain as a child and later filmed there "L'Uomo L'Orgoglio, la Vendetta" and "The Last Run" because she fulfilled her mother's dream in a way...

The thing is that María Montez wanted to film in Spain and she was about to do it in 1951, and she was really happy because she wanted to use her real surname Gracia (she changed it to Montez cause the English-speaking people don't know how to pronounce Gracia) and she wanted to do a film in Spanish, sadly, it never happened as fate had other plans for her...

"Saludos afectuosos al pueblo español, mi pueblo, que pronto tendré el inmenso placer de visitar. Estoy tan contenta de trabajar en España! María Montez"

"Affectionate greetings to the Spanish people, my people, who I will soon have the immense pleasure of visiting. I am so happy to work in Spain! María Montez"

This is a postcard announcing that María would come to Spain to film "La Maja de Goya", a film produced by Cesáreo González. He contacted her with the contract and the script and she agreed to take part on the film.

First photo comes from Moon City Garbage Agency and the second photo comes from "María Montez La Reina del Tecnicolor" book written by Antonio Pérez Arnay. Please notice that María is wearing a necklace that later inherited her younger sister Teresita and later she gave it to Tina, as you can see in this post.

Very special thanks to @74paris for his invaluable help!!

[tina-aumont]

1944 Montez sisters

In 1944 upon their arrival in Hollywood, Maria younger sisters Consuelo, Adita and Lucita were received by her elder sister and under her wing they went to English private lessons and also to some social "etiquette" classes in order to have a very beautiful appeareance and to know how to behave in some places they weren't used to as they came from Dominican Republic rural area.

The photographer of these photos is unknown, but the first photo was sent from Maria to her Spanish cousin Armando Gracia Sanfiel (1913-1997) and he gave it to Antonio Perez Arnay (1959-2012) who published in his book "María Montez, La Reina del Technicolor" (Filmoteca Canaria, 1995).

The other photos come from ebay and pinterest.

[tina-aumont]

Thank you very much @graciemonaco for sending me this gem!!

Maria looks fabulous!

Maria Montez, Photoplay, Jan. 1946

[tina-aumont]

Maria Montez and Jean-Pierre Aumont pictured in London in 1946

In the first photo, we can see the couple with some authorities of London celebrating a reception, in the colour photos, Maria and Jean-Pierre were introduced to King and Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II parents: Queen Elizabeth, aka Queen Mother and George VI.

Colour photos from Shutterstock. Very Special thanks to @74paris for sharing these pics and the story behind them.

[tina-aumont]

Tuesday, 11 September 1951 - Consuelo Gracia Carter, sister of the late Maria Montez, early today left by TWA Constellation plane in Los Angeles, en route to Paris to attend funeral of the actress, who was found dead in her bathtub last Friday.

Despite a plane-side message from French authorities that a French visa had not yet been cleared for her, Consuelo boarded the big Constellation, scheduled to connect with a similar ship in New York tomorrow for the Atlantic crossing. It is expected that clearance will be awaiting the bereaved young woman at Orly Field, Paris.

Officials said Mrs. Carter took off despite last-minute notification from French authorities that she might encounter visa difficulties because of her Dominican Republic citizenship.

She would not comment about her sister's death except to term it a 'terrible tragedy'. 

From Digital Library.

Very special thanbks to @74paris, to @signorinaclaudiacardinale & to @shannendoherty-fans for sharing.

[tina-aumont]

In the same train as Winston Churchill, yesterday evening, at the Lyon station, we could see Jean-Pierre Aumont, Maria Montez, his wife, and their little daughter accompanied by Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer, his wife, going to Marseille where they will take a part of a new film "Hans Le Marin".

23rd August 1948.

Very special thanks to @74paris for sharing this beautiful photo that comes from ebay.

[tina-aumont]

Yes, visiting Tina Aumont and María Montez grave was a hightlight! I felt them there, with Tina's baby too, it was a special momnet I will never forget. I felt their happiness and joy as they were loved and remembered, they will never be forgotten, never ever!!

And well, I want to tell you a BIG thank YOU cause you are helping me a lot setting María II artistic career! I hope we find more things about her soon!

And yes, it's great when you met people who actually met Tina and her family and they are willing to help just to keep their memories alive, I think it's very important because it helps us to understand the people we admire, to form a complete image of them...

Shannen could write her memories (do you know if she will write a second part?) but Tina couldn't, although she had the idea in mind and in fact started to talk to different writers to set her memories written but it never happened, luckily a poet decided to do it and now we have a beautiful book with nice insights about her that help us to know her better, and I amb lucky to have them and I am double lucky as two people who met Tina (hopefully this year there will be more than two) are sharing their memories with me, I feel I'm touched by some kind of angel cause it's a very special thing, you know?

Well, thank you for your lovely message, have a grat 2024 you too :)

Eleni xoxoxo

Happy new year sweetie!!!

I hope this 2024 brings you good and beautiful posts about Shanen and well, this 2023 was great as we could meet her in person, I hope this 2024 we can meet her again in another convention cause it was great to be there in Paris and hear all the Charmed cast speaking, they were all very nice, it's a beautiful day I hope I'll keep in mind during all my life!!

Meeting your teenage idol is not a thing you do everyday, so...

Well, as I've stated in some of your posts, keep on with this beautiful blog as you show lots of respect, love and admiration towards Shannen and you always want to find the truth and I think your job is important in order to understand better the beautiful actress and how was the press back in the day and how things have changed (well some haven't 😢)

So I hope in this 2024 you find more rarities, clips, films, and pics you can share to all of us, thank you very much for all your hard work here!! :D

Eleni xoxoxoxo

Thank you very much!!!!!

Yes, this time hopefully she comes back to Europe and we can not just take a single photo with her but also some authographs, maybe group photos... that would be awesome, but meeting her last year it was just unbelievable!! If I can't meet her ever again I'm happy that I have already done so!

2023 was special for you too, as you could visit Tina's, her mom¡'s and her baby's grave, and you met interesting people that met her too and share stories and photos, which is really amazing. So I hope in 2024 these keep coming and there's even more!

Keep up your hard work on your Tina Aumont blog, her mum Maria Montez, her cousin Maria Montez II and all the beautiful and strong women of that talented family!

[tina-aumont]

Le Bal des Petites Lits Blancs at the Opera.

Charming Maria MONTEZ dances at the Opera foyer with her husband, J. P. AUMONT.

15th October 1948.

Photo by Robert Cohen, AGIP.

Very special thanks to @74paris for sharing this gem that comes from ebay.

[tina-aumont]

Three photos of Montez sisters taken, according to ebay, in 1943.

In these photos we can see Lucita, Adita, Maria and Consuelo (L-R from the last photo) enjoying some time together. According to ebay these photos were taken in 1943 but as far as I know the beautiful sisters reunited in Hollywood in 1944. María left for Hollywood the July from 1940.

Unknown photographer.