Linda Ford Popular Books

Linda Ford Biography & Facts

Linda Christian (born Blanca Rosa Henrietta Stella Welter Vorhauer; November 13, 1923 – July 22, 2011) was a Mexican film actress, who appeared in Mexican and Hollywood films. Her career reached its peak in the 1940s and 1950s. She played Mara in the last Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan film Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948). She is also noted for being the first Bond girl, appearing in a 1954 television adaptation of the James Bond novel Casino Royale. In 1963 she starred as Eva Ashley in an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour titled "An Out for Oscar". Early life Christian was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico, a daughter of Dutch engineer and Royal Dutch Shell executive Gerardus Jacob Welter, and his Mexican-born wife, the former Blanca Rosa Vorhauer, who was of Spanish, German and French descent. The Welter family moved a great deal during Christian's youth, living everywhere from South America and Europe to the Middle East and Africa. As a result of this nomadic lifestyle, Christian became an accomplished polyglot.Christian had three younger siblings, a sister, actress Ariadna Gloria Welter, and two brothers, Gerardus Jacob Welter and Edward Albert Welter. Career In her youth Christian's only aspiration was to become a physician. After she graduated from secondary school she had a fortuitous meeting with her screen idol Errol Flynn, who became her lover, and she was persuaded by him to give up her hopes of joining the medical profession, move to Hollywood, and pursue an acting career. Not long after arriving in Hollywood she was spotted by Louis B. Mayer's secretary at a fashion show in Beverly Hills. He offered, and she accepted, a seven-year contract with MGM.Her stage name was invented by Flynn, who gave her the surname of Fletcher Christian of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Flynn had played Fletcher Christian in a 1933 Australian film.In his autobiography My Wicked, Wicked Ways, Flynn states that immediately after Linda Christian's screen test, he offered to pay for her to have a couple of crooked teeth fixed. When he got a whopping bill, he discovered that she had taken the opportunity to undergo major cosmetic dentistry. Years later, when he met her again, he said, "Smile, baby – I want to see those choppers: they took their first bite out of me." She made her film debut in the 1944 musical comedy Up in Arms, co-starring Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore. This movie also happened to be Danny Kaye's own first film. This film was followed by Holiday in Mexico (1946), Green Dolphin Street (1947), and what was perhaps her best-known film, Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948). She was the subject of a well-known photograph published in the January 1, 1949, issue of Vogue. Christian was the first Bond girl to appear on screen, playing Valerie Mathis (opposite Barry Nelson as James Bond) in the 1954 TV adaptation of Casino Royale, beating Ursula Andress to the screen by eight years. In 2001, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her. Marriages and relationships Christian's fame, however, was largely derived from being married to the popular screen idol Tyrone Power between 1949 and 1956, and then from being divorced from him. The couple married in Rome, Italy, with Monsignor William A. Hemmick performing the ceremony at Santa Francesca Romana. Christian wore a formfitting gold-damask gown, and the church was decorated with two thousand "Esther" carnations. She and Power were the parents of singer Romina Power and actress Taryn Power. Romina was one half of the Italian singing duo Al Bano and Romina Power. A month after she divorced Tyrone Power, Christian was seen with Spanish racing driver Alfonso de Portago, who was married to American Carroll de Portago (later Carroll Petrie). Carroll had recently given birth to "Fon's" second child Anthony. De Portago was dating model Dorian Leigh, mother of his recently born illegitimate son Kim. Linda was photographed with de Portago at the 1957 Mille Miglia car race. The photo shows Christian leaning in to kiss Fon before he drove off and crashed his Ferrari, killing himself, his navigator Ed Nelson, and nine spectators in the process. The press labeled the photo "The Kiss of Death". De Portago was 28 years old. Her ex-husband, Tyrone Power, died the following year of a heart attack at the age of 44. Christian was later married to the Rome-based British actor Edmund Purdom.On several occasions, Christian and Power were offered the opportunity to work together, but for various reasons each offer was refused or rescinded. The most notable opportunity to co-star together came in 1953, when they were offered leading roles in From Here to Eternity. Power did not want to do the film and rejected the offer. The roles went to Donna Reed and Montgomery Clift. Christian had a relationship with Glenn Ford in the early 1960s. Death Christian died on July 22, 2011, at the age of 87. Selected filmography Two items appear in this article's introductory paragraph which are not in the following list. Bibliography Christian, Linda. Linda, My Own Story. New York: Crown Publishers (1962).References Sources Parla, Paul & Mitchell, Charles P. (2000). Screen Sirens Scream!. McFarland. ISBN 0786445874.External links Linda Christian at IMDb. Discover the Linda Ford popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Linda Ford books.

Best Seller Linda Ford Books of 2024

  • The Cowboy Tutor synopsis, comments

    The Cowboy Tutor

    Linda Ford

    With the mortgage due and funds scarce, Madge Morgan can't afford distractions. Especially not from Judd Kirk, her sister Louisa's meek tutor andaccording to their mother's planssu...

  • Rodeo and Juliet synopsis, comments

    Rodeo and Juliet

    Linda Ford

    From an awardwinning author with more than one million books sold. Enjoy this heartwarming historical romance. Note: this book can be read as a standalone.Rodeo has never been clos...

  • Love Inspired Historical October 2014 Box Set synopsis, comments

    Love Inspired Historical October 2014 Box Set

    Linda Ford, Karen Kirst, Christine Johnson & Lily George

    Love Inspired Historical brings you four new titles for one great price, available now! This Love Inspired Historical bundle includes Big Sky Cowboy by Linda Ford, Married by Chris...

  • One Italian Summer synopsis, comments

    One Italian Summer

    Rebecca Serle

    INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERIn this “magical trip worth taking” (Associated Press), the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years returns with a powerful novel about ...

  • Big Sky Cowboy and Big Sky Daddy synopsis, comments

    Big Sky Cowboy and Big Sky Daddy

    Linda Ford

    A lonesome cowboy's second chanceBig Sky Cowboy The last thing Cora Bell wants is a distracting cowboy showing up on her family's farm seeking temporary shelter. Especially one she...

  • Big Sky Cowboy synopsis, comments

    Big Sky Cowboy

    Linda Ford

    JUST THE COWBOY SHE NEEDED? The last thing Cora Bell wants is a distracting cowboy showing up on her family's farm seeking temporary shelter. Especially one she is sure has s...

  • Dakota Series Complete Collection synopsis, comments

    Dakota Series Complete Collection

    Linda Ford

    Enjoy these heartwarming, romantic favorites set in Dakota Territory from Linda Ford! Dakota ChildTrapped in a North Dakota blizzard, single mother Vivian Halliday’s prayer for her...

  • Prairie Cowboy synopsis, comments

    Prairie Cowboy

    Linda Ford

    Too pretty by halfthat's Miss Virnie White's problem. Conor Russell has seen what prairie living can do to a delicate female. That's why he's raising his daughter, Rachael, to be a...

  • The Pelvic Floor Bible synopsis, comments

    The Pelvic Floor Bible

    Jane Simpson

    Have you ever laughed so much you wet yourself just a little bit? Or found yourself crossing your legs on the doorstep frantically searching for your keys? Do you get up at night ...

  • Caution To The Wind synopsis, comments

    Caution To The Wind

    Linda K Ford

    On May 5th, 1994, at 9.30 am on a chilly, sunlit day, Linda Ford and Geoff Wright, left the safety of Lyttelton Harbour in New Zealand, to venture into the unknown, where nothing w...

  • Three Brides for Three Cowboys Complete Collection synopsis, comments

    Three Brides for Three Cowboys Complete Collection

    Linda Ford

    Fall in love all over again with top selling author Linda Ford’s heartwarming stories about three sisters who find love in the vast Canadian prairie.The Cowboy TutorWith the mortga...

  • Fake Love synopsis, comments

    Fake Love

    Nova Gibson

    Clear, concise and empowering selfhelp about navigating and healing from narcissistic abuse by Australia's goto specialist counsellorThe love of a narcissist is fake. It's a soulde...

  • The Cowboy Comes Home synopsis, comments

    The Cowboy Comes Home

    Linda Ford

    Security and a home of her ownthat's Sally Morgan's dream. And a new job could offer both. Her employer will marry her if she proves her worth as housekeeper. A sensibleif unromant...

  • Big Sky Daddy synopsis, comments

    Big Sky Daddy

    Linda Ford

    For His Son's Sake Caleb Craig will do anything for his son, even ask his boss's enemy for help. Not only does Lilly Bell tend to his son's injured puppy, but she offers to re...

  • The Cowboy Father synopsis, comments

    The Cowboy Father

    Linda Ford

    With Alberta in the grip of the Depression, Louisa Morgan is desperate to bolster her family's finances. But how can she tutor bedridden Ellie Hamilton? The little tomboy is more i...

  • Expiration Dates synopsis, comments

    Expiration Dates

    Rebecca Serle

    Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years an...