Carmen Miranda

Feb 9, 1909 - Aug 5, 1955

Carmen Miranda, GCIH, OMC was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress and film star who was active from the 1930s onwards. Nicknamed "The Brazilian Bombshell", Miranda is known for her signature fruit hat outfit that she wore in her American films. As a young woman, she designed hats in a boutique before making her first recordings with composer Josué de Barros in 1929. Miranda's 1930 recording of "Taí", written by Joubert de Carvalho, catapulted her to stardom in Brazil as the foremost interpreter of samba.
During the 1930s, Miranda performed on Brazilian radio and appeared in five Brazilian chanchadas, films celebrating Brazilian music, dance and the country's carnival culture. Hello, Hello Brazil! and Hello, Hello, Carnival! embodied the spirit of these early Miranda films. The 1939 musical Banana da Terra gave the world her "Baiana" image, inspired by African-Brazilians from the north-eastern state of Bahia.
In 1939, Broadway producer Lee Shubert offered Miranda an eight-week contract to perform in The Streets of Paris after seeing her at Cassino da Urca in Rio de Janeiro.
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“I say 20 words in English. I say money, money, money, and I say hot dog! I say yes, no and I say money, money, money and I say turkey sandwich and I say grape juice.”

Carmen Miranda
Feb 9, 1909 - Aug 5, 1955

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