Career
Miranda began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. She appeared in several films, including The Three Caballeros, where she danced with Donald Duck and José Carioca, singing the song, "Os Quindins de Yayá". Her sister was Carmen Miranda.
In 1932, aged 18, she was asked to perform on the Mayrink Veiga radio station by Josué de Barros, the same composer who had launched her sister"s career 10 years earlier.
Alves was known for supporting up-and-coming artists and there was none more promising than Aurora, who many still believe had a more beautiful voice than Carmen. She made her recording debut on 25 May 1933, at the age of 18.
On that day, Aurora sang Assis Valente"s marcha "Cai, Cai, Balão!" and Floriano Ribeiro de Pinho"s samba "Toque de Amor" in duo with Francisco Alves, Brazil"s greatest male singing star. Another duo with Chico Alves came in July: Noel and Helio Rosa"s foxtrot "Você só.
Mente." Aurora was launched.
Her record company was Odeon. Aurora"s principal competitor - Carmen - was at Victor. During the rest of the decade, Aurora recorded 162 more sides, many of them enormous hits, such as "Cidade Maravilhosa" (André Filho) and "Se a Lua Contasse" (Custódio Mesquita),whose composers were her constant songwriters, along with Walfrido Silva and Assis Valente.
In 1936, Aurora appeared in the film Alô alô Carnaval, where she was seen with Carmen, dressed in gold-lamé top hat and tails, singing "Cantores do Rádio" (João de Barro/Alberto Ribeiro/Lamartine Babo).
This film is apparently lost except for some short sequences. In 1940, Aurora married Gabriel Richaid.
Carmen gave the couple a trip to the United States of America as a honeymoon present, and before long, Aurora was appearing in American nightclubs and revues. During the war, when Disney was producing his Good Neighbor south-of-the-border films, he wanted to cast Carmen with Ethel Smith in Blame lieutenant on the Samba.
Carmen was unavailable, and the technology wasn"t yet advanced enough for making that film, which would eventually appear in 1948 with Ethel as the only live character.
She also appears in the film noir classic "Phantom Lady" (1944) where she can be seen as a night club performer. Mississippi Miranda appeared in the documentaries Carmen Miranda:Bananas is my Business and Once Upon a Mouse. Miranda died at the age of 90 on 22 December 2005.