Jean Peters

She died of Leukemia in 2000. Bush, recognizing her contributions to American (U.S.) culture. Peters remarried after divorcing Hughes, and returned to acting with a few roles on television. In 2002 Chita Rivera became the first female Hispanic to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors award presented by President George W. She would state only that she had not seen Hughes for several years before their divorce. She received her first Tony in 1984 for her role in The Rink and her second for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 1993 for her role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. The usually-paranoid Hughes surprised his aides when he did not insist on a confidentiality agreement from Peters; aides reported Peters was one of the few people Hughes never disparaged. Peters refused to discuss her life with Hughes, and declined several lucrative offers to do so. Rivera received two Tony Awards and six additional nominations.

She agreed to a lifetime alimony payment of US$70,000 annually, adjusted for inflation, and she waived all claims to Hughes' estate. [Quoted at http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/9942/inthe1226.html]. In 1971, Peters and Hughes divorced. You have long been considered a Broadway legend."" Rivera replied "Oh, God!" and laughed. She retired from acting during the marriage. Indeed "In Theatre" magazine has suggested in an interview by Goerge Horsfall: " You must be tired of the term "legend", but let's get it out of the way. In 1957, Peters married Howard Hughes, shortly before he faded from public view and became an eccentric recluse. Rivera is widely regarded by theatre aficiandos as a "living legend".

He thought Peters had the right blend of sex appeal and the tough-talking, streetwise characteristics he was seeking, and that Monroe was too innocent looking for the role. Rivera is planning on appearing in three plays in 2004: Nine with Antonio Banderas, The Visit and Ballroom. Director Samuel Fuller chose Peters over Marilyn Monroe for the part of Candy in 1953's Pickup On South Street. She played the role of Nicky in the movie version of Sweet Charity with Shirley MacLaine. Her first film, 1947's Captain from Castile with Tyrone Power was a hit, and Leonard Maltin writes that afterwards Peters spent the new decade playing "sexy spitfires, often in period dramas and Westerns." [1] (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0676492/bio). She went on a national tour with Can-Can. After competing in a beauty contest in 1946, Peters went to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. Chita also starred in the Broadway productions of Bye Bye Birdie, Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, The Rink, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Zorba.

Elizabeth Jean Peters (born October 15, 1926 in Canton, Ohio, died October 13, 2000) was an American actress. Her performance was so important for the success of the show that the London production was posponed until after Chita gave birth to the couple's daughter, Lisa. On December 1, 1957, Rivera married dancer Tony Mordente. She was cast as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story. Years later the role of Anita was to bring fame and an Oscar to another Puerto Rican, Rita Moreno in the film version. In 1957, Chita was cast in the role which was destined to make her a Broadway star.

Besides her ballet instructors, Chita considers that she learned a lot from Leonard Bernstein and especially from Gwen Verdon, with whom she participated in the Broadway production of Chicago. Wonderful with Sammy Davis Jr. In 1952, when Chita was 17 years old, she accompanied a friend to the audition for a Broadway production of Call Me Madam and ended up with the role. She followed this by landing roles in other Broadway productions, such as Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Among her teachers were Edward Villella, Allegra Kent and Maria Tallchief.