Google Doodle honors spirited, trailblazing actress Katy Jurado

Google Doodle honors actress Katy Jurado, who became famous for portraying femme fatales in Mexican cinema and other complex women in Hollywood. Today would have been her 94th birthday.

She is best known for playing Helen Ramirez in "High Noon" (1952) and winning a Golden Globe for best supporting actress.

Born María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García, she began her career during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the early 1940s, often playing villainous and seductive women. While working as a movie columnist in Hollywood, she was discovered by actor John Wayne and filmmaker Budd Boetticher, who cast her in "Bullfighter and the Lady" (1951). She knew little English at the time, according to Google, but expertly memorized her lines and delivered them based on how the words sounded.

Jurado helped open the door for other Mexican and Latina actresses in Hollywood with her engaging, passionate personality. She proved that she could play a wide range of complex women on screen, not just the femme fatale roles that began her career. Though she found success in the United States, she continued to act in Mexican productions throughout the 1950s. 

Katy Jurado continued acting until she died at age 78 in 2002. She was married to actor Ernest Borgnine for a short period and was linked to actor Marlon Brando for many years. She also won three Silver Ariel Awards in Mexico and was nominated for an Academy Award.

The Google Doodle depicts Jurado against a background inspired by "High Noon" and the city where she was born, Guadalajara, Mexico, nicknamed the "city of roses."