Rita Hayworth's Fancy Footwork

100 years after her birth, we're remembering Rita Hayworth the way we think she would have wanted – as a dancer...

Rita Hayworth was many things to many people – an actress, an alluring pinup girl, a wife (five times over). A brunette, a blonde, and (most famously) a redhead. An exotic ethnic beauty and an All-American girl. But Hayworth's favorite role was that of dancer.

In the 1940s, Hayworth was box office gold when she partnered with Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly – and she was the first dancer to partner with both superstars on film. Hayworth loved that period in her career – when she looked back years later, she noted, "I guess the only jewels of my life were the pictures I made with Fred Astaire."

100 years after her birth, we're remembering Hayworth the way we think she would have wanted – as a dancer. Here are a few classic clips showcasing her fantastic talent – as well as her great chemistry with both Astaire and Kelly.

Phil Silvers joins Hayworth and Kelly in Cover Girl. Hayworth's vocals were dubbed, but the great dancing is 100 percent genuine.

And one more with Hayworth and Astaire – since she remembered their films so fondly, and for Astaire's part, he said Hayworth was his favorite dancing partner.

Written by Linnea Crowther