Ofelia Fox
Encyclopedia
Ofelia Fox born Ofelia Suárez in Havana, Cuba, was a poet, lecturer and radio personality whose life as the wife of a Havana nightclub owner was chronicled in the book Tropicana Nights: the Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub. .
Ofelia Suárez grew up in Cuba
with three siblings. She published several books of poetry
, and at the age of 29, she married
businessman Martin Fox. Her husband became owner of the legendary Tropicana Club
in Havana
. It was there that Ofelia Fox first met many Hollywood stars and celebrities, such as Ava Gardner
, Nat King Cole
, Ernest Hemingway
, Carmen Miranda
and Tyrone Power
.
In Cuba of the 1950s, Ofelia Fox became a well-known nightlife personality, as she was often by her husband's side at the nightclub. Under Martin Fox's ownership, the Tropicana Club flourished and became one of the most well-known entertainment venues in the world. Revolution
ary forces, under the command of Fidel Castro
, took over the club in 1959, prompting Martin and Ofelia to move to Miami. The couple, who had no children, lived for five years in Miami, where Ofelia became friends Rosa Sánchez.
When Martin died of a stroke in 1964, Ofelia and Rosa moved to Glendale, California
, near Los Angeles
. Their house became a meeting place for Cubans living in California
, and domino parties were common.
In 2003, author Rosa Lowinger
approached Ofelia about working together to write a book about the Tropicana Nightclub. Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub (Harcourt, 2005) was written by Lowinger with the assistance of Fox. The book incorporates hours of interviews with Fox and many former Tropicana employees. By the time of publication, Fox was battling both cancer and diabetes. She died at the age of 82 from cancer and complications from diabetes, at the St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California
.
In 2007 Rosa Sánchez published Ofelia Fox's Cuba, Patria en Lagrimas y el Mensaje de Liansu, a collection of her 1961-64 broadcasts on Miami's WMIE. Fox was the first female Cuban radio personality in Miami, and she was a public lecturer as well. The book includes excerpts and notes from her speeches.
In November of 2009 the book NOSOTRAS, OPENING THE DOOR TO OUR LOVE LIFE, authored by Ofelia Fox and Rosa Sanchez was published and presented at the Miami Book Fair International. For detailed information check Miami Herald article: WHEN OFELIA MET ROSA.
Ofelia Suárez grew up in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
with three siblings. She published several books of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, and at the age of 29, she married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
businessman Martin Fox. Her husband became owner of the legendary Tropicana Club
Tropicana Club
Tropicana is a world known cabaret and club in Havana, Cuba. It was launched in 1939 at Villa Mina, a six-acre suburban estate with lush tropical gardens in Havana's Marianao neighborhood.-Influence:...
in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. It was there that Ofelia Fox first met many Hollywood stars and celebrities, such as Ava Gardner
Ava Gardner
Ava Lavinia Gardner was an American actress.She was signed to a contract by MGM Studios in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew attention with her performance in The Killers . She became one of Hollywood's leading actresses, considered one of the most beautiful women of her day...
, Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
, Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda, GCIH was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, Broadway actress and Hollywood film star popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was, by some accounts, the highest-earning woman in the United States and noted for her signature fruit hat outfit she wore in the 1943 movie The Gang's...
and Tyrone Power
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
.
In Cuba of the 1950s, Ofelia Fox became a well-known nightlife personality, as she was often by her husband's side at the nightclub. Under Martin Fox's ownership, the Tropicana Club flourished and became one of the most well-known entertainment venues in the world. Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
ary forces, under the command of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, took over the club in 1959, prompting Martin and Ofelia to move to Miami. The couple, who had no children, lived for five years in Miami, where Ofelia became friends Rosa Sánchez.
When Martin died of a stroke in 1964, Ofelia and Rosa moved to Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
, near Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Their house became a meeting place for Cubans living in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and domino parties were common.
In 2003, author Rosa Lowinger
Rosa Lowinger
Rosa Lowinger is a noted Cuban-born American art conservator. She is also an author, most notably of the book "Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub" and articles on modern art and architecture.-Education:...
approached Ofelia about working together to write a book about the Tropicana Nightclub. Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub (Harcourt, 2005) was written by Lowinger with the assistance of Fox. The book incorporates hours of interviews with Fox and many former Tropicana employees. By the time of publication, Fox was battling both cancer and diabetes. She died at the age of 82 from cancer and complications from diabetes, at the St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.
In 2007 Rosa Sánchez published Ofelia Fox's Cuba, Patria en Lagrimas y el Mensaje de Liansu, a collection of her 1961-64 broadcasts on Miami's WMIE. Fox was the first female Cuban radio personality in Miami, and she was a public lecturer as well. The book includes excerpts and notes from her speeches.
In November of 2009 the book NOSOTRAS, OPENING THE DOOR TO OUR LOVE LIFE, authored by Ofelia Fox and Rosa Sanchez was published and presented at the Miami Book Fair International. For detailed information check Miami Herald article: WHEN OFELIA MET ROSA.