Front Row Dress Circle

While the actual cause of Charlton Heston’s death has not been released it is known that the actor was diagnosed with Alzheimers six years ago. This disease has also claimed the lives of many of Hollywood’s great stars, possibly the most tragic case being that of the beautiful screen goddess of the 1940’s and 1950’s - Rita Hayworth. Through her suffering the condition really came out into the open; for many years until her condition was formally announced she was accused of being everything from alcoholic to drug-hazed. Few knew at the time she was in the grip of this terrible condition.

Rita Hayworth was every man’s fantasy back in the forties, and no-one could doubt why. She was born Margharita Cansino and travelled vaudeville shows with her parents and their Spanish flamenco act ‘The Dansing Cansino’s’ even performing in countries such as Australia. She became Rita Hayworth after being discovered by Fox Studios in 1935. Rita was not without her demons; she doubled as her father’s dancing partner before she started in movies and it has been claimed that he sexually molested her as a young girl.

Rita led a tempestuous love life and, yes, was known to drink quite heavily as the years passed. As early as the late 1950’s her behaviour was noticed as becoming odd. Throughout the sixties she behaved more erratically as time passed and it was generally acknowledged that she was suffering from the effects of alcoholism. In 1976 Rita was booked to appear as guest presenter at the Australian Television Logie Awards in Melbourne. After boarding her flight in London for the trip she became increasing distressed and disoriented after which she was removed from the plane and her engagement in Australia cancelled.

This incident received worldwide publicity with many very cruel remarks reported. A year later in 1977 her daughter, Yasmin Khan, publically announced that her mother was suffering from Alzheimers Disease. She made fewer appearances in public until 1979 when she went into complete seclusion, she was never seen in public again. Her daughter cared for her until 1987 when Rita died.

Other stars who were Alzheimer sufferers…

* Ronald Reagan

* Billie Bird

* Charles Bronson

* Perry Como (singer)

* Aaron Copland (composer)

* Sugar Ray Robinson (boxer)

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