#Maria Montez: De la Palma a Hollywood

[tina-aumont]

I want to thank my friend @74paris who contacted the Canarian Authorities and sent him these digitalized photos from the exhibit that Garafia and La Palma had about Maria Montez back in 2012 (more than ten years ago!!)

Maria Montez dad, Isidoro Gracia García was born in Garafia (La Palma) in April 3rd 1873 and by 1904 he settled in Barahona (Dominican Republic) with his brother Joaquín. They left Carany Islands due to economic struggles and they dreamt for a better future, which eventualy came.

These photos show Joaquín (left) and Isidoro (right) pictured in Barahona in 1908. Next we can see Isidoro Gracia pictured in Barahona in 1906. Under these two photos, Isidoro is pictured, again in Barahona, this time in 1909 and the last photo shows Joaquín in an undated photo, but my guessing is that it was taken in Barahona as well aroung the time the other photos were taken (1906-1909).

These photos were displayed in "María Montez, de la Palma a Hollywood" exhibition celebrated in Garafia and La Palma during the celebrations of MAría Montez birthday centenary.

Joaquín Gracia Anadón, who was born in Estercuel (Teruel-Aragón-Spain), in 23rd May 1841 and María Antónia García Martín, who was born in Garafia, (La Palma, Canary Islands) in 28th September 1842 were also remembered in this exhibition.

This beautiful photo taken in 1942 celebrating Doña Justa's birthday was also in the exhibition. Doña Justa Recio Sánchez was María Montez granny and Regla María Teresa Vidal Recio's mother. In this photo we can see at the left Adita with her mother, and at the right we can see Consuelo. In the front row, at the right we can see a very young Teresita. It's beautiful to see that in this exhibition, also the maternal side of María was important although there were no Canarian roots in them (as far as we know).

María Montez most intimal side was also shown in this exhibition, here we can see her pictured in 1943 at her wedding day to Jean-Pierre Aumont.

While Jean-Pierre Aumont was away fighting in II World War and María was at the highest point of her career, she invited her sisters to Hollywood as she wanted them to have a successful career. Although all of them tried, only Teresita (not shown here as she was still very young) succeed but as a High Couture model working in France in the 50s hired exclusively by Vogue magazine.

These photos are from the banners displayed in "María Montez, de la Palma a Hollywood" exhibition held in La Laguna, Tenerife (Canary Islands) in 2012, they show María's family, sisters, daughter Tina and places where her family came from. These photos come from this blog: Personalidades Garafianas

These screencaps from this video show two banners from the exhibition "María Montez: De La Palma a Hollywood" with Maria Montez and Jean Pierre Aumont and Maria's dad Isidoro, her granny María Antónia and on the left Isidoro and his brother Joaquín.

The other screencaps show Joaquín Gracia and María Antónia García's home in Garafia where Isidoro, Joaquín and their siblings were born.

This house is still standing, now I wonder... could a María Montez museum will be made here and be permanent so everybody could visit it? I vote for it, but I don't know if it will ever me made, it would be beautiful if ever that happen...

Here you have the Villa de Garafia website where is explained the exhibition.

Photos shown here are courtesy of Armando Gracia Sanfiel, the Spanish cousin María was always writing. He gave these photos to Antonio Perez Arnay to be published in his book "María Montez La Reina del Tecnicolor" (Filmoteca Canaria, 1995).

Banners courtesy of "Cabildo de la Palma", the governing and administrative body of La Palma.

Muchas gracias de nuevo @74paris por todo el trabajo que has hecho contactando con la administración del Cabildo de la Palma para que te enviaran este material tan precioso y muchas gracias por compartirlo conmigo para que lo publique.

[tina-aumont]

Bervely Hills, el 14 de noviembre de 1944

Querido primo Armando:

Con inmenso placer recibí hace tres días tu cariñosa cartita y tu foto y la foto del primo Isidoro que tanto se parece al pobre tío Joaquín (q. e. p. e.).

Tu carta y tu retrato estaban esperando en casa, pues yo estaba en Nueva York adonde fui a hacer una aparición en la Radio y al mismo tiempo ir a buscar a mis hermanas Ada, Consuelo y Lucita las cuales están como yo contentísimas de encontrarse con un primito tan simpático y elegante.

Yo enseguida que recibí tu primera carta le escribí a mis hermanos y al primo Aquilino para que se pusieran en contacto contigo.

Gracias por el recorte de periódico que me mandaste, eres muy gentil y tengo muchos deseos de conocerte personalmente, tal vez te das un viajecito por estos lares o te veré cuando yo vaya por allá que será tan pronto se acabe esta maldita guerra.

En sobre separado te enviamos las muchachas y yo varias fotos de nosotras, para que tú veas cómo en realidad son tus primitas de América.

Te agradecería infinito si me das la dirección del resto de la familia —de mi prima Australia y los hijos de tía Tomasa la cual me dijo Aquilino el primo, está muerta, ¡la pobre!— ¿Cuántos hijos dejó Tomasa? ¿y Gaudencia?

¿Y están aún vivos los tíos de papá?

¿Cuántos hermanos son usdes.?

¿Adónde están el resto?

¿Y hace mucho tiempo que están en Madrid?

Pásame la dirección del primo Isidoro —desearía escribirle a él también y enviarle unas fotos.

Nosotros somos diez, ¡sí, diez! Cinco hembras y cinco varones. Mamá se mudó a la capital que se llama: Trujillo City y queda sólo cuatro horas de Barahona adonde nacimos nosotros —allá con mamá están todos los hermanos, y la pequeñita que sólo tiene 12 años y se llama Teresita —y es lindísima—, mi hermano Isidorito que es el mayor está con mamá y es un señorito muy simpático pero holgazán, mi hermano Aquilino es el jefe de la familia y el encargado de nuestros negocios que es una plantación y negocios de madera los cuales importamos a Inglaterra y Estados Unidos y en tiempo de paz a Alemania y Holanda, Joaquín está aún en la escuela, lo mismo Luis y Jaime, que acaban de entrar en cursos teóricos —Luis se parece algo a tu foto, y Jaime es muy rubio. Aquilino se parece a papá y es muy alto y guapo. Teresita está también en un colegio, mejor debo decir, convento, muy buena estudiante y habla ya el inglés bastante bien.

Ada, Consuelo y Lucita, las cuales puedes ver en las fotos cómo son, se van a quedar aquí conmigo y tratan de hacer carrera —Lucita quiere ser artista de cine y Consuelo modista diseñadora de trajes y sombreros, y Adita no quiere hacer nada, sólo casarse con un millonario, lo cual no es mala carrera, ¿eh? Pero yo no la fuerzo a hacer nada, ella ya verá cómo le gusta la vida sin trabajar, lo cual aquí es muy difícil de sobrellevar. Aquí todo el mundo trabaja, es un vicio.

Tan pronto se acabe la guerra, mamá piensa ir a vivir a España, tal vez en Barcelona o Teruel y se lleva allá a Luis, Jaime y Teresita y formar hogar adonde está nuestra familia, pues en Santo Domingo no tenemos nosotros a nadie, sólo el primo Aquilino.

Espero, pues, hayas ya visto «Arabian Nights» que fué la primera película estelar que yo hice de importancia, después de ésta hice: White Savage que creo la llaman La Blanca Salvaje ó «La reina de la Selva», «La Mujer Cobra», «Ali Babá», «Alma Gitana” (Gipsy Wildcat), y una en trajes modernos llamada «Bowery to Broadway» (no sé cómo la llamarán en español) y mi último film llamado «La Reina del Nilo», la cual es muy bonita película y de un tecnicolor precioso. Aún no sé cuál será mi próxima.

Ésta es una carta enorme y llena de información, ¿verdad?

Cariñosos abrazos a Isidoro y la demás familia.

Ada, Consuelo y Lucita te envían sus afectuosos saludos.

Cariñosamente, tu prima.

María

~*~*~*~

Beverly Hills, November 14, 1944

Dear cousin Armando:

With immense pleasure I received three days ago your affectionate little letter and your photo and the photo of cousin Isidoro who looks so much like poor uncle Joaquín (r.i.p.).

Your letter and your portrait were waiting at home, because I was in New York where I went to make an appearance on the Radio and at the same time go look for my sisters Ada, Consuelo and Lucita who, like me, are very happy to meet with such a nice and elegant cousin.

As soon as I received your first letter, I wrote to my brothers and cousin Aquilino to get in touch with you.

Thank you for the newspaper clipping you sent me, you are very kind and I really want to meet you personally, maybe you will take a little trip around these parts or I will see you when I go there, which will be as soon as this damn war is over.

In a separate envelope, the girls and I sent you several photos of us, so that you can see what your little cousins from America really look like.

I would be extremely grateful if you would give me the address of the rest of the family—my cousin Australia and Aunt Tomasa's children, whom Aquilino, the cousin, told me is dead, poor thing!—How many children did Tomasa leave behind? And Gaudencia?

And are Dad's uncles still alive?

How many brothers are you?

Where are the rest?

And have they been in Madrid for a long time?

Give me cousin Isidoro's address—I would like to write to him too and send him some photos.

We are ten, yes, ten! Five females and five males. Mom moved to the capital called: Trujillo City and it is only four hours from Barahona where we were born - all the siblings are there with Mom, and the little one who is only 12 years old and her name is Teresita - and she is very cute - my Brother Isidorito, who is the eldest, is with mother and is a very nice but lazy young man. My brother Aquilino is the head of the family and in charge of our business, which is a plantation and wood business which we import to England and the United States. in peacetime to Germany and Holland, Joaquín is still in school, as are Luis and Jaime, who have just started theoretical courses —Luis looks something like your photo, and Jaime is very blonde. Aquilino looks like dad and is very tall and handsome. Teresita is also in a school, I should say, a convent, a very good student and she already speaks English quite well.

Ada, Consuelo and Lucita, who you can see in the photos what they are like, are going to stay here with me and try to make a career - Lucita wants to be a film artist and Consuelo a dressmaker, a designer of suits and hats, and Adita doesn't want to do anything, just marry a millionaire, which isn't a bad career, eh? But I don't force her to do anything, she will see how she likes life without working, which is very difficult to cope with here. Here everyone works, it's a vice.

As soon as the war is over, Mom plans to go live in Spain, perhaps in Barcelona or Teruel and she will take Luis, Jaime and Teresita there and make a home where our family is, because in Santo Domingo we have no one, only cousin Aquilino.

I hope, then, that you have already seen "Arabian Nights" which was the first major star film that I made, after this I made: "White Savage", which I think they call "The Wild White" or "The Queen of the Jungle", "Cobra Woman", «Ali Baba», «Alma Gitana» (Gipsy Wildcat), and one in modern costumes called «Bowery to Broadway» (I don't know what they will call it in Spanish) and my latest film called «The Queen of the Nile», which It is a very beautiful film and a beautiful technicolor. I still don't know what my next one will be.

This is a huge letter full of information, right?

Affectionate hugs to Isidoro and the rest of the family.

Ada, Consuelo and Lucita send you their affectionate greetings.

Kindly, your cousin.

Maria

~*~*~*~

First of some letters that are going to be published here just to know a little bit more about Maria, her family and her relationship she had with his cousin Armando Gracia Sanfiel.

This transcription is possible thanks to @74paris who sent me a document called "Los orígenes turolenses y canarios de la actriz de Hollywood María Montez" written by María Victória Hernández Pérez, courtesy of Cabildo de la Palma.

[tina-aumont]

"A nuestro primito Armando con profundo cariño"...

This beautiful sentence (to our Cousin Armando with deep love) was written to Armando Gracia Sanfiel (1913-1997), María's cousin who lived in Madrid, he was the son of Aquilino Gracia García. Aquilino was Isidoro's younger brother.

Here you have a photo of Aquilino that was on display at "María Montez, de la Palma a Hollywood" exhibit held in Garafia and La Palma back in 2012 to celebrate María Montez' birth centenary.

This photo is courtesy of "Cabildo de la Palma", the governing and administrative body of La Palma and had been shared to me by my friend @74paris.

Aquilino was Antonio Gracia Sanfiel's dad, he was born on January 3rd 1875 and he migrated to Cuba and established himself as a cigar maker, and upon his return to Garafía he was elected Mayor. He married Graciliana Sanfiel, and had María, América, Armando, Isidoro, Aquilino and Lisandro Gracia Sanfiel as children.

Maria Montez kept a writing correspondence with her cousin Armando, who lived in Madrid. In these letters, María appears simple, close, communicative and curious about her relatives in Spain, coinciding with the moment in which she was already at the peak of her film career.

These letters were in Armando Gracia Santamaría personal archives (he was Armando Gracia Sanfiel's son) and he shared them to researcher and historian Maria Victória Hernández.

My friend @74paris went to "María Montez, de la Palma a Hollywood" exhibition and saw the letters displayed there, and he contacted "Cabildo de la Palma" governing administration and I will add the transcription to some of them here in this site.

I would like to display the letters here under the title "A nuestro primito Armando" since I find it's a very touching and beautiful sentence and under the very same tag we will find the correspondence Maria and her sisters kept with Armando. It's beautiful to know that although Maria and Armando never met, Teresita did in 1952 when she travelled to Spain to work in the film industry.

I hope you like all the posts displayed here, as I'm sure they will be very touching and we will meet the personal side of Maria.

Thank you very much!!

Eleni xoxoxo

[tina-aumont]

Gabinete Telegráfico. Ministerio de la Gobernación. Madrid. España

18 de noviembre de 1945.

Mi querido primo Armando.

Hace días estoy por contestarte tu afectuosa carta, pero he estado tan sumamente ocupada terminando a la carrera mi último film «Tánger» antes que el «peligro de expansión» (debido al bebé que estoy esperando en Febrero) sea más obvio, y cuando regresaba a casa estaba tan fatigada que todo lo que podía hacer era comer y dormir. Pero a Dios gracias, terminé el film ayer y estoy libre ahora para descansar y escribir a mi familia y amigos y preparar la mursey para el baby.

Naturalmente Jean Pierre y yo estamos extáticos con el bendito evento. Lamento decirte que tu carta de Canarias no ha llegado, tal vez se perdió, así que dame otra vez la información que en ella me dabas, tengo al respecto una enorme curiosidad.

Estos son los nombres de mis hermanos y fecha de nacimiento:

Isidoro Rafael Gracia y Vidal, 3 de abril de 1911.

Aquilino Mario Gracia y Vidal, Mayo 14 1914.

Joaquín David Gracia y Vidal, Agosto 26 1915.

Luis Antonio Gracia y Vidal, Junio 10 1923.

Jaime Enrique Gracia y Vidal, Agosto 24 1925.

Nacidos en Barahona- Republica Dominicana.

Nombre de mi mamá: María Teresa Vidal y de Santos Silas.

No dejes de mandarme una copia del árbol genealógico, y toda la información respecto a la familia Gracia.

¡Qué viaje tan bonito te distes de vacaciones!

Mi hermano Aquilino, que es un chico muy bien, se casará en diciembre con una chica andaluza llamada Mary […] de Haro, muy graciosa y llena de chispa, y después ellos van a venir a buscar trabajo y fortuna en Norte América y le deja el negocio de la familia a Isidoro y Joaquín. Jaime y Luis están en la Universidad estudiando. Yo tengo intensiones de mandar a mamá a España a fines del año entrante cosa de que Jaime, Luis y Teresita (la más pequeña de nosotros y una preciosa chiquilla) tengan una buena oportunidad de estudiar en una gran Universidad española. ¿Es la vida muy cara allá en Madrid? ¿Cómo es Zaragoza, hay buena Universidad allá?

Te agradecería infinito si me das detalles al respecto —cuánto cuesta al mes en Madrid o Zaragoza un apartamento chico o una casa bien de alquiler, y qué tal es la vida por allá, adónde está la mejor Universidad y qué clase de clima se goza.

No te olvides en tu próxima de darme las direcciones de mi familia de Canarias, me gustaría escribirles unas carticas y dame detalles de cuántos quedan, si están casados, o solteros […].

Te diré que Adita, Consuelo y Lucita son unas holgazanas de mil diablos, así que perdónalas si no te escriben, ellas son unas corresponsales pésimas, pero te quieren y recuerdan siempre con sincero afecto.

Lo que me dices de mi popularidad en España me halaga mucho y me hace feliz.

Naturalmente yo estoy imposibilitada de viajar por un tiempo, pero después de febrero tomaré unas vacaciones e iré a Europa más cuando Jean Pierre regresará a Francia a filmar una película en francés, esto si Dios y la Metro […] (el trabajo para la M. G. M.) así […] que entonces te veré.

Mi suegro no llegó a Madrid por eso no te llamó.

Mi esposo acaba de terminar un film con Ginger Rogers llamado «Latido del Corazón» (Hearbeat) y comienza en diciembre un film en tecnicolor sobre la vida de Rimsky Korsakov, lo cual lo tiene muy contento.

¿Quiénes son ahora los novelistas de moda en España? Los mejores libros? Dime, pues aquí nada se oye al respecto, y me gustaría saberlo.

El primo Aquilino está lo más tristón, tengo entendido; como sabes, se casó con una dominicana (no de alto rasgo social […]) y la chica se le volvió loca al dar a luz, ¡el pobre!

¿Qué te cuentas de nuevo?

Yo acabo de firmar un magnífico contrato con la Universal por siete años con todas las cláusulas que yo quería, lo cual es una buena noticia, ¿eh?

A mí me gusta mucho mi último film «Tánger»; en ella soy una madrileña y bailarina, es una película moderna y de intriga […], y en ella tengo trajes preciosos […]; mis galanes son Robert Paige y Preston Foster. No te olvides mandarme todos los detalles respecto a nuestro abolengo. Cariñosos recuerdos a Isidoro —las muchachas te saludan y lo mismo Jean Pierre.

Cariñosamente,

María.

~*~*~*~

Telegraph Cabinet. Ministry of the Interior. Madrid. Spain

November 18, 1945.

My dear cousin Armando.

I've been about to answer your affectionate letter for days, but I've been so extremely busy rushing to finish my latest film "Tangier" before the "danger of expansion" (due to the baby I'm expecting in February) becomes more obvious, and when I got home I was so tired that all I could do was eat and sleep. But thank God, I finished the film yesterday and I'm free now to rest and write to my family and friends and prepare the mursey for the baby.

Naturally Jean Pierre and I are ecstatic with the blessed event. I'm sorry to tell you that your letter from the Canary Islands has not arrived, perhaps it was lost, so give me the information you gave me again, I am extremely curious about it.

These are my siblings' names and date of birth:

Isidoro Rafael Gracia y Vidal, April 3, 1911.

Aquilino Mario Gracia y Vidal, May 14, 1914.

Joaquín David Gracia y Vidal, August 26, 1915.

Luis Antonio Gracia y Vidal, June 10, 1923.

Jaime Enrique Gracia y Vidal, August 24, 1925.

Born in Barahona- Dominican Republic.

My mother's name: María Teresa Vidal y de Santos Silas.

Be sure to send me a copy of the family tree, and all the information regarding the Gracia family.

What a beautiful vacation trip you took!

My brother Aquilino, who is a very good boy, will marry in December an Andalusian girl named Mary […] de Haro, very funny and full of spark, and then they are going to come to look for work and fortune in North America and he leaves the family business to Isidoro and Joaquín. Jaime and Luis are at the University studying. I have intentions of sending mom to Spain at the end of next year so that Jaime, Luis and Teresita (the youngest of us and a beautiful little girl) have a good opportunity to study at a great Spanish University. Is life very expensive there in Madrid? What is Zaragoza like, is there a good university there?

I would be extremely grateful if you could give me details about it—how much a small apartment or a good rental house costs per month in Madrid or Zaragoza, and what life is like there, where the best university is and what kind of climate is there.

Don't forget to give me the addresses of my family in the Canary Islands next time, I would like to write them some letters and give me details of how many are left, if they are married, or single […].

I will tell you that Adita, Consuelo and Lucita are lazy as hell, so forgive them if they don't write to you, they are terrible correspondents, but they love you and always remember you with sincere affection.

What you tell me about my popularity in Spain flatters me a lot and makes me happy.

Naturally I am unable to travel for a while, but after February I will take a vacation and go to Europe more when Jean Pierre will return to France to film a film in French, this is if God and the Metro […] (the work for the M. G. M. ) so […] then I'll see you.

My father-in-law did not arrive in Madrid that is why he did not call you.

My husband just finished a film with Ginger Rogers called "Hearbeat" and is starting a Technicolor film on the life of Rimsky Korsakov in December, which makes him very happy.

Who are the fashionable novelists in Spain now? The best books? Tell me, because here nothing is heard about it, and I would like to know.

Cousin Aquilino is really sad, I understand; As you know, he married a Dominican woman (not of high social character […]) and the girl went crazy when she gave birth, poor thing!

What news have you got?

I just signed a magnificent contract with Universal for seven years with all the clauses I wanted, which is good news, right?

I really like my last film “Tangier”; In it I am a Madrid native and a dancer, it is a modern and intriguing film […], and in it I have beautiful costumes […]; My boyfriends are Robert Paige and Preston Foster. Don't forget to send me all the details regarding our ancestry. Fond regards to Isidoro—the girls greet you and so does Jean Pierre.

Lovingly,

Maria.

~*~*~*~

This transcription is possible thanks to @74paris who sent me a document called “Los orígenes turolenses y canarios de la actriz de Hollywood María Montez” written by María Victória Hernández Pérez, courtesy of Cabildo de la Palma.

Now I have some comments to do...

Maria Montez writes her mum's name as "María Teresa Vidal y de Santos Silas", this fact makes more difficult to trace María Montez mother's family line and even in some biographies María Montez name is wrong listed. Maria's mum real name was Regla María Teresa Vidal Recio.

Now, according to Tom Zimmerman, in his book “The Queen of Technicolor. Maria Montez in Hollywood”:

I've never heard that Regla María Teresa Vidal Recio had Dutch roots, as far as I know she was creole, but nothing else can be found, even if you look at her family tree nothing is known about her ancestors... but why Maria lied about her mums surnames and always told she was so pround of her father being Spanish? I think she wanted to protect her mother from fame, paparazzis? who knows ... she kept that secret with her...

The other striking information is that Maria Montez doesn't give the correct birthdate of her youngest brother Jaime Enrique. Little is known about him as the films were he is supposed to work are really hard to find and checking his passing date and age, the date her sister Maria gave doesn't fit. It's a very known fact that she changed her birthday in all her Hollywood contracts just to make everybody think she was younger - this was a normal thing to do in the 40s just to get a nice contract - and for the same reason, I guess she doesn't give to her close-cousin the birth dates of her sisters, but lying to him about the birth of her youngest brother seemed very strange to me, although it seems she did it deliberately.

Well, I hope little by little we will find more information about the Gracia Family and their ancestors.

[tina-aumont]

Isidoro Gracia García, María Montez dad and Tina Aumont grandad was born in Garafia the 3rd April 1873.

To celebrate his birthday and as a tribute, here you have a page for him in the Family section.

The information displayed here is possible thanks to @74paris who has done a great research on the subject, the biography comes from an article written by Canarian historian and researcher María Victoria Hernández Pérez called "Los orígenes turolenses y canarios de la actriz de Hollywood María Montez" and was displayed at María Montez exhibition ("María Montez, de la Palma a Hollywood") held in La Palma to celebrate her centennary. Very special thanks to Cabildo de la Palma for sharing this special information with us.