Katy Jurado, 1924-2002

Katy Jurado was born on this day in 1924, which is as good an excuse as any to post a photo of the smoldering Mexican beauty. She's probably best known here in the US for playing Mexican shopkeeper Helen Ramirez in High Noon. She's generally not considered a classic beauty like High Noon's female lead, Grace Kelly, yet she exudes a raw, earthy sexual potency in High Noon that makes her seem much more attractive than Kelly, who looks unnaturally pure for the Old West.

Jurado had spent several years making movies in her native Mexico before doing High Noon; after, she continued to find steady work on both sides of the border.