Inside The Tragic 1944 Death Of Actress Lupe Velez

Jacobo Villalobos Reyes was presumed dead, and Lupe Velez had to work in order to help support her family. She obtained work at a department store and auditioned at a local theater. That was the beginning of Velez’s acting career. Her father, who was later found alive, eventually returned from the war and was angered that her daughter had become an actress. She was banned from using his surname, and from then on, Lupe used her mother’s maiden name. She gained enough popularity in her home country to get the attention of director and producer Richard Bennett, who invited her to Hollywood, as reported by Los Angeles Magazine.

Velez stood at just 5 feet, but her fierce personality made up for her small stature; she was given the nickname “Mexican Hurricane” and the “Mexican Spitfire.” In Hollywood, she starred in several films as well as on Broadway. She gained a reputation for being a hothead, with stories of her threatening other actresses and attacking people. One person said, “When she puckers up her lips, it is impossible to tell if she is going to kiss you, bite you, or spit on you,” (via More of Hollywood’s Unsolved Mysteries). Despite her intense personality, Velez was loved by many. As Los Angeles Magazine noted, she was generous to her friends and people she did not know, cared for rescued animals, and entertained crew members on film sets.

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